MCLS Blog

MLA conference – Tuesday – Tour of Southfield library

October 11th, 2006 Ruth Dukelow

First day at MLA’s annual conference in Detroit.  Sue Alt and I set up MLC’s booth in the exhibit hall on Tuesday afternoon, so we didn’t get to go to the Motown museum tour.  It sounds like people who went had fun.  Sorry we missed it.

The Tuesday evening event at MLA was dinner and tours of the newly built Southfield Public Library.  The library building is exceptional and, even better, the library was packed full of patrons – reading, using the computers, enjoying the facility – really wonderful to see!

The children’s and teens area was WOW – World of Wonder.  The teens’ area is set up like a kid’s club, with low lights, computer stations, tables with TV screens, and stacks of CDs and DVDs.  Almost every seat was taken.

The childrens’ area has a patterned rug with symbols to follow to find various areas: a leaf to go the Treehouse (complete with fireplace and fireflies), a crown to go to the castle (with a plush throne and a sleeping, snoring dragon), a space rocket to go the space room (with a green screen for kids to dance in front of and show up on the large screen TVs inside the space capsule), and stars leading to the Battle of Books wall.  There’s even a whole Seuss area – with original Seuss art and a gigantic Cat in the Hat.  Plus tons of computers, print stations, and private study rooms.  What a fantastic childrens’ library!

I have to admit that I spent so much time in the childrens’ room that I never did get to the third floor to see the floating boardroom – it was too fun to leave.  [In my defense, I did notice Sheryl Mase from the Library of Michigan playing in the childrens' room too.....so I wasn't the only one!]

It is so great to get out to see wonderful Michigan libraries in action.  Good job – MLA – on a lovely special event!

Entry Filed under: General Interest, Library Visits, News