Delta Township District Library Earns 2025 State Librarian's Excellence Award
Media Contact:
Bob Wheaton
MDE-Communications@michigan.gov
517-241-4395
October 16, 2025
Lansing-Area Library to Be Recognized on Oct. 29;
Ecorse and Waldron Libraries Also Will Be Honored
LANSING – Delta Township District Library is the recipient of the 2025 State Librarian’s Excellence Award for superior customer service, the Library of Michigan announced today.
“All Michigan libraries do amazing work on a daily basis. Our communities are better informed and stronger because of this work,” said State Librarian Randy Riley. “Singling out the successes of just a few for the State Librarian’s Excellence Award program is extremely difficult.”
Riley will officially present the annual award, which includes $3,000 in privately donated funds, Wednesday, October 29, at the Michigan Library Association Awards event during the annual conference in Lansing.
“Libraries are one of the cornerstones of community learning, which illuminate knowledge and accessibility for the public. The recipients of the State Librarian’s Excellence Award exemplify the transformative power of public libraries to uplift, educate, and connect Michiganders of all ages,” said Interim State Superintendent Dr. Sue C. Carnell. “The Michigan Department of Education and Library of Michigan are proud to honor their outstanding service and programming.”
The selection committee, comprised of representatives from public, school, academic, and special libraries, was impressed with the unique strategies and partnerships taken on by Delta Township District Library, located in Eaton County near Lansing. State Librarian's Excellence Award evaluation factors include demonstrating that the library provides superior service through staff interactions and library programs that connect with its customers and the community.
“What a great honor for the staff of the Delta Township District Library to receive this award for excellence from State Librarian Randy Riley and the Library of Michigan Foundation” said Mary Rzepczynski, director of Delta Township District Library. “Our creative and caring staff work hard to meet the community where they are and help get them where they need to go. We have been so fortunate to have a library board supportive of our vision and a community receptive to our ideas. This spotlight on our superior customer service is especially meaningful given the current attacks on free speech and libraries that we all face.”
The Library of Michigan Foundation and Library of Michigan bestow the State Librarian's Excellence Award and Citations of Excellence Award yearly to highlight the importance of Michigan libraries’ services.
This year’s Citations of Excellence co-winners, for their exceptional customer service, are Ecorse Public Library in Wayne County and Waldron District Library in Hillsdale County. Each of those libraries will receive $1,000 with this honor.
The State Librarian's Excellence Award and the Citation of Excellence Awards in honor of the late June Mendel, a former library director, are sponsored by The Mendel Family Fund, administered by the Library of Michigan Foundation.
The State Librarian’s Excellence Award program is in its 24th year. For more information about the award and previous recipients, please go to www.michigan.gov/MiStateLibrarian.
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The Library of Michigan is an agency within the Michigan Department of Education and is dedicated to providing the people of this state and their government one perpetual institution to collect, preserve and provide access to the story of the state, and to support libraries in their role as essential community anchors. To learn more, visit www.Michigan.gov/LibraryofMichigan.