Shelby Township: Patrons Can Support The Shelby Township Library With Donor Wall Plaque Purchase

Press release from Shelby Township:

09/09/2021 9:38 AM

Shelby Township Libray patrons and township residents or businesses can be part of history at the community's first standalone library.

Thanks to the Friends of the Shelby Township Library donor wall program, participants can support the Friends of the Shelby Township Library and commemorate a family name on a hand-painted 5" x3" glass plaque. Each unique plaque will be part of a custom art glass donor wall in the new library entrance.

"We wanted to do something in our lobby that gave our patrons and residents a chance to be part of the new library," Library Director Katie Ester said. "A lot of libraries have donor plaques, but we wanted something more significant and more impactful that celebrated the community and enhanced our new library's design.

"We decided on our glass mosaic art wall, which has a portrait of Heritage Lake, to welcome our residents and patrons while celebrating our donors. It will be a perfect way to greet everyone that comes to the new library next year."

Participants can purchase a plaque with a tax-deductible $250 personal donation or $500 business donation to the Friends of the Library, a 501c3 nonprofit that raises funds for the Shelby Township Library. Plaque purchases include a free one-year membership with the Friends and funds library events, programs, materials and special projects.

"A $250 donation to the Friends of the Library goes a lot further than you might think, too," said Ester. "For $250, we can provide a year of children's storytimes, a presentation from an author or a cooking demonstration at the library, three adult craft projects, or an entire year of teen hangouts. Between the Friends of the Library and our staff, we excel at making the most of every dollar donated."

Along with the donor wall, the new library will have several unique features courtesy of private donors.

The reading lounge, with its floor-to-ceiling fireplace, was furnished and funded by Joseph and Karen Gale. Carol McLaughlin donated an 18’x7’ Pewabic pottery mural. A 30-foot tall interactive tree sculpture in the children’s room is courtesy of the Joan Walen Fund. A one-of-a-kind “magic book” was donated to the children’s room by the Friends of the Library. The Utica-Shelby Township Rotary and Macomb Charity Connect donated an interactive Everbrite wall in the teen area.

Residents can track the progress of the construction on the library's website at shelbytwp.org/library. In addition, the webpage provides access to a live outdoor construction camera that updates every 30 minutes. The camera also gives users an option to view a time-lapse video of the project.

"As the interior starts to take shape and new features begin to emerge, I become more eager for the day that I can share this building with our community," Ester said. "Because of our donors and community, this library will be totally unique. Thanks to them, our library will be a beautiful, engaging community library for our residents to use and enjoy for generations."

Slated to open in early 2022, the new library increases the current facility's footprint at 51680 Van Dyke Ave. from 12,400 square feet to 26,400 square feet. In addition, the new Shelby Township Library will feature a children's area, community event spaces, a teen room, a technology lab, individual study rooms, a children's storytime and programming space, a reading lounge and additional space for library materials.

For more information or to donate, contact the library at 586-739-7414 or shelbylib@libcoop.net.

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Click here to visit the library's homepage.

This press release was produced by Shelby Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.