By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
More than 200 community members turned out Monday afternoon to celebrate the dedication of the new Fife Lake Public Library, which officially opens today.
Three times the size of the former location, the library will house 15,000 volumes in a 3,800-square-foot space that includes a children's area, adult section, Internet stations and more. An adjacent 1,000 square foot community room is available for both library and community events.
"This is a historic time in southwest Grand Traverse County and an accomplishment to be proud of," said Denise Bearre, president of the Board of Trustees for the Fife Lake Public Library. "The library now has a new home after 60-plus years."
The Fife Lake Public Library is a member library of the Traverse Area District Library system. In addition to the main Woodmere facility, this system incorporates three member libraries and two branch libraries in surrounding communities.
Attendees at the Fife Lake Public Library dedication were amazed at the result of the years-long effort, reveling in the bright, sunny space and user-friendly layout.
"This is long needed and very much appreciated — the first time I walked in here and looked, I just cried," said Connie Downey of Fife Lake, who used to serve on the library board. "I think it's beautiful and so much ahead of what anyone expected."
Fife Lake residents literally built the facility as all of the $646,000 price tag came from donations large and small from area residents, businesses and officials. Small grants, including one from the Oleson Foundation as well as assistance from the Traverse Area District Library to purchase shelving, were critical but minor compared to the flood of individual generosity.
The multi-year fundraising effort is expected to culminate this week as a final book sale and silent auction boost the total to the goal.
"Every where I go in northern Michigan, we are the inspiration and the envy of everybody, rich and poor, because we've done such a wonderful job here," said Mandy Gibson, who directed the capital campaign for 14 months and is back as a volunteer to finish the job. "We've built this library from the hearts and checkbooks of everybody sitting here and hundreds of others."
The former library facility was a 128-year-old, one-room school house, the first frame school house in Fife Lake. The library, which records show began with a $17 grant from Grand Traverse County in 1887, moved into the building in 1945. Booming Fife Lake outgrew the 1,000 square-foot facility, with circulation tripling over the past 11 years. Compared to national library standards, the building had three times the amount of books recommended for the space.
Julie Gray, director of the library for 12 years and an employee for 30, realized years ago that a new library was needed. With Board of Trustees on board and village and township officials enrolled in the idea as well, fundraising began in earnest a few years ago after the Hayes family donated 1.2 acres for the project.
A Friends group also formed to assist with the effort, throwing fundraisers that ran the gamut from an Elvis Show, Christmas Tea and barn sale to a fall festival, pontoon boat rides and pop can collection. Overall, building the new library was an act of faith from conception to fundraising and planning to groundbreaking 11 months ago to a busy construction schedule that featured many volunteers.
"A few years ago, maybe six, Julie told me about her vision, her dream, her hope, her nightmare," recalled Mike McGuire, director of the Traverse Area District Library. "Many of us, including myself, had sincere doubts — fortunately, I was wrong and she's done just a magnificent job."
The Fife Lake Public Library is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information, call the library at (231) 879-4101.