Linden Library

Library Address - Get Driving Directions
201 N. Main
Linden, MI 48451
Phone: 810-735-7700

Branch Hours
Mon, Wed, Thur: 12pm-8pm
Tues, Fri, Sat: 9am-5pm
Sun: Closed

Events @ the Linden Library

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Branch History

Several GDL branches are located in historic buildings. But, the one that seems to fascinate historians the most is the Old Mill in which the Linden branch resides.

According to Alice Lethbridge's Through the Years in Genesee: an Illustrated History (1985), the former grist and saw mill originally constructed around 1850 was the first structure in Genesee County to be placed on the national register of historic places.

And, sure to be mentioned in any account of the Mill in its incarnation as a library is its librarian of the last 20 years Hans Norbotten.

Hans is only too well aware of how lucky he is to work in what he calls a "very special location."

"The historical Old Mill is a wonderful place," Hans says, "I consider my branch to be one of the most beautiful libraries in the state."

Hans is equally enthusiastic about the community his branch serves. "Although Linden has grown from being a village to a 'cool city,' it still retains a small town charm, and I feel very fortunate to be part of it."

Linden is still recovering from the loss of one of its other major historic landmarks, the block long Union Building which was destroyed by fire last spring.

"That was heartbreaking," says Hans of the disaster which forced the closure of the popular Broad Street Grille restaurant and all the other locally-owned businesses that occupied the ruined structure just across the parking lot from the library.

"If the wind had blown the other direction on the day of the fire, the mill could well have burned down too," Hans said.

But Hans is too busy helping his "growing community" cope with the demands of the digital age to dwell on what could have been.

Since he started managing his relatively small branch in 1987, he has had the challenge of finding space for audiovisual materials as well as books. Likewise, he has overseen the addition of three public access computers at which patrons can use the wide variety of computer programs including Microsoft Office Suite GDL has installed on them or avail themselves of GDL's high-speed internet connection.

Hans says he began thinking about librarianship as a career when he was a student assistant at the Hackley Public Library in Muskegon. Then, after earning both a bachelor's and master's degree at Michigan State University, he attained a second master's degree in library science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He worked at the Detroit Public Library for two years before accepting his position with GDL.

Hans' personal interests include reading, listening to music, cooking plant-based foods and exploring Great Lakes shipping history.

Hans hopes to continue to make history as the librarian in the Old Mill for several years to come where he says he "enjoys helping people with their information requests as well as with reading for just pleasure."