LOWELL, Mich. — For more than 120 years, the Ionia Community Library has served local neighbors from its home inside the historic Hall-Fowler House. But library leaders and community members say the space is no longer meeting the town’s growing needs.
The library’s proposed new home is the former Mercantile Bank building in downtown Ionia, which was donated back in 2021. However, despite years of planning, the project has hit a critical roadblock.
For lifelong Ionia resident Sue Ludwick, the library holds deep personal meaning. She recalls spending time there as a child with her family.
“We went with our siblings and it was just a sweet time to have of our own," Ludwick said.
After moving back to Ionia six years ago, that connection remained strong, but so did concerns about the building’s limitations.
“It’s a big house, but it was a big house... it’s not a big library,” Ludwick said, “to have more room for kids and people, it would just be so much better.”
That challenge is something others see daily. Lori Johnson, who leads knitting and crochet classes, says accommodating groups can be difficult in such a confined space.
“Trying to fit 15 people into that very very small space is challenging,” Johnson said.
Library leaders say this issue isn’t new. According to board president Gale Yeomans, the need for more space has been discussed for decades.
“It’s just been exponential as far as the lack of space, comfort, programming areas, so we’ve known it for a long time,” Yeomans said.
In 2021, the former Mercantile Bank building on West Main Street was donated to the library, offering a potential solution. But while the building addressed space concerns, it introduced a new challenge: funding the transformation.
After several failed millage attempts, the library secured a major breakthrough: a $2.1 million congressional directed spending grant. However, the funding comes with a requirement to match that amount to access the grant.
That means raising another $2.1 million by March of next year.
Library Director Dale Parus says the investment would allow the library to evolve into a true community hub.
“A modern library needs to have a space where people can gather and they can see events, they can see speakers, they can have some of the activities where kids can just be kids,” Parus said.
So far, the library has raised about $500,000 toward its goal. Now, supporters are calling on the broader community to help close the gap.
Local realtor Cathy Hoppough, who has been involved in fundraising efforts, says the move would bring more than just a larger building.
“It’s not just books, it’s a community center,” Hoppough said, “It would be great for our downtown to have them right back down here.”
If the funding goal is met, construction and renovations are expected to take about two years before the new library could open to the public.
There are also plans for the current Hall-Fowler location.
“Our hope is for one day when the library moves down here that we can open up a museum in the hall-Fowler home,” Kathleen Cook, the president of the historical society, said.
For Ludwick and others, the vision is clear: a larger, more functional library that better serves the entire community.
Those interested in supporting the project can find donation information here.
