Luther Area Public Library

Library Showcase:

 Family Style, delectable choices, quality service, low-cost, and a fun atmosphere; the perfect combination for a family restaurant or .. library. The Luther Area Public Library meets all of the qualifications for a family style friendly restaurant, which is appropriate since their building was formerly used as a restaurant. Their building was originally designed as a restaurant six years ago, but after a fire, it sat vacant for 2 years. Then, the library purchased the building from a bankruptcy court for a low-cost. The restaurant building provided a wonderful opportunity for the Luther community to move the library into a separate, much bigger building and to a more ideal location on Main Street. Volunteers, except for a professional clean-up crew for the smoke damage, completed the renovations and 1 ½ ago, the library was “Open for Business” in their new location.

A family, fun atmosphere in their building is attracting residents from their village of 400 people and those who live in the even more rural surrounding countryside. The library had 59 children register for their summer reading program this year, the largest number of participants ever. As a special program for the children, the West Central Humanities Council funded a presentation by Buck Wilder.

Delectable choices of books and materials are available for all at the library. Various grants and donations from the community has increased their collection size by four times what they had in the old building. Along with books, patrons also have their choice of using one of four new computers that were bought this spring with grant money from the Library of Michigan. A video magnifier will soon take up residence in the library and is being purchased with funds from the Lake County Community Foundation.

Barb Stenger has been serving up specials with quality service since 1999 when she began as a volunteer for the library. She then became the Director four years ago. She has cooked up many projects for the community since becoming Director. Their most recent completed project was cataloging and automating their collection. Last week, they started using the Verso system.

In many small towns, there is a limited number of activities and places for families to go. The Luther Area Public Library is filling many of the needs that a community restaurant fills; people get fed. Books fill their minds and food fills their stomach; coffee, homemade cookies and fruit drinks for the kids are available and funded through donations. Residents gather around to share stories, participant in events, enrich their lives with books and information, and catch up on the latest in Luther news. We salute the Luther Area Public Library for all they have done for their community and are proud to have them as a member of the Mid-Michigan Library League

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