Friends of Monteith @detroitLibrary Tout Successful Effort to Save Detroit Jewel #michlit #library

PRESS RELEASE   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:  Sandra D. Hines, 313.778.4393 OR Valerie Glenn, 313.974.1610   The Friends of the Monteith Library Announce its Re-Opening! Press Conference Friday, January 20, 4pm   1/19/12—The Friends of the Monteith Library are proud to announce that the Monteith Branch Library will re-open on Monday, February 20, 2012. The Friends will hold a press conference to make the announcement on:   Monteith Library Re-Opening Announcement Friday – January 20, 2012 4:00 p.m. Monteith Library 14100 Kercheval at Eastlawn   "The re-opening of this much needed resource was truly the collective energy of the community," said Friends spokesperson Valerie Glenn. "All library users - young and old, local and state wide elected officials, business owners, community, philanthropic, ecumenical and all other community members—will benefit. The people who reside in this immediate community spoke the loudest and quite articulately addressed the need for their jewel to re-open.  The Friends of Monteith truly thank all for the hard work and efforts without which this victory would not have occurred."   She continued, "After numerous meetings and collaborations with the Detroit Public Library Commissioners and the Administration, this move to keep the library open ignited an agreed upon need to look at a new way to deliver city-wide library services. The re-opening of Monteith will allow the Detroit Public Library Commissioners an in-depth opportunity to evaluate the Library's present city-wide service delivery model and recreate a process that leaves no person left behind. Today's technological and complex society requires more information – not less."   The Friends of the Monteith Library is establishing a library task force that will evaluate the Detroit Public Library's existing service delivery model, analyze and evaluate the community needs for each library and recommend a library delivery model that will meet the needs of all of its users.      "With the recommendation and acceptance of this plan, The Friends of the Monteith Library and this special committee is hopeful that all of the four closed branches will be re-opened and there will be no recommended library closures without the involvement of the community," Glenn concluded.   #