News and Information
National Poetry Month Contest Winners 2026
National Poetry Month Contest Winners 2026Congratulations to this year's winners of the Monroe County Library System's National Poetry month poetry contest!Adult Category The Camel that Broke the Straw's Back By Gerald Rice The world is upside downAnd I absolutely love Being trapped between the edgesMy tongue right-sided with wrong words, Stretched across the narrow spaceWhere you used to love me, Held by a thingWith no arms, That stares outThrough empty sockets With the driest kissesThat ever told me goodbye Dream sweetlyWhile I...
Ellis Youth Maker’s Mart 2026
Ellis Youth Maker's Mart 2026Call for Artists and Crafters! Looking for young artists and crafters (Kindergarten - Grade 12) to sell their handmade creations at the Ellis Youth Maker's Mart.Saturday, November 7, 2026 | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Ellis Library & Reference Center | 3700 South Custer Road | Monroe, MI | 734-241-5277Participation Guidelines: Applicants must be students (Kindergarten-Grade 12). Artists and crafters under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Applicants must send the following information to...
L.S. Navarre Branch Building Progress
L.S. Navarre Branch Building ProgressExciting Progress on the Library Renovation Thanks to the City’s diligent efforts to enhance Monroe, a new community campus will soon open in the Orchard East neighborhood. As part of this vision, the newly renovated L.S. Navarre Branch Library will be reopening at its former location. About the L.S. Navarre Branch Relocation: When will the library close at its temporary address? Starting Friday, May 8, 2026, the temporary branch site will close in order to pack and prepare to move to its new...
National Poetry Month Contest 2026
National Poetry Month Contest 2026The Monroe County Library System is celebrating National Poetry month with a poetry contest! Submit an original poem by turning it in at your local branch, or via email to [email protected]. Please make sure you have your name, age, and contact information on the page with the poem.Submissions Accepted April 1 - April 30, 2026Guidelines: Poems may be rhyming or non-rhyming Poems must be no longer than one typed page Include your name, phone number, age, and email on the entry Submit...
Black History Month at the Navarre Branch Library
From the Reference Desk November 2026: Black History Month at the Navarre Branch Library
This year, Black History Month celebrates its centennial anniversary. Established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926, the celebration was originally recognized as Black History Week. Dr. Woodson served as director of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) and through his work there, created the long-standing tradition to recognize and celebrate Black history.
Honoring the Legacy of Melvin “Mel” Davis
From the Reference Desk November 2025: Honoring the Legacy of Melvin “Mel” Davis
Melvin “Mel” Davis left a tangible legacy in his wake filled with public service and a steadfast drive to make a difference. This month, From the Reference Desk would like to highlight the life and accomplishments of Monroe official and resident, Melvin Odell Davis.
Writers on the River – Call for Authors 2025
Writers on the River 2025 - Call for Authors The Monroe County Library System is seeking authors to participate in its annual Writers on the River event. On the first Sunday of November, the Ellis Library & Reference Center hosts Writers on the River, a celebration of writers, readers, and books. This unique event, held in the Ellis riverside expansion, gives attendees the opportunity to speak to local and regional authors and purchase personalized copies of their works.Frequently Asked Questions What is Writers on the River?...
Adult Summer Reading 2025
Adult Summer Reading 2025Why let kids have all the fun? This summer, "Adventure Begins at Your Library" with the chance to read and win prizes!Participating branches:Bedford Branch Library Summer Reading for Adults | June 24, 2025 - August 31, 2025 Read this summer and be entered to win prizes, including Kroger gift cards! For every 30 minutes spent reading, color in a bubble on your bookmark. When you fill up your bookmark, drop it off at the Bedford Branch Library to be entered into a weekly drawing for free books! Pick up an...
Teen Summer Reading 2025
Teen Summer Reading 2025Adventure Begins at Your Library in with the 2025 Teen Summer Reading program. Running June 16, 2025 - August 31, 2025!How it Works:Grab an entry slip Read three books or six graphic novels to fill out an entry slip Download an entry slip or pick one up at any branch of the Monroe County Library System starting June 16, 2025 Once your slip is complete, redeem it at a branch to receive a scratch off prize ticket Receive a scratch off prize ticket! Every entry slip you turn in will give you a scratch off prize...
National Poetry Month Contest Winners 2025
National Poetry Month Contest Winners 2025Congratulations to this year's winners of the Monroe County Library System's National Poetry month poetry contest!Adult Category March 2020: Hope By Brandy Dixon the little black bird with drops of red on his wings sits in the ordinary backdrop of a world in the labor pains of spring while everything is still bleak and brown and dirty flowers—and all...
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