White Lake library reopens after month-long renovation

White Lake Township residents were able to begin using the White Lake Township Library again on Wednesday, Sept. 7, after the building had been closed for over a month due to renovations.

And according to Library Director Larry Ostrowski, residents weren’t disappointed when they got a look at the renovations.

“We had a lot of positive comments,” he said. “There were lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from residents about the new layout.”

Adult services were separated from the children and teen services areas. All adult services, materials, and computers are now located on the first floor, while the children and teen services areas are located on the lower level.

Another addition is a kitchenette area in the multi-purpose room that was donated by the Friends of the White Lake Library.

An additional quiet study room is also now available on the first floor.

The only new piece of furniture added was a new circulation desk, which includes a new express check-out machine to join the one the library already had.

“People can check out on their own without having to wait,” Ostrowski said. “The reality of the times is that people are always in a hurry. After being closed for five weeks, we were mobbed and those two units got more use than the one we had before in a whole month.”

A self check-out machine was also added for convenience in the children and teen area.

The library also replaced the carpet and painted the walls — both of which Ostrowski said were necessary after 11 years.

“We made these improvements because of normal wear and tear,” he said. “We want to keep the library attractive and inviting, while getting a good bang for our buck with tax dollars. We’re so appreciative that residents passed the library millage last year. And we’re doing everything we can to keep the building worth those tax dollars.”