Family Focus
At Home In The Library
The JCC's Henry and Delia Meyers Library turns 50.
Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News
I
t's possible to find almost anything
in the lower level of the Jewish
Community Center of Metropolitan
Detroit in West Bloomfield.
There's the Purple Gang, King David,
the best recipes for gefilte fish, Hollywood
celebrities, Jewish leaders from around the
world, flowers of Israel, art and archaeol-
ogy and magical adventures about singing
animals and happy menorahs.
You just have to know where to look in
the more than 12,000 books, DVDs, news-
papers and magazines in the Henry and
Delia Meyers Library and Media Center,
now celebrating its 50th year.
The JCC's first library was just a
handful of books in the first facility on
Woodward and Holbrook in Detroit. Then
philanthropist Abraham Shiffman made a
donation to expand the library at the new
JCC facility on Curtis and Meyers and
named the facility in honor of his friend
and devoted reader, Henry Meyers.
Meyers was a Detroit native, a World
War I vet and an attorney married to
Delia; they had two daughters, Joan and
Elizabeth. The family lived in Highland
Park and then moved to a charming colo-
nial on Lincolnshire in Detroit.
Joan, today married to Robert Jampel
of Bloomfield Hills, remembers growing
up in a home filled with happiness and
friends. Her mother was a former English
teacher, the president of the League of
Jewish Women's Organizations and of the
Temple Beth El Sisterhood. Her father
was president of the JCC and he headed
Detroit's USO — the largest in the United
States — during World War II.
Like his wife, Henry Meyers loved books
and was a longtime member of the Detroit
Public Library Commission, where he
served as president.
So it was only natural that a library
was named in his honor and dedicated in
1959; and when the JCC moved to West
Bloomfield in 1975, the library came
along. It was initially located on the main
floor and expanded to include a large chil-
dren's section. Moms and their children
were frequent visitors.
Move Downstairs
Then, in 2004, the library moved into its
current home on the JCC's lower level,
54
December 17 • 2009
,IN,
... inside the JCC library today
Jewish mobsters, the
Purple Gang.
"Once a young woman
called because she was
looking for a book with
information about Jewish
The library in the JCC on Woodward and Holbrook,
mosaics
of the 11th cen-
sometime in the late 1930s or early 1940s ...
tury," Jampel recalls. "And
where it includes not only books and peri- what do you know — we had it!"
odicals, but computers, a flat-screen TV,
Today, Jampel is library chair and
an online catalog, DVDs and more. The
coordinator of volunteer services, and
library also sponsors a monthly book club
Fran Menken is head librarian. Menken
and has hosted speakers including travel
had recently received her master's degree
expert Peter Greenberg, authors Alan
in library science when the JCC called
Zweibel, Lucette Lagnado and Elie Wiesel.
and asked her to take a position with the
"I just love it here Jampel says. "It's
Henry and Delia Meyers Library.
welcoming and I can always find some-
Menken is responsible for everything
thing familiar and comfortable or some-
from choosing new book titles — gleaned
thing new and exciting."
from conferences, periodicals, trade maga-
Like her parents, Jampel always has
zines and patron recommendations — to
been a passionate reader. As a little girl,
getting rid of old ones that have lingered,
she filled the built-in bookcase in her
lonely and untouched, for years.
room with tales of mystery and fun from
"It's called weeding and it's very diffi-
her favorite series: the Bobbsey Twins and cult," Menken admits.
Nancy Drew. Today, she prefers history
Menken, formerly adult librarian for
and current events.
Temple Israel in West Bloomfield and
Libraries are known as quiet places, but
coordinator of Federation's Alliance for
this one is also full of adventure. Little chil- Jewish Education/Teacher Resource Center,
dren come tumbling in like bright bouncy
also works with Associate Librarian Addie
balls for story time and the phone often
Levine to catalog books as well as to
rings with questions. Who calls? Everyone
repair the library's books that have passed
from members of the general public inter-
through so many loving hands their spines
ested in learning more about Judaism to
and pages have become worn. These sit
students researching Detroit's notorious
in the office, along with an old-fashioned,
elegant wooden cabinet that, before com-
puters, held index cards with the name and
number of each library book.
With the help of a group of friendly
volunteers, several of whom have been
affiliated with the library for more than 15
years, Menken keeps the Henry and Delia
Meyers Library and Media Center open
daily and on Sunday. There's a bit of some-
thing for everyone: contemporary fiction
and history, graphic novels, English and
Hebrew newspapers and a colorful puppet
theatre and rocking chair in the children's
section.
"The library offers culture, entertain-
ment and education:' Menken says. "It is
here for our community and is an impor-
tant way of communicating our heritage
and keeping our spirit alive." II
Elizabeth Applebaum is a member of the JCC
marketing department.
Library Hours
The library is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-
noon on Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on
Sundays and by appointment. For
information about upcoming book
club and other events, call (248)
432-5546 or visit www.jccdet.org or
visit the library on Facebook.