[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8804]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING FIFE LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, as they have for generations, 
libraries across our Nation and my home State of Michigan enable people 
to gain access to a sea of information and facts. They serve as a 
gateway for exploration. Libraries allow young people to journey back 
in time with great authors and experience the world as it was for past 
generations. They allow them to travel across the globe and experience 
life in other areas of the world, and they allow them to dream and 
imagine ways to make our collective future better. These are places 
where the only limitation is your imagination and your willingness to 
read and learn.
  For the past 125 years, one such library in Fife Lake has played this 
unmistakably important role, and it is with great pride that I pay 
tribute to the Fife Lake Public Library on its Quasquicentennial. This 
wonderful institution has surely helped to cultivate and nurture the 
interests of individuals seeking to broaden and deepen their 
understanding of a variety of pursuits.
  The Fife Lake Public Library was established in 1887 with a $17 grant 
from Grand Traverse County. Since then, this library has been a 
mainstay of the community and has met the diverse and growing needs of 
residents of Fife Lake. The library's quaint but much-cherished 
building was outgrown in 2006. To accommodate this growth, the 
library's resources were moved to a newer, more modern building. 
Impressively, the Library's circulation has quadrupled in the last 
decade. In addition to books, its patrons now have access to DVDs, 
albums, audiobooks and the Internet by way of several public computers.
  In our increasingly technologically advanced world where information 
and answers are but a click away and devices such as computers and 
smart phones are a part of many of our lives, it could be easy to 
undervalue the importance and impact of libraries. The opposite is 
true. Fife Lake Public Library has transformed with the digital age and 
continues to hold a central yet evolving role in the lives of 
residents. One resident aptly stated, ``The library is not a quiet 
place anymore but a social gathering place for the community.'' 
Residents come to access the Internet and learn computer skills, and 
through partnerships with local organizations they enjoy activities 
ranging from fitness classes to grief support to tot-time. There is 
something for residents from all walks of life.
  I am delighted to commend all those affiliated with the Fife Lake 
Public Library on its 125th anniversary. Through the hard work, 
collaboration, and financial generosity of many within the Fife Lake 
community, this library has served the needs of Fife Lake residents for 
a century and a quarter. With commitment and sustained effort, this 
piece of living history in Fife Lake will continue to inspire and 
educate for many years to come.

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