A BIT OF LENOX LIBRARY HISTORY

In February 1948 the New Haven Public Library was created by Village Ordinance Number 56.  The Library was to be subsidized in part from the general fund---not to exceed $300---the rest from public contributions.  The Library was housed in the old Lenox Township Hall and was a branch of the Macomb County Library.

The New Haven Library had 1400 books, all on loan from the State Library.  Meanwhile, the New Haven Lions Club built a home for the Library on property provided by the John Stockton Women's Relief Corp No. 157.  Many local clubs and organizations donated money for furnishings and maintenance.  The building was dedicated on April 30, 1950 as a gift to the Village of New Haven from the New Haven Lions Club.

The Library remained a branch of the Macomb County Library until 1970 when it became necessary for the County Library to close its branches.  In November 1970, the voters of the Lenox Township approved .5 mills for the operation of the Library and the name was changed to the Lenox Township Library which now had a six-member elected board.  The Women's Relief Corps deeded the land to the Lenox Township Library in December 1976.

By 1980 the building was too small to serve the expanding community, and volunteers again rallied to double the size of the building.  In 1988 another .5mills was approved.  The Library and the community continued to grow and expansion became essential.  The Library was bursting at its bookcases by 1994 with books, computers, copy and fax machines, audio books, videos, magazines and puppets.  The Board of Trustees appealed to its community which responded by passing and additional .5mills, bringing the millage support to 1.5 mills.  This allowed for a $105,000 expansion which doubled the size of the existing structure