Canton Public Library moves to separate facility

By Jim Rink
ANP Staff Writer

The Canton Eagle
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1988
© Copyright 1988
Associated Newspapers, Inc.

It looks like something you might expect to find in Egypt. Rising out of an old Canton cornfield, its littler pyramids poke into the sky, funneling sunlight onto the thousands of books below.

It's the new Canton Public Library, 1200 South Canton Center Road, just across the way from the Canton Township Municipal Building. The monumental process of moving from the old library on the third floor of the municipal building into the new 31,500-square-foot structure began Oct. 17.

The library is expected to reopen at it new location Nov. 14.

An open house celebrating the even will take place Sunday, Nov. 13, from 1 to 4 p.m.

"Due to the complexity of the move and the need to repaint all of our shelving, the library will be closed for four weeks," said Library Director Jean Sebestyen-Tabor. "During the entire time we are closed, (patrons) may return materials in the book drops."

Sebestyen-Tabor also said that a Canton Public Library card may be used at all 60 member library of the Wayne Oakland Library Federation.

The new library will feature an equipment room with both typewriters and computers which may be used by library patrons. Also included as part of the design of the new library is a series of skylights or "releases" which will allow natural light to stream into the building in several locations.

An all-new children's library will feature a children's reference desk, activity room, an aquarium, puppet stage, reading oasis, outdoor story nook and computers and software designed especially for young readers.

A special children's celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the library. Jim Dandy the clown and Daryl Hurst the magician will provide the entertainment.

For adults, the new library will contain 24 shelves or "stacks" of books, a reference desk, quiet study, reading area with fireplace, kitchen, meeting room, periodical section, equipment room, meeting room and courtyard.

For the next few weeks, the move is under way to that building across the street with the little pyramids. Perhaps it is fitting that the new Canton library is fashioned after the time of the Pharoahs: after all, they did invent papyrus.

[The new canton public library, 1200 South Canton Center Road, will soon be filled with volumes of books and people. Library employees are currently moving the contents of the old library into the new. ANP photo by Ann Grimes/staff photographer]