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New Library Branch Is A Big Hit With Kids

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Day
11
Month
January
Year
2004
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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THE ANN ARBOR NEWS SUNDAY, JANUARY 11,2004

From left, Ann Arbor residents Simon Duncan, 2, Na'Esha Carter, 12, and her cousin Antione Brann, 3, look at the new aquarium in the children's section at the grand opening of the Malletts Creek branch library on Saturday.

New library branch is a big hit with kids

Malletts Creek site opens its doors

BY LIZ COBBS

News Staff Reporter

In the first two and a half hours after the branch opened, 300 people signed up to become new library card users, according to District Library Director Josie Parker.

Six-year-old Lydia Evans begged her mother to check out a book for her at the new Malletts Creek branch library in Ann Arbor on Saturday morning.

Lisa Evans hesitated as she looked at the long line to check out books that nearly stretched to the main aisle. Lydia wanted to take home a book on horses, while her 2-year-old brother, David, had selected “Boom Town.”

Evans gave in. After all, she saw something that she wanted to read, too.

“I have a book on opera,” she said.

Evans and her children were among the hundreds of people who came on opening day at the Ann Arbor District Library’s newest branch, located at 3090 E. Eisenhower Parkway, between Stone School Road and Packard Road.

The $4.9 million, 14,000-square-foot, single-story building replaces the 3,500-square-foot Loving Branch, a mile east, that had served southeast Ann Arbor since 1965.

In the first two and a half hours after the branch opened, 300 people signed up to become new library card users, according to District Library Director Josie Parker.

“This is what we were hoping for,” Parker said. “Many people who came in were already regular users of the Loving Branch and we were hoping to have new users to come and check out books.”

The new branch has a collection of about 35,500 items, according to the library’s figures. It also has 28 computer terminals, a vending area that seats up to 20 people, a program room which the community can use for groups of up to 120, and a cozy reading room with a fireplace.

Planners, architects and library officials say the branch is ecologically and technologically unique in that it maximizes the energy available from the environment. For instance, it features solar heating, natural day lighting, a 3.5-inch deep vegetated green roof that aids storm water management, and naturally captured and filtered storm water.

Besides giving tours, Parker fielded visitors’ questions and received feedback about the new branch, which smelled of new carpet and new wood.

“What people said they loved were the places to sit and relax, the children’s area, and they loved the light,” Parker said.

Bright light streamed through the building’s large, southern windows near the children’s area, where it seemed the most activity was taking place. Children appeared captivated by the fish tank. Parents, sitting on the floor, enjoyed impromptu story time with toddlers on their laps. Some helped their children choose from the many books scattered across a wide wooden table. Others watched as their youngsters selected their own books from the shelves.

Vanessa Negusse had already checked out her books and was trying to get her 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son to get into their coats so they could leave. When she became distracted, the youngsters wriggled out of their coats and headed back to the play area.

“I’m amazed at all the things they have here,” said Negusse, a 33-year-old Ann Arbor native who went to the Loving Branch on Saturdays when she was her childrens’ age. “There are so many things for them to play with and to choose from. There’s such a wide collection of books and videos. I can see myself coming here for a long time.”

Liz Cobbs can be reached at lcobbs@annarbornews.com or (734)994-6810.

In the first two and a half hours after the branch opened, 300 people signed up to become new library card users, according to District Library Director Josie Parker.