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Redford Township, Michigan, is a welcoming district of just under 50,000 people located approximately fifteen miles northwest of downtown “Motor City” Detroit. Many who live in this quiet, commuter suburb are second- and third-generation residents, but whether they have roots that go back decades or are happily new to the area, the people of Redford Township represent a wide variety of backgrounds, actively focus on quality of life, and take pride in their community.
Close proximity to interstates and bustling downtown Detroit means that many Redford Township residents work and play in the city but make home base a more serene locale. After all, when there is so much to see and do within such a short drive, it makes sense to strike a balance between both worlds.
A quick drive to the city yields entertainment on par with the best, from live music at the famous Majestic Theatre and The Fillmore, to enchanting performances by the Detroit Opera, to raucous games of hockey by the Detroit Red Wings and basketball by the Detroit Pistons in an eight-story arena. There is something for everyone, from comedy clubs to dance clubs, casinos to luxury hotels, plays by the Detroit Repertory Theatre and Broadway in Detroit, along with famous steakhouses, seafood, and plenty of other upscale dining. And we cannot forget the Detroit Zoo, where over two-hundred species of animals welcome more than 1.3 million visitors each year.
With all of that delightful hubbub at their fingertips, it’s no wonder that the people of Redford Township choose this quiet neighboring suburb to hang their hats after adventuring in the city.
Which isn’t to say that Redford Township lacks things to do. On the contrary, its Market at the Marquee offers homegrown and homemade wares from local farmers and artisans, and the township hosts its share of festivals, parades, concerts, and fireworks. Outdoor activities and sports are abundant, even during (perhaps especially during) winter. Golfing, little league, sledding, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowboarding, ice skating, picnicking, bicycling, and hiking are in abundance, and it’s clear that communing with nature occurs in all seasons in Redford Township.
Another all-seasons favorite of the community is its library. The newly remodeled Redford Township District Library rivals the most impressive of public libraries across the nation and shows that knockout facilities and services aren’t reserved for huge systems in booming metropolises. With its dedicated and imaginative staff, Redford Township District Library is a popular destination that sees consistent support from its community. Recently celebrating 100 years of service, the library that began as a bookmobile is now a 65,000 square-foot showcase, and setting foot inside immediately reveals the customer-centric, access-minded focus of its team.
Library Director Garrett Hungerford led the team through the recent, yearlong renovation after completing a strategic plan that pointed to the community’s need and desire for an updated space. The library building was two decades old and due for a significant refresh.
“We had a bond from the original building that dropped off,” Hungerford says, “and we had a supplemental millage that had been passed, and both of those expired at the exact same time. The nice thing was, we were able to go to the community and say, if you fund us exactly—actually, a little less than—what you’ve been paying for the past twenty years, you’re going to get a fully renovated library with all kinds of updates that will continue to function for the next twenty years.”
When the library was originally built in 2004, it included approximately 18,000 square feet of unfinished space, purposefully designed for future development. That long-term vision remained on hold until the library was ready to move forward with it. “The original plan was always to finish that space,” Hungerford explains. “During the strategic planning process, we decided it was the right time to reimagine how that area could best serve the community. Everything kicked off from there.”
They decided the space was well-suited for a new Children’s Department, and in that regard, that particular portion of the overall renovation was more of a new-build. “Renovation is not the right word, because there wasn’t anything to renovate,” Hungerford continues. “There was no demo. It was just open space with concrete floors, being used for storage.”
Once the decision was made to move the Children’s Department into the space, “…it was kind of musical chairs from there.” There was much hauling of books and other materials up and down stairs and shifting and moving of departments, sometimes more than once, as areas were completed along the way.
“With how intricate the renovation was, it did take a while,“ Hungerford explains. “We split it into three phases and the intent was always to finish phase one, which was the new kids’ space, and have that open up and start phase two, which was the former kids’ space, and have that open up and start phase three. Well, phase one just kept on going. When we had our ribbon cutting, all of the phases ended up finishing at the same time. It was a long road, but we’re here.”
That long road resulted in outstanding library spaces clearly designed for patron access, ease, and inspiration. From the distinctive new seating and study areas outfitting the Teen Department, to the filmmaking green screen, to the Library of Things featuring an axe-throwing target set, metal detector, and giant Yardzee set, the offerings of the renovation go well beyond furnishings. Through it all, the library continued its steady stream of activities and events, including monthly visits by locally-owned food trucks.
Hungerford and his team work to stay ahead of the curve in customer service and access, and Redford District Public Library was one of the first libraries in Michigan to go fine-free. “We’ve done a lot to make ourselves accessible as possible,” he says, “and a great deal of that is our staff leading the way from within.” Part of a cooperative, they also advocated for and achieved auto-renewals on borrowed items, thereby increasing patron convenience. Plus, Redford Township District Library cards only need to be renewed once every three years, instead of annually.
“There are lots of times when we look at something and try to make it more efficient,” Hungerford shares. “I’m known for saying ‘work smarter, not harder,’ to understand how and why we do things. One of the things we did with the renovation is, we moved our circulation desk so that when you walk through the front entryway, there’s now a staffed welcome desk with three self-checks close by.”
Adding integrated return bins to the selfChecks made returns simpler for patrons and staff, Hungerford says. Prior to the renovation, the library had an outdoor dropbox that was “…a lot more work for our circ team, to have to walk all the way outside to get the returns,” let alone doing so during Michigan winters. “It just felt dated,” Hungerford says about their former outdoor dropboxes, adding that books and other materials frequently fell under the spring–loaded bottoms of the retrieval carts. “The integrated return bins are much better.”
Hungerford says that the color-coded LED lighting feature of the selfChecks (to alert staff if receipt paper is low, or if one is offline) is “…an additional nice visual. All of the units have worked perfectly since we’ve had them in place. I can think of many times when I’ve seen all three self-checks in use. The good thing is, we had Bibliotheca self-checks before the renovation, so a lot of our patrons were used to using them and it was a very natural transition.”
Cognizant that patrons are sometimes in a rush, with no time to go inside, two years prior to the renovation the library added a drive-up service window for pickups and returns. “Circ is super-efficient now, because there’s just a really good footprint of where the selfChecks are, the welcome desk is, the holds pickup shelf is, and the drive-up area is; all of them are near the back room for processing.”
“We went from a service desk with three staff computers to a service desk with one staff computer, with the selfChecks right there, and we didn’t reduce or remove staff. Now, we have those staff members at any given time roving the floor, enhancing services, and giving the team more time to shine in other important ways. Instead of having a lot of interactions that are transactional, they’re more meaningful, they’re chances to engage. Everything that we’ve done has freed up time to provide better service.”
As for the 18,000 square feet of space formerly being used for storage: the transformation into a new Children’s Department is nothing short of incredible. Gone is the blank space and in its place is a magical, nature-themed area for imaginations to run wild and be nurtured. Replete with oversized, hovering butterflies and bumblebees, murals depicting woods, marshes, and other lush settings, to see it is to experience a sense of being outdoors on a temperate, sunny day.
Imaginations are endlessly expanded over climbable tunnels, hills, foam blocks, spinning chairs, and a rock-climbing wall. Abundant, live plants and quiet, comfortable reading nooks add a peaceful balance. Hands-on engagement continues with a giant, interactive light-up wall on which visitors create glowing, moving artworks. To find a better space in which to captivate and develop kids’ reasoning, exploration, and critical thinking skills is a tall order.
The extensive work of the renovation has yielded big rewards. In the eight months since the ribbon-cutting, the library has seen record-breaking circulation as the community uses the facility more than ever. The library design has even caught the attention of nearby mayors, who regularly reach out to Hungerford for tours.
Hungerford credits his team for flourishing despite the trying circumstances of the past few years. “They’re just amazing,” he says. “Shout-out to them. I think we all went through the trauma of the pandemic and the renovation, and now we’re finally starting to learn how our workflow is in this new setup.”
If another library were to ask Hungerford about selfChecks, he says, “I would tell them to certainly explore using them in their library. They have the potential of freeing up so much time. I would put selfChecks up there with going fine-free and having auto-renewals. The combo frees up your staff immensely to be able to focus on the core issues that come up during the day, and on providing more time and meaning to patron interactions. If you’re a customer service-centric organization, which libraries are and should be, then selfChecks are just a no-brainer to add to your environment.”
“I’ve always felt like Bibliotheca has the better, more intuitive device,” he shares, “and that’s why we stuck with it. I like the aesthetics and the workflow of the selfCheck; you can tell that there was thought put into it and not just buttons thrown up on a screen. We rely heavily on it and we’re seeing a lot of use. Last month was the highest circ-ing month that we’ve had in the past ten years, and of the total items, 94% were checked-out at the selfChecks.”
The project culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony that drew the entire community, celebrating the transformation of the long-planned space into a vibrant new chapter for the library. The celebratory atmosphere continues, as patrons and staff alike enjoy and take pride in the thoughtfully updated space every day.
“We’re nothing without our staff,” he says. “And the community has been incredibly supportive, not just of the library, but of other major initiatives across the township. Redford is currently in the process of building a new recreation and wellness center, among other exciting developments. There’s a real sense of momentum, with meaningful infrastructure improvements benefiting the entire township, from the library to the schools to the forthcoming wellness center. I’m proud that we’ve been able to be at the forefront of this wave of positive change.”
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