Novi Celebrates Winning Michigan Library of the Year

A crowd gathered at the Sunday afternoon to celebrate the library winning Michigan's top honor this year: the 2011 State Librarian's Excellence Award.

The award, plus a trophy and $2,000, was at the end of October for its superior customer service. 

Library Director Julie Farkas spoke at the event Sunday, thanking all the people who have supported and used the library. She also said she is proud of her staff for achieving this recognition.

"It says a lot about the women and men that drive to work every day and come in this building and promise me that they will truly provide exceptional service and make this their job a very important part of their day and an important part of their life," she said. "They truly deserve this honor and I am so pleased to be working with them on a regular basis."

The new library was constructed last year, but Mayor David Landry said that it took more than just a new building to win Library of the Year.

"A year ago we showed the world we could build a first-class facility. But so what? Money can build a first-class facility. It's what you do with the facility that counts. We didn't just construct a buidling, we constructed a library, and that means you're there to provide services to people," Landry said.

State Senator Mike Kowall presented the library with a special tribute signed by Gov. Rick Snyder, Oakland County Commissioner Kathy Crawford and himself to formally congratulate the library.

The library also had a new banner made that will tell guests it won Library of the Year. But Novi Library Board President Larry Kilgore said this achievement was not earned in just one year. He said the work that went into the new building began six to seven years ago when the board started planning a bond resolution for the community.

"Since then our work has continued and will continue," he said.