[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15664]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   ON RECOGNITION OF THE WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR 
             SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE TO ITS COMMUNITY

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                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 10, 2013

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to 
once again recognize the West Bloomfield Township Public Library, this 
time on the occasion of its Seventy-fifth Anniversary of service to the 
residents of the Greater West Bloomfield community. Just two years ago, 
I was honored to recognize the Library as it was awarded a National 
Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and 
Library Services, an award given to only five libraries each year and 
which is the top honor that can be bestowed upon a public library.
  The residents of West Bloomfield Township and its neighboring cities 
are fortunate to have access to this great educational and community 
resource. What began as a small project by the Keego-Cass Women's Club 
in 1934 has grown into a library system with a 63,000 square feet 
state-of-the-art main branch and a satellite branch in the Westacres 
subdivision that serves residents in the northern area of the township.
  Public libraries occupy a vital function in our communities; they 
equalize the access to information, making it accessible to everyone in 
the areas they serve. The West Bloomfield Township Public Library is an 
exemplary institution that embodies this important role--providing 
computers to assist residents with job searches, helping seniors with 
Internet access, implementing outreach programs that provide residents 
with opportunities to build important life skills, and creating 
programs that foster a lifetime of literacy and love of reading in our 
children.
  For the Greater West Bloomfield community, its library has been an 
important part of its residents' lives--providing programs that help 
them attain the American Dream. For children, the Library has created 
its Grow Up Reading program, which works with youth from birth to the 
elementary school years and partners them with a family member, 
childcare providers or educators to cultivate literacy skills that will 
assist them later in life as they grow and join the American workforce. 
As part of its commitment to the newcomers to our nation, the Library 
offers English as a Second Language discussion groups that assist them 
on their journey to become Americans. For students, the library assists 
them with preparation for SAT, ACT and AP exams by providing physical 
and electronic study materials. And to help all residents, the Library 
offers career empowerment classes that help them hone their job skills 
and increase their ability to obtain employment.
  Mr. Speaker, I am truly proud to celebrate and recognize this award-
winning community institution that continues to make a positive impact 
on the lives of all residents in the Greater West Bloomfield community. 
Seventy-five years is a great milestone in the Library's service to its 
community and I congratulate its staff and trustees on all of the 
accomplishments they have made in fulfillment of its mission. I know 
their passion, their advocacy and their determination will continue to 
result in future generations of West Bloomfield residents that possess 
a lifelong love of reading and I wish them success in the Library's 
future endeavors.

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