Oakland County woman honored by state library community
Susan Matthews, Friends of the Troy Public Library president, was the Oakland County recipient of this year’s Michigan Library Awards.
The Michigan Library Awards are considered the state’s highest honors within the library community. Matthews won the Heart of a Champion Award, which recognizes a library supporter who demonstrates commitment to libraries or the library profession through continued advocacy and supporting or providing funding for their local library.
Troy Library Director Cathy Russ, who nominated Matthews, said, “Sue knows the value a library brings to its community, and she is a tireless and vocal supporter for libraries. Sue’s heart, the Heart of a Champion, beats for the Troy Public Library and all the people who use
it. A champion is someone who fights to make the lives of others better, and the entire Troy community has benefited by Matthews’s efforts.”
The virtual award ceremony was hosted by author and musician Wesley Stace, with a special guest appearance by Gov. Gretchen
Whitmer, and presented by the Michigan Library Association, the Michigan Association for Media in Education and the Michigan Academic Library Association.
Matthews can be credited with helping keep the Troy Public Library open. In 2010, she joined the Citizens’ Committee to Save the
Troy Public Library and lobbied the Troy City Council to reconsider its decision to close the library.
In May 2011, the council announced it would go for a millage to keep the library open. Matthews spoke publicly at forums, to the local newspapers, to individual residents and to homeowners’ groups about the importance of the Troy Public Library to the community. In August 2011, Troy Public Library’s millage passed with 56 percent of the vote for a five-year term.
“The FTPL Board of Directors acknowledge the self less dedication Matthews has given to our organization, our library and our community,” said Mary Lynn Bowen, Friends of the Troy Public Library vice president.