The Howard Miller Public Library provides services to an area (based on the 2000 Census) of 15,325 persons. This service area includes the city of Zeeland, Zeeland Charter Township, and Blendon Township. This library is a member of the Lakeland Library Cooperative and a participant in Michicard. The library is governed by a Library Advisory Board consisting of seven members.
Named after the founder of the Howard Miller Clock Company , the library is located at 14 South Church Street, just one block south of Main Street in Zeeland, Michigan. The Howard Miller Public Library resides in the same building as the Community Center. Both the Howard Miller Library and the Community Center are services of the City of Zeeland. The Community Center portion of the building contains a banquet hall and rooms available for rent.
Completed in 1995, this library is beautifully designed, making use of natural light with plenty of windows, an open atrium between the upper and lower levels, and a translucent vaulted ceiling. Poised under the stairwell on an elegant marble platform is a sculpture entitled Hester Prynne. Named after the character in The Scarlet Letter , Hester is carved out of black walnut wood. Near the magazine reading area hangs a colorful stained glass window , honoring the founders of Zeeland and their journey to America. Two Howard Miller grandfather clocks keep time within the building.
