Broward County Library

Last updated
Broward County Library System
Broward County Library Logo.jpg
Broward County Library
Location Broward County, Florida, United States
Type Public library system
Established1974
Branches38
Collection
Size3 million items
Access and use
Circulation10.5 million
Population served1,909,632 [1]
Other information
DirectorAllison Grubbs
Website broward.org/library

The Broward County Library is a public library system in Broward County, Florida, in the United States. The system contains 37 branch locations and circulates over 9 million items annually. [2] The system includes the Main Library in Fort Lauderdale, five regional libraries, and various branches. [2]

Contents

History

From 1963 to 1972, activists established a library subcommittee to improve library service in Broward County. The report generated by the committee received wide media attention and was supported by County Commissioner Robert Hubener. On January 9, 1973, the Broward County Commission approved the establishment of a library system. [3]

In 1974, the Broward County Libraries, also called the Libraries Division, was officially established, bringing four existing municipal libraries together to establish the system comprising the Fort Lauderdale Library and its three branch libraries of Fort Lauderdale, Riverland, and Mizel, as well as the Hollywood Library, all with a budget of about $1.3 million. [4] [5] The system began issuing borrower cards on June 17, 1974, for 270,000 items.

By 1978, a bond issue approved and provided funding for the system's expansion, allowing for the addition of thirteen further branches, all joining over the courage of the 1980s. [4] The last of the 1978 bond issue libraries built was the Imperial Point Library, opening in April of 1988. [5] Over the following three decades, many of the municipalities in Broward County elected to join the library system. These included Coral Springs, Lauderhill, Hallandale, Dania Beach, Margate, Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, North Lauderdale, and Pompano Beach. [6]

In 1980, the construction of the Main Library was funded. Library-system director Cecil Beach was involved in all phases of the Main Library project, from planning to completion. [7] On April 29,1984, the Main Library opened and became one of two flagship libraries in the system. The Main library was designed by Robert F. Gatje of Marcel Breuer Associates. The building was constructed as an eight-story structure with a six-story atrium, a 300-seat auditorium, and a special collections area hosting the Bines Museum of the Modern Book. [4] When it opened, the Main Library also immediately functioned as a full-service research library, in addition to hosting the Broward Community Technology Center, a Talking Books library, the NationsBank Small Business Resource Center, and the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System media Center. [5]

Broward County Main Library interior view 20220209 broward county library main branch.jpg
Broward County Main Library interior view

In 1983, the South Regional Library located on the South Campus of Broward Community College became the first joint-use public-college library in the State of Florida. [8]

The library system was named "Library of the Year" in 1996 by Library Journal and Gale Research. [9] By 1998, the Broward County Library was the ninth largest library system in the United States, employing over 700 part-time and full-time employees with at least 200 being professional librarians, as well as engaging over 2,000 volunteers to assist with library operations across the county. [5] The system expanded further after a 1999 bond issue succeeded in approving further funding to expand the system to include a total of 37 library branches, alongside acquiring new technology for patron use. [4]

The second of Broward County Libraries' two flagship libraries, the African American Research Library and Cultural center, opened on October 26, 2002. [4]

Kelvin Watson was appointed as library-system director in 2017. Upon his resignation Allison Grubbs was named director in 2021. [10]

In October 2022, the Broward County Library ceased charging late fines to patrons in addition to past fines. [11]

In November 2023, the Broward County Library opened up Book Sanctuaries all throughout their library branches. This allows patrons access to banned books. [12]

Branches

The library system has 37 branches located throughout the county: [13]

African-American Research Library and Cultural Center

On October 26, 2002, the Broward County Library opened the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Samuel F. Morrison the library director, was inspired to build the library after a visit to the Atlanta–Fulton Public Library System, Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History.

The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center is a 60,000 square-foot facility with a 300-seat auditorium, a 5,000-square-foot art gallery, and Small Business Resource Center. [14] Since its opening, the Center has hosted more than 38 major exhibits and served more than 895,000 customers. [15]

Related Research Articles

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Timothy "Chaz" Stevens is an American political activist, artist, software developer, and entrepreneur from Florida. He is active in local politics in Broward County, and has gained national notoriety for his colorful statewide and national advocacy for the separation of church and state. His local political activity has led to charges being filed against, and the decrease in popularity of, several local politicians, including two mayors and a former mayor of his hometown, Deerfield Beach, Florida. He was appointed twice to the Deerfield Beach Housing Authority board by one of the mayors he criticized. His activism for the removal of religion from government has included placing Festivus poles in multiple Florida cities and six U.S. state capitols to contrast with holiday season religious displays on government property, and requests to deliver Satanic invocations when government meetings allow prayer or other religious invocations. In many cases this has led to the government agencies removing the targeted religious activities. His activism is always satirical, sometimes artistic, and often obscene or profane.

References

  1. ↑ "QuickFacts Broward County, Florida". US Census Bureau. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 "About BCL | Broward County Library". www.broward.org. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  3. ↑ "Our History". Broward County Library. Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Collection: Broward County Library History Collection | Broward County Libraries - ArchivesSpace". broward.lyrasistechnology.org. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Broward County Library" (1998). Florida Library History Project. 25. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/fl_library_history/25. Last accessed 7-13-2024.
  6. ↑ "Friends of the Library | Broward County Library". Broward. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Broward County Main Library - Raising an Architectural Icon". digitalarchives.broward.org. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  8. ↑ "40-Day Celebration for 40th Anniversary of South Regional Library". News Release: A Service of the Broward County Commission. August 17, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Samuel F. Morrison". The HistoryMakers. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  10. ↑ Allison Grubbs Named New Director of Broward County Library Broward Public Library Foundation, July 26, 2021.
  11. ↑ "No More Late Fines | Broward County Library". www.broward.org. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  12. ↑ "The Book Sanctuary | Broward County Library". www.broward.org. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  13. ↑ "Locations | Broward County Library". www.broward.org. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  14. ↑ "About the Special Collections". Broward County Library. Archived from the original on 2018-04-07. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  15. ↑ "Story of AARLCC". Broward County Library. Archived from the original on 2018-06-23. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
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