The Farmington branch will also feature a children’s play area.
By: Gena Johnson | Farmington Press | Published December 15, 2025
FARMINGTON — The Farmington Community Library recently celebrated five decades at its current location in Farmington with an event that also unveiled plans for future development.
The downtown Farmington branch has been located at 23500 Liberty Street for 50 years, and during the special event Dec. 7, the public was able to review renderings of renovations planned for both that building and the Farmington Hills branch, located at 32737 W. 12 Mile Road.
The event also served as a public introduction to the new library director, Sasha Matthews, who started Dec. 1.
“I love renovations. I love the community input they got originally to help craft the plan,” Matthews said. “Outside spaces are so important. I’m very excited to be coming in at the beginning of the renovation part of this.”
Kelley Siegrist is officially retiring Jan. 9 from her role as library director.
“It is so exciting to see the planning of the last four years come to fruition,” Siegrist said.
For Siegrist, the planning started when she became the director there in April 2021.
She said it has been a continual process. First, a strategic plan was developed, followed by a space utilization study that sought community feedback, as well as a building accessibility audit.
According to Siegrist, libraries are not just for books anymore. People come to the library for all sorts of reasons, including recreational hobbies like knitting, crocheting and playing cards.
A focus group and survey helped identify what patrons want, as did input from staff who regularly interact with the public.
“They see what’s going on in the building at any given time,” Siegrist said. “People want more study room space.”
The renovations for each library branch will feature more individual study spaces, each of which can accommodate four to six people. In addition, the restrooms will be revamped to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Farmington branch renovations also include an outdoor amphitheater located on the corner of State and Liberty streets. This space can be used for storytime, movies, musical performances and more. A children’s play area will be placed on the opposite side of the building.
The Farmington Hills location will also add an outdoor space, complete with wireless internet access. In addition, a revamped parking lot will feature dedicated walking paths to ensure pedestrian safety.
Siegrist emphasized that the planning process was a truly collaborative effort.
“I’m a little sad that I won’t actually see it break ground,” Siegrist said. “I’m confident that Sasha, who is taking over, will carry that (plan to fruition).”
According to Siegrist, the first phase is set to begin in March 2026 and be completed by September 2026. The library renovations are part of a larger 10-year master plan.
As for the new library director, Matthews grew up in Walled Lake where she lived before her family moved to Virginia Beach, Va., when she was 10 years old. She knew she wanted to become a librarian after volunteering for a summer reading program. She later earned her master’s degree in library and information science from Wayne State University.
She was most recently the regional manager at the Virginia Beach Public Library, overseeing planning, operations and community engagement initiatives for five branches.