The Livonia Public Library has had a storied history since the city was incorporated in 1950, from a humble beginning in a small storefront to the multi-building system we currently operate.

LPL began as the South Branch in 1958, and was located in a storefront near the Plymouth and Farmington crossroads. This small location served the community for just under a decade while the other branches in the library system were conceptualized, funding organized and buildings constructed.

The Carl Sandburg Library was the next library to open and has served the north end of the city since December 1961. The Library Commission recommended naming the branch after Pulitzer Prize winner poet Carl Sandburg, as he represented the best of literature of the Midwest.

Just a few short years later, the South Branch was replaced by the Alfred Noble Library in 1967. Alfred Noble was a Livonia native and accomplished civil engineer whose work included major projects such as the Panama Canal.

To help celebrate National Library Week in 1972, the Vest Pocket Library was opened inside the Livonia Senior Center as an outpost to serve older Livonia residents. This collection has housed primarily large print books geared toward senior’s interests. Staffed entirely by volunteers since its inception, this community hub is currently shifting in scope as the new Senior Wellness Center takes shape. We’re excited to see what this big change brings!

In the 1980s, a campaign was launched to pass a citywide millage to fund the construction of a new, more central library, and the idea for the Civic Center Library was born. When the building opened in August of 1988, it was considered to be on the cutting edge of library technology as it opened without ever employing a traditional card catalog – the collection was completely accessible by computer from the day the doors opened.

The Civic Center Library was rededicated in August of 2017 in honor of the former Mayor Robert Bennett and his wife Janet, who made a big impact on the Livonia community. They were instrumental in the library’s successful millage campaign and worked tirelessly with the Friends of the Library to raise money for library services.

The Friends of the Livonia Library has played a significant role over the years to fundraise for the library system, host library programs and open the beloved Friends Used Book Store at the Bennett Civic Center Library. They also host multiple massive used book sales each year.

As we celebrate 75 years of Livonia, we’re proud that through all the highs and lows of the decades, we continue to serve our community and act as a welcoming third space. We’re now able to offer so much more than books – from movies and music, to games and puzzles, eResources to programming. Stop by soon to see all we have to offer, and find all library information at livoniapubliclibrary.org.