About Us

The Canton Public Library connects your community.

Canton Public Library serves more than 98,000 residents of Canton Township in western Wayne County, Michigan. We are a member of TLN and Metro Net. Our director is Eva Davis.

CPL is the busiest single-branch library in the state. Our 53,500 square foot facility provides space for our diverse community to learn, play, gather and grow.

The library seeks to connect the community by

  • offering enriching experiences that facilitate a sense of welcoming, belonging, sharing and togetherness
  • being a safe space for our diverse growing community, providing seamless access to library services
  • being known as the premier community leader in facilitating meaningful connections
  • responding to community and individual needs in a way that helps everyone pursue their best life through personalized solutions and lifelong learning
  • attracting users by providing high-quality experiences in an appealing atmosphere with adaptable spaces that meet user needs
  • continually evolve and model best-in-class performance and service
  • being good stewards of the public's funds by implementing best practices and by encouraging efforts to use resources efficiently.

We look forward to seeing you at the library. Make plans to visit us when our building is open to serve you.

  • We believe in Relevance, which means that we will do what matters and evolve as a library so that people use the library regularly.
  • We believe in Access, which means that we provide service for everyone, and in as many ways as possible so that people in our community feel respected.
  • We believe in Integrity, which means we will do what's right and fair so that our community trusts us.
  • We believe in Leadership, which means we will strive for excellence and be at the forefront, leading our community, so that people see our value.

Leadership Team

Eva Davis

Library Director

Marian Nicholson

Business Services Department Head

Laurie Golden

Engagement & Design Department Head

Carl Swanberg

Information Technology Department Head

Katerli Bounds

Circulation Services Department Head

History

The people of Canton Township wanted a library, and got the ball rolling in 1977. CPL first opened with 12,000 square feet on the 3rd floor of the Township Administration Building on October 20, 1980, and was dedicated on November 9, 1980. Our current building, supported by voters with a 1986 millage, opened and was dedicated on November 13, 1988. Since then, we've expanded from 31,000 square feet to 53,500, along with many more enhancements, such as a state-of-the-art book sorting system.

Since the current building opened in 1988, many things have changed in Canton and at the library. Our community has more than doubled, to a population of nearly 100,000 people, from many diverse cultures. Canton continues to be a desirable location to live, work, and play, and the library has kept up with community needs with a remodeled space, group and individual study rooms, a robust collection of e-resources and more. Our staff, including many who have been with the library since the early days, still provides friendly, helpful service, programs for fun and education, and engages in many community partnerships.

Community Resources

Community Resources

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