Benzie Shores District Library

Library Showcase:

When I talked with Cathy Carter, Benzie Shores District Library Director yesterday, she was catching her breath from a busy day that included a story hour that had 100 participants that morning. Julie Morris, Children’s Librarian, does a weekly puppet show, crafts, and a story hour that brings hundreds of children to the library. I’m sure that Cathy would have liked to curl up in the library’s lazy chair and look out the library’s wall of windows that overlooks the Betsie Lake, but with the summer influx of patrons, breaks are few and far between.

For the four days after the Fourth of July, Cathy was greeted by 50 people waiting to have access to the library’s 6 public Internet computers. The library also has a wireless connection that is accessed by patrons inside and outside of the building. During the summer months, the library’s circulation numbers are 4 to 5 times higher than the numbers for the winter months. Cindy Collier keeps the computers running smoothly which makes the hundreds of daily internet users happy.

I wondered how the staff keeps up with the demand. The answer; volunteers. In the Frankfort area, there are 12 retired Librarians who volunteer their time at the library and lots of other volunteers. Helen Dewey, a volunteer extraordinaire, gave book talks to nearly 1,400 students in the Benzie County elementary schools this May. She organized the entire Benzie Libraries Summer Reading Program. The entire Reading program was made possible by people volunteering their time or their resources. The Coupon Books that are distributed as the incentive to complete the program were made possible through the efforts of Helen Dewey and 25 local businesses. Response to the reading program has been tremendous; they have had two times more the number of children than they anticipated.

Another countywide library program is “Dog Days of Summer” – amnesty on fines in exchange for dog food.

The “Reflections By the Bay” committee is a group of volunteers who present a program the third Thursday of every month. This month they are presenting the program “More than a Century Old: The History of the CSA with presenter Russ Freeburg. This committee has been presenting programs for over 10 years.

Another volunteer group, the Friends of the Library, are active in contributing to community awareness of the library. A recent FOL project involved buying one book for each Frankfort-Elberta sixth grader as a gift for completing elementary school. The Friends also just published the summer edition of their quarterly newsletter.

When I retire, in about 35 years, I may settle down in Frankfort, like so many others and enjoy the library that offers so much for their patrons. I too, will go away in the winter and come back in the summer to enjoy the library’s extensive book collection, watch as children pour in for the reading program, and check my e-mail in the parking lot. The library may change a great deal in 35 years, but the love for reading and volunteering that exists in the community will probably still exist. During the 35 year time span, I hope that Cathy has a chance to catch her breath.

We salute the Benzie Shores District Library for all they have done for their community and are proud to have them as a member of the Mid-Michigan Library League.

Staff writer- Holly Mercer

Mid-Michigan Library League- 210 1/2 N. Mitchell- Cadillac, MI 49601
Phone: 800-968-0046 Fax: 800-968-3297

Website design: Holly Mercer
Last Update: March 29, 2007