Library of Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Library of Michigan |
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| The atrium of the Library of Michigan | |
| Type | State library |
| Reference to legal mandate | Library of Michigan Act of 1982 |
| Location | Lansing, Michigan |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $17,747,300 |
| Director | Randy Riley |
| Staff | 33 |
| Website | http://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan |
| Phone number | (517) 373-1300 |
The Library of Michigan is like the main library for the entire state of Michigan. It's located in Lansing, which is the state capital. You can find it inside a big 5-story building called the Michigan Library and Historical Center. This library has a special job: it collects and keeps important books and papers about Michigan. It also helps people find information and supports other libraries all over the state.
Since 2009, the Library of Michigan has been part of the Michigan Department of Education. One of its most important services is the Michigan eLibrary (MeL). MeL was one of the first online libraries ever created! It gives people in Michigan access to articles, books, and materials about Michigan history. It also helps them find reliable websites.
Besides being the state library, the Library of Michigan also runs the Michigan History Museum. This museum is inside the same building. The Michigan History Museum has exhibits about Michigan's past. It's open to everyone who wants to learn more about the state.
Michigan Library History
In 1828, a special library was started for the Michigan territory. It held laws and government papers for the leaders to use. William B. Hunt was the first person in charge of this library. Nine years later, in 1837, Michigan became a state. The territorial library then became the official state library. Governor Stevens T. Mason chose Oren Marsh to be the first state librarian.
In 1879, the state library moved into the new Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing. It was originally on the second and third floors. Today, that space is used by the Speaker's Library and a committee room.
A fire happened in 1951 in the State Office Building where the library was located. This fire sadly destroyed 20,000 books. Another 30,000 books were damaged.
In 1982, a law was passed that officially created the Library of Michigan. This law also moved the library's control from the Department of Education to the Legislative Council. Three years later, the Library of Michigan Foundation was started. This foundation helps raise money to support the library's important programs.
In 1988, the Michigan Library and Historical Center opened its doors. This new building gave the Library of Michigan much more space. For the first time since the 1951 fire, all the library's books could be kept in one place. In 2001, the library moved to a new department. Then, in 2009, it moved back to the Department of Education.
The Library Building
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The Library of Michigan building has 5 stories. It holds over 3.2 million different items. These items take up more than 27 miles of shelves! The building opened in 1989.
One cool feature is that it has one of the ten largest genealogical collections in the United States. This means it has lots of records to help people research their family history. There's also a special Michigan collection. It contains legal documents that are hundreds of years old.
Other parts of the library and historical center include the Michigan History Museum. You can also find the Archives of Michigan there. They also have newspapers on microfilm from all over the state. The State of Michigan Law Library moved into the building in 2007.
See also
- MichiCard
