Forest Township Library

Library Address - Get Driving Directions
123 W. Main Street
Otisville, MI 48463
Phone: 810-631-6330

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

Events @ the Forest Township Library

Friends of the Forest Twp. Library Used Book Sale

When: Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 9:00 AM
Where: Forest Township at Library

Come find some great bargains and support the Forest Township Library.

Branch History

From its cozy interior décor and furnishings, one would never guess the prior uses of the historic building in downtown Otisville which houses GDL's Forest Township Branch.

According to Branch Librarian Marya Gutek, the 100-year-old structure started out as Otisville's first automobile dealership and was a motorcycle repair shop when the Township purchased it in the mid-1990s with the goal of converting it into a bigger and better library than the one it had.

Both historic preservation and modernization played key roles in the remodeling of the 3,200-square-foot space which is quadruple the size of the branch's previous location.

"The entire front exterior of the building was removed and replaced with a new brick façade that resembles its original appearance," Marya explains. The interior was also renovated and "wired to accommodate a computer network that would include the Internet."

The new and improved facility opened in September 1996, enabling the branch to greatly increase its offerings. "One of the first libraries in Genesee County where patrons could use the Internet," Marya boasts, it has five public access computers equipped with GDL's high-speed Internet connection and popular computer programs like Microsoft Office Suite. In addition, it has access to GDL's wireless computer network and one computer for library catalog browsing only.

The branch also has approximately 25,000 hardcover books, 2,700 paperbacks, 3,200 DVDS, and 1,500 audio books, musical compact discs and videocassettes. Plus, it has separate rooms for its teen and children's collections as well as a meeting room for library-sponsored programs and other events.

The cramped quarters the branch formerly occupied could not squeeze in half as many materials. When the branch first opened on Aug. 4, 1958 in what was then the Otisville Community Center and is now the Forest Township Hall, it had only 1,788 books. The enlarged and remodeled portion of the same building into which it moved in 1983 had room for more books but did not anticipate the amount of space audiovisual items and computers would require.

Branch librarian since 1984, Marya is excited to have the opportunity to reflect on Forest Township's remarkable history of growth and change. Having obtained her master's degree in library studies from the University of Michigan, Marya worked at Flint Public Library before landing her position in Forest Township. Reeled in by its "small-town atmosphere and friendliness," she says she has "never been tempted to leave."

Marya enjoys reading, gardening and caring for several pets in her spare time, and she insists, "It is purely by coincidence that my branch has a large collection of books on gardening and all types of animals."

Marya credits her "wonderful" Forest Township Library Friends group with helping her keep her library in peak condition. They hold six used book sales a year to raise funds for new shelving, furniture and other things which enhance the overall operation and appearance of the library.

Marya recommends a visit to her library just to see the Otisville Historical Society's "fascinating" rotating displays of vintage photographs and other artifacts. Whatever your reason for visiting, Marya and her staff are more than happy to help you.