Checking out the right lights at the Detroit Lakes Library

Story by Heidi Auel

The Detroit Lakes Public Library stands as a bright community beacon in the city’s downtown area and across Becker County. Featured on the National Register of Historic Places, the branch has helped locals access information, resources, and space to gather for over 100 years. Library Director Pamela Westby, estimates the building welcomes an impressive 300-400 visitors a day.

As a free, public library, all individuals are welcome. This includes young children living in underprivileged situations to elderly adults.

Pamela Westby, Library Director

Thanks to a big upgrade, the steady stream of patrons are now being greeted with brighter, more welcoming light! With support from a CERTs Seed Grant, the Detroit Lakes Public Library recently took on phasing out the building’s patchy mix of compact fluorescent lights (CFL) and incandescent bulbs.

“The old fluorescent lighting fixtures were failing, making the building feel dark and less accessible,” says Westby. “Lighting plays an important role in the development of young children, in the ability for readers to access library materials, and in the safety for all people."

Shedding light on the situation

Danny Brein, contractor at Clover Electric, has 25 years of experience working with lighting projects. He says that lighting choices impact a space more than most people realize. “Lights with mismatched lamps really take away from the aesthetics the lighting provides,” he explains.

Brein’s business was hired to take on the Detroit Lakes Public Library lighting upgrade. Excited to assist in modernizing the fixtures, he worked with library leadership to determine the best option for illuminating the building. “The days of warm or cool bulbs with a different wattage have changed to measuring the color temperature. With LEDs (light emitting diodes) the options are limitless for colors and dimming.”

While Brein entered the project with a catalog of experience, there’s tools out there for other contractors or electricians looking to learn more. “There are lighting guides to help contractors find the right lighting for every setting,” he says. “From produce areas in grocery stores to display lighting in a retail store.”

A bright new beginning

Today, the entire inside of Detroit Lakes Public Library is shining with uniform LED 4000K bulbs. This style produces a cool white color, a sweet spot for offices and work areas. According to Westby, library patrons are enjoying the glow-up!

“After retrofitting the entire lighting system with LED lights, library customers are able to navigate the building through better and consistent lighting throughout the library inside and outside.”

In fact, Westby has noticed an increase in library visitors after the welcoming changes. She feels the project goes beyond lighting up the local stacks.

“This upgrade equates to making clean energy more accessible in our community and county-wide. We are grateful for the opportunity to shine the light on clean energy efforts and on the library spaces.”

See the effects of Detroit Lakes Library's LED retrofitting.

Library Patron Enjoying the Lighting Upgrades

Community Room with New Lighting

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