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Bloomfield Blossoms: p. 152-153

Smith, Kay, 1925-

Bloomfield Township Public Library

Bloomfield Township Public Library

Libraries -- Michigan -- Bloomfield Township

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GB01a078

part of 'Bloomfield Blossoms' by Kay Smith

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BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP'S OWN LIBRARY IS BEGUN IN 1963 In the middle period of its great expansion, the Township's need for a library of its own became clear. Residents had been using the Baldwin Library in Birmingham, but it was obvious that the rapid rate of growth was going to continue in the Township and the building of more and more schools alone signaled that a change was necessary. When Deloris Little was first elected clerk, she campaigned to haye the question of a millage to support a library placed on the ballot. The voters said yes to a one-mill operating tax in 1963, and while this money went mainly to reimburse Baldwin for Township residents' use of their facility, it also stretched far enough to rent temporary quarters in the lower level of a building at Long Lake and Telegraph Roads, until a request could be made for its own building. In 1966 voters approved a one-half mill levy to build the new library building at Lone Pine and Telegraph Roads. Today the library has a collection of over 100,000 books and many groups have contributed to its facilities. Garden clubs have provided trees for the grounds, and the Friends of the Library have been very active in furnishing the reading room, and putting on programs. Rose Vainstein was the first librarian. In 1968 H. G. Johnston became library director at the Township, and the following year Baldwin was added to his responsibilities so that today he's director of both libraries. A Japanese garden was donated by one garden club in 1970, and this Bicentennial year, as a Bicentennial Horizons project, 21 garden clubs of the area cooperated to raise enough money to build an outdoor reading garden.