Eighty years old and still growing.
The Oxford Public Library was the guest of honor Sunday afternoon as the community gathered to celebrate the institution’s 80th anniversary and dedicate something new to an old friend.
‘What a great event. What a great occasion,? said Oakland County Commissioner Bill Patterson (R-Oxford). ‘Isn’t it nice to be able to participate in and have something positive for the Oxford area. Let’s give ourselves a hand.?
Perdema Duncan, former president of the Oxford Public Library Friends and 200? Friend of the Year, read a brief history of the library as it journeyed through four locations between 1925 and 1997.
Duncan marveled at how much has changed over the course of eight decades, from books and paper to computers and Internet.
‘Now we have the world at our fingertips in this library, which is completely beyond the comprehension of the people who started the library 80 years ago,? she said. ‘We’re very lucky that we’re in this day and age, but we owe a lot to those people who kept the library active through all these years.?
Headlining the event was the formal dedication of newly expanded and renovated Teen Area and Adult Technology Area, a $350,000 project primarily funded by the estate of L. William Stanton.
The size of the Teen Area has increased from approximately 180 to 1,200 square feet with plenty of comfortable seating, study space, computers and room to expand its growing collection of diverse materials.
‘There are closets bigger than our old Teen Department,? quipped Tom Offer, treasurer of the library board of trustees, noting the area’s size was the institution’s ‘largest deficiency.?
Circulation in the teen collection increased by 211 percent over a five-year period. In 1999, the collection had 2,207 items that were borrowed 4,232 times. By 2005, the collection has 5,360 items that have been checked out 13,177 times.
Teens enjoying their new area during the anniversary celebration were very impressed and happy with the expansion.
‘It’s eye-popping. It’s really cool,? said Oxford resident Emily Strzelecki, 12?, who was using one of the Teen Area’s new computers. ‘I think I might be doing a lot of school projects here.?
‘It’s amazing,? remarked Ashley Pointe, 12?, of Oxford.
‘I think it looks really nice,? said 16-year-old Veronica Thompson, of Oxford, who was quietly reading in the new Teen Area. She ‘definitely? plans to spend more time in the area and is pleased ‘there’s a lot more room.?
The new Adult Technology Area contains 11 fully-functional workstations with space available for an additional eight computer stations.
From each computer, patrons can search the Internet, check out electronic databases and use Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel.
Both areas, a total of approximately 2,000 square feet, were dedicated to the memory of Don Lovell, who passed away in May 2005 at the age of 62.
Don served on the library board in various capacities from December 1976 until his death. He taught students and coached golf at Oxford High School for four decades.
Library Board President Duane Salswedel said Lovell showed a ‘lifetime of committment, not only to the library, but to the young people of our community.?
Salswedel noted Lovell was ‘very instrumental? in the successful bond and millage campaigns which created the library on Pontiac Street we know today.
‘It is my honor to be the person that dedicated the new Teen Section and the new Adult Technology Section in memory of Don Lovell ? a friend and a true worker for his community.? She ‘definitely? plans to spend more time in the area and is pleased ‘there’s a lot more room.?
The new Adult Technology Area contains 11 fully-functional workstations with space available for an additional eight computer stations.
From each computer, patrons can search the Internet, check out electronic satabases and use Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel.
Both areas, a total of approximately 2,000 square feet, were dedicated to the memory of Don Lovell, who passed away in May 2005 at the age of 62.
Don served on the library board in various capacities from December 1976 until his death. He taught students and coached golf at Oxford High School for four decades.
Library Board President Duane Salswedel said Lovell showed a ‘lifetime of committment, not only to the library, but to the young people of our community.?
Salswedel noted Lovell was ‘very instrumental? in the successful bond and millage campaigns which created the library on Pontiac Street we know today.
‘It is my honor to be the person that dedicated the new Teen Section and the new Adult Technology Section in memory of Don Lovell ? a friend and a true worker for his community.?