Dearborn Public Library

Warren Branch is renamed the Anthony M. Esper Branch.  Mr. Esper was a member of a pioneer Dearborn family that once farmed the land on which the library now stands.  He was also a Dearborn councilman for 24 years. 

Princeton Branch is named the Clara Snow Branch at a Dedication ceremony.

The Library Commission formally proposed to the Ford Foundation that a grant be considered for the erection of a library in Dearborn as a suitable memorial to Henry Ford on the occasion of the centennial of his birth.

A letter is sent by Mayor Hubbard to Mr. Henry T. Heald, President of The Ford Foundation, officially requesting a grant for the construction of a new library as a memorial to Henry Ford.

The Dearborn Public Library joins with the Wayne County Public Library to form the Wayne County Federated Library System. 

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Henry Ford Centennial Library is held.

Civic and business leaders launched a drive to raise $50,000 for a statue of the late Henry Ford to be placed on the Henry Ford Centennial Library grounds. The sculptor is to be Marshall Fredericks.  Mrs. Michael Ference, Jr. is appointed Chairman. 

Mr. Marquies announces the decision to discontinue Bookmobile service and to open a branch at the present Main Library.

Glen Michaels’ bas-relief is reassembled on the second floor of the Henry Ford Centennial Library.  This mural is from Ford Motor Company’s pavilion at the 1964-65 World’s Fair in New York and is a gift from Ford Motor Company.

“Serpentine Wall”, a $9,500 sculpture by Glen Michaels, is installed in the reflecting pool in the rotunda area of the Henry Ford Centennial Library.

Dedication of the Henry Ford Centennial Library.  The total cost of the building is $4,200,000.

After a period of renovation, the former Main Library building at 22100 Michigan opens again as the Mason Branch.

City Hall Branch Library closes, but a reading room is retained at that location with newspapers, periodicals, paperback books, and a small reference collection.

Southeast Branch Library is converted into a reading room.  The collection was offered to the Salina School library.  A collection of paperback books, newspapers, and periodicals is retained for the reading room.

Dedication of Henry Ford statue created by noted sculptor Marshall Fredericks.

Mason Branch Library was renamed Bryant Branch Library by the action of the Dearborn Library Commission. 

Library Commission approves the establishment of the Friends group and plans are made for it to commence activity for the fall.

With the withdrawal from the Wayne-Oakland Library Federation, the Dearborn Public Library no longer provides free lending services to residents of Detroit and of Wayne, and Oakland Counties.

The library establishes a videocassette circulating collection as part of Audio-Visual services.

Snow Branch Library celebrates its 25th anniversary with an open house celebration.

Dearborn Public Libraries join The Library Network.  The Library Network is different from the old WOLF in that libraries only purchase needed packages/services.  Reciprocal borrowing is no longer a requirement of membership.

The Dearborn Library makes internet access available to the public at all locations.

Esper Branch Library expansion/renovation completed.