District Library board approves new library logo, OKs art pieces

A 40-pound, 4’x8’ wrapped canvas painted in the style of Jackson Pollack will be hung on hooks on a white wall across from the Atchinson sign in the atrium of the new Belleville Area District Library.
At the March 9 Zoom meeting of the district library board, Art Committee chairperson Michele Montour explained to the board that it would be a compliment to the colors there and it would create discussion.
Montour said Sheena Barnes is willing to loan the painting to the library for up to five years.
“She’s from Sumpter Township and the painting is valued at $60,000,” Montour said. “She would take the risk financially if anything happened to it.”
“It’s festive. I don’t see it as controversial. It’s ‘in the style of’ Jackson Pollack and patrons would investigate who he was,” Montour said.
“We are thankful for her generosity,” said board chairperson Sharon Peters. “It is the community’s building … How it is decorated is really important.”
“I know Sheena, too,” said Joy Cichewicz. “This would be a nice piece to set off this area.”
“I think it will be a lovely addition,” said treasurer Tanya Stoudemire.
Library director Mary Jo Suchy said there is a general consensus to move forward and a vote is not necessary.
“This is the report from our committee and this board decides what to do,” Montour said.
Montour also presented pictures of carved wooden wildlife sculptures created by Howard Puchalsky which have been offered as a donation. Suchy said some of the sculptures would be helpful for programs in the kids’ room for storytimes.
“He has fish, ducks, a bear, a collection of items,” Montour said. “My suggestion is take three to five as a donation and have him sign a paper saying he has no more rights. Then I would pick up and take them to the library.”
Montour said Puchalsky is 72 years old and lives in Haggerty Sub.
“He would be open to commissions, I think,” Montour said.
Montour also reported that most of the Art Committee members agreed to serve for another year, with the exception of Doug Peters, who stepped down. She said Barbara Miller replaced herself with Cheryl Wagner to represent the Belleville Area Council for the Arts.
She said the Art Committee also recommends the walker hanging. Suchy said the building committee is OK with it.
In other business at the one-hour-and-17-minute meeting the board:
• Voted to approve the Marketing Committee’s recommendation of a new library logo designed by Michele Montour. The logo incorporates the spiral that is in the library’s circular stair and floor. The spiral represents a sense of the movement, activity, and learning (spiraling up) that take place inside the library, said Suchy. Montour said there are four squares embedded in the building and a square is put into the logo. Optima font is used with colors of blues, purples, red-purple, and blue-purple. Suchy said the library will be using this logo in all its marketing, getting ready for its big event – the grand opening;
• Heard a building report from Cichewicz that said the poles have finally been removed from the parking lot, O’Neal is working on outstanding little projects such as adjusting the stack lighting and they are finishing up the donor project. Matt Ratzow is trying to obtain the final certificate of occupancy from the city and the refund of funds. The Bees in the D has decided to put the hives on the south side of the equipment screen and they will have to install some more walking trails since the humidification systems requires two units on the roof. That bipolar ionization HVAC system has three or four different parts and is estimated to cost $125,000 totally;
• Heard Suchy report that the library applied for a grant to get the Belleville-Area Independent digitized from its first issue in 1995 through 2020 so it can be viewed from anywhere in the world. It is a contest through the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University. There is voting by Twitter and Michigan picture postcards during the week of March 22-28 and the week before that the library will distribute picture postcards. Postcard votes count at five votes each and Twitter counts as one. Multiple votes are discretionary;
• Heard Suchy report on the lengthy and exhaustive process to find a replacement for Michelle. Her job duties have been divided up and rather than hire a department head for her position, they have chosen to hire a circulation supervisor and that is Lindsay Lore. Lindsay started volunteering at the library in the sixth grade and her bachelor’s degree is from the University of Michigan in Organizational Studies and Communications; and
• Heard Suchy report the employee who tested positive for COVID has recovered and is back on the job. Those on the staff who shared desk shifts with this employee all tested negative. “Masks and social distancing do work!” Suchy said.