The Ludington Public Library is one of the two branches of the Mason County District Library administrative system. This library, as the main branch, is located in downtown Ludington, in Mason County in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The library started in 1872.
| Ludington Public Library | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 43°57′22″N 86°26′43″W / 43.956°N 86.4454°W | |
| Location | 217 E. Ludington Ave Ludington, Michigan |
| Established | 1906 |
| Branch of | Mason County District Library |
| Other information | |
| Website | www.masoncounty.lib.mi.us |
The Pere Marquette Literary Club helped in the formation of a permanent city library. They took financial support from Andrew Carnegie to construct the library building, which opened in 1906. The building has since had major expansions and is still operational.
The library has metal allegorical sculptures at various parts of its surrounding property.
History
editThe Ludington Public Library had its beginnings 1872.[1] In 1881, the building and all library contents were destroyed in a major city fire.[1] The Pere Marquette Literary Club worked to obtain a grant from the Carnegie Institution for construction of the new Ludington library.[1]
In 1906, the Ludington Carnegie library building was declared as the library that will "stand a thousand years."[2]
On March 1, 1906, with 3,800 books in its collection, the library made its debut.[1]
In 2011, after firing a staff member for releasing a "tell all" about the library and its "unsavory regulars", the library was sued in a federal court for free speech violations.[3]
Sculptures
editThe "Flights of Learning" sculpture is at the front of the Ludington Public Library.
The "Double the Fun" sculpture was installed in 2014. Modeled by sculptor W. Stanley Proctor, it pays tribute to a high school English teacher Sallie Peterson Ferguson. It shows her sitting on a bench reading to a young boy and girl, representing her passion for reading.[4]
Gallery
edit-
Ludington Public Library
front exterior in 2008 -
Ludington library new front landscape, April 2012
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Ludington Library platform statue base built in 2012
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Ludington Public Library new side entrance work of 2012
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Ludington Public Library addition of 1976
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Ludington Public library interior 2008
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Ludington Public library, c. 1925
References
edit- ^ a b c d "History of the Mason County District Library – Part 1". Mason County District Library. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ "Library Will Last A Thousand Years". The Ludington Chronicle. November 21, 1906. p. 1.
Ludington's new Carnegie library should, and judging from recent disclosures will, stand a thousand years. This statement will at once prove comforting to the public and gratifying to the builder, John Anderson of this city.
- ^ "Ludington librarian fired over tell-all novel says her First Amendment rights were Violated". August 2011.
- ^ Alway, Rob (August 15, 2014). "Statue memorializes Sallie Ferguson, who loved reading, teaching". Mason County Press. Mason County, Michigan: Mason County Press newspaper. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
Further reading
edit- History of Manistee, Mason and Oceana Counties, Michigan (Paperback). H.R. Page & Company. 1976 [1882]. p. 33. ISBN 9780598899057. OCLC 645888026.
- Steve Begnoche (March 4, 2006). "Library celebrates 100 years". Ludington Daily News. Ludington, Michigan. p. 1.
- Steve Begnoche (March 4, 2006). "Library plans expansion". Ludington Daily News. Ludington, Michigan. p. A8.
- Braciszeski, Kevin (October 26, 2010). "Just Imagine: $500,000 gift". Ludington Daily News. Ludington, Michigan. p. A1.
- Braciszeski, Kevin (August 16, 2014). "'Double the fun' adds to sculpture trail". Ludington Daily News. Ludington, Michigan: Shoreline Media Group.
- James L. Cabot (Columnist), three-part series on the Ludington Public Library:
- "Public library, one of earliest institutions". Ludington Daily News. November 9, 1991.
- "New library rises from ashes of 1881 fire". Ludington Daily News. November 16, 1991.
- "Ludington library continues its growth". Ludington Daily News. November 23, 1991.
- Hinson, Mark (March 26, 2006). "Sculpturing, a place in history". Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida.
- "Sculpture installed in front of library - Dedication June 29". Ludington Daily News. June 21, 2012. p. 1.
- "Minutes of the City Council". The Ludington Chronicle. February 8, 1905.
- "Open to the public Thursday, March 1st". The Ludington Chronicle. February 28, 1906.
- "The new Carnegie library". The Ludington Chronicle. September 26, 1903. p. 1.
- "Carnegie Library site ordered purchased". The Ludington Chronicle. September 7, 1904. p. 1.
- "The Carnegie library site". The Ludington Chronicle. September 23, 1903. pp. 1, 4.
- Book 12, Common Council of the City of Ludington, September 7, 1904
- Ludington Record-Appeal, 2–9–1905, Volume XXXVIII, No. 26
- "Dedicated: Mason County Sculpture Trail launched with two works". Ludington Daily News. June 30, 2012.
- "History of an old Landmark /Story of the Carnegie Library site and of the Old Building standing thereon". The Ludington Chronicle. March 15, 1905. p. 1.