Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library

Last updated
Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library
CountryUnited States
Established2000
Location3910 S. Manhattan Ave.,
Tampa, Florida 33611
Coordinates 27°54′26″N82°31′03″W / 27.907307°N 82.517451°W / 27.907307; -82.517451 Coordinates: 27°54′26″N82°31′03″W / 27.907307°N 82.517451°W / 27.907307; -82.517451
Branch ofTampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System
Website www.hcplc.org/hcplc/locations/jpl/
Map
Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library

The Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library is part of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL), as well as a member of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC). The library is a 25,000 sq. ft. facility located at 3910 S. Manhattan Ave. in Tampa, Florida. The library provides books, magazines, DVDs, music, and internet access, as well as programs and activities, and a drive-thru window for check out and return of materials. In December 2018 the library underwent an extensive renovation which enclosed the children's area and expanded the number of meeting and study rooms to eight.

Contents

Jan Kaminis Platt

Initially to be called the Interbay Regional Library, the library was named in honor of Jan Kaminis Platt, who served as a former Hillsborough County Commissioner and member of the Tampa City Council. [1] She served on numerous community boards including the Environmental Protection Commission, the Hospital and Welfare Board, the Hillsborough County Hospital Authority, the Sports Authority, the Arts Council, the Performing Arts Center Board, the Florida Aquarium, and the Florida Council on Aging. [2] Platt was added to the American Library Association's "Freedom to Read Honor Roll" and received the "Best Friend of the Year" award from the Friends of the Library of Hillsborough County in 1999. [3]

Jan Platt led the effort to create a county preservation program that manages more than 61,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands, increased funding for libraries and successfully fought to pass an ordinance outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation. She led efforts to preserve the piers of the old Sunshine Skyway bridge and the historic gun batteries at Egmont Key. In 2013, the County Commission voted unanimously to rename its popular Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program in her honor. [4]

Jan Kaminis Platt died on November 3, 2017. [2] [5] Thanks to the Friends of the Jan Platt Library, a display case honoring Jan Platt's service and dedication to community is prominently featured at the entrance of the library's main reading room.

On September 21, 2019, the "Jan Platt Day" event was held at her namesake library and featured activities for all ages, including an author talk from best-seller Tim Dorsey. A highlight video of the day's events can be viewed on youtube.

History

Designed to ease overcrowding at the Peninsular Branch Library (Now the Charles J. Fendig Public Library), The Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library was dedicated and opened to the public on December 11, 2000. [6] [1]

The library is the third and final facility paid for primarily by a special $10 million fund designated within the Special Library Taxing District approved by the Board of County Commissioners in September 1993. $4.2 million of the library's construction cost came from this fund. A $500,000 grant from the State of Florida's Division of Library and Information Services also helped finance the facility that was designed by the architectural firm of Gee & Jensen. [3]

Library drive through for returns and pickups. Jan Platt Drive Through.jpg
Library drive through for returns and pickups.

The Jan Kaminis Platt Library was the first in the Tampa-Hillsborough County Library System to have a drive-thru window. [7] It was also the first library in the county that used colored paint on its walls. [8]

In June 2002, the library became the first in the county with a coffee and snack bar called Bookends Café run and staffed by the owners of Ja Vahz on El Prado Boulevard. The library would receive 4 percent of the cafe's gross revenue above $2,000 a month. [9] [10] While the library café has since closed, Ja Vahz is still open for business down the street.

The library also housed Hillsborough County's Talking Book Library from 2000 until 2013 when it relocated to the building next door, the library system’s Technical Services Center. [11]

Services

Public Art

The distinctive collection of art at the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library enhances the architectural design of the building. Featured throughout the interior is an eclectic collection of works on paper and canvas, stained glass, and metal sculpture by a diverse group of local, regional, national, and international award-winning artists. [3] At the entry to the children's section are a panther portico and a manatee bench, hand-carved by New Hampshire wood artist Jeffrey Cooper. [13] Cooper has entitled the archway "Olde Port Portico". [14] Above the service desk hangs a large copper and stainless steel fish net sculpture entitled "Pescados" by Plant City, FL artist Monica Naugle. [15] The back wall of the library is adorned with colorful stained glass windows by St. Petersberg, FL artist Lenn Neff. [16]

"Olde Port Portico" by Jeffrey Cooper Panther Portico.jpg
"Olde Port Portico" by Jeffrey Cooper
"Pescados" by Monica Naugle Pescados Sculpture.jpg
"Pescados" by Monica Naugle

Related Research Articles

Hillsborough County, Florida County in Florida, United States

Hillsborough County is located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. In the 2020 census, the population was 1,459,762, making it the fourth-most populous county in Florida and the most populous county outside the Miami metropolitan area. A 2021 estimate has the population of Hillsborough County at 1,512,070 people with a yearly growth rate of 1.34%, which itself is greater than the populations of 12 states according to their 2019 population estimates. Its county seat and largest city is Tampa. Hillsborough County is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Ruskin, Florida Census-designated place in Florida, United States

Ruskin is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida. The area was part of the chiefdom of the Uzita at the time of the Hernando de Soto expedition in 1539. The community was founded August 7, 1908, on the shores of the Little Manatee River. It was developed by Dr. George McAnelly Miller, an attorney and professor at Ruskin College in Trenton, Missouri, and Addie Dickman Miller. It is named after the essayist and social critic John Ruskin. Miller established the short-lived Ruskin College. It was one of the Ruskin Colleges.

Tampa Free Library United States historic place

For other Carnegie Libraries, see Carnegie library (disambiguation)

Tampa Bay History Center

Tampa Bay History Center is a history museum in Tampa, Florida. Exhibits include coverage of the Tampa Bay area's first native inhabitants, Spanish conquistadors, and historical figures who shaped the area's history, as well as a reproduction of a 1920s cigar store. The museum is on the waterfront at 801 Water Street in Tampa's Channelside District. It opened on January 17, 2009. The History Center building is 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2) with 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2) of exhibit space.

Bruton Memorial Library

The Quintilla Geer Bruton Memorial Library is the public library of Plant City, Florida.

The Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL) is a public library system based in Hillsborough County, Florida. THPL is part of two larger library networks, the Tampa Bay Library Consortium, and the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative which includes Temple Terrace Public Library in Temple Terrace, Florida, and Bruton Memorial Library in Plant City, Florida. There are 25 branches of the Tampa–Hillsborough County Library System, not including digital-only and mobile-only services. Services provided by the THPL include internet access, public meeting room spaces, interlibrary loans, a Bookmobile, a Cybermobile for Spanish speakers, technology classes, adult literacy programs, and downloadable eBooks. Drive-thru windows for returns and hold pick-ups are located at the Jimmie B. Keel and the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Libraries. In 2017, THPL introduced the new HAAL Pass, which gives access to certain library resources to all students in the Hillsborough County Public Schools System. Students use their student ID number to use different online databases, borrow up to three physical items and read eBooks. The Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System is also a part of Hillsborough County government. On January 1, 2018 the library cooperative became one of the largest in the country to go fine free. Overdue fees for borrowed materials were eliminated with the implementation of the "Just Bring It Back" initiative. In 2019 the cooperative received the FLA Library of the Year Award. Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library was recognized for its community focused initiatives when it "reorganized its staffing model and eliminated overdue fines, yielding $1 million in savings while increasing access to library resources and expanding opportunities for community engagement through unique, scalable programs.

West Tampa Free Public Library Building in Tampa, Florida

For other Carnegie Libraries, see Carnegie library (disambiguation)

John F. Germany Public Library Library in Tampa, Florida

John F. Germany Public Library is the flagship library of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL), as well as a member of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative, and a member of the Tampa Bay Library Consortium.

Temple Terrace Public Library

The Temple Terrace Public Library serves 250,000 patrons a year with a selection of more than 100,000 volumes and 52 computers. It is the only library in the city of Temple Terrace, FL, and it is part of the Hillsborough County Library Cooperative, along with branches in Tampa, Florida and Plant City, Florida. It is located near several colleges, including the University of South Florida and Florida College, as well as the Museum of Science & Industry in Tampa.

Port Tampa City Library Building in Tampa, FL

The Port Tampa City Library is a library located in a historic bank building in the Port Tampa section of Tampa, Florida at 4902 W. Commerce Street. It is a neighborhood branch in the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System.

Andrew S. Breidenbaugh is an American librarian and director of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System. He has worked to bring online databases, eBooks, streaming media, music, and courses to the system.

Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library

The Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library is a member of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL) and the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC).

Maureen B. Gauzza Public Library

The Maureen B. Gauzza Public Library, formerly known as the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Public Library, is part of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL), as well as a member of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC). It is a 26,000 square foot facility located at 11211 Countryway Blvd. in Tampa, Florida. In addition to books, newspapers and magazines, the library provides DVDs, music, and internet access, as well as a variety of programs and activities and meeting rooms.

The C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library, formerly known as the College Hill Branch Library, is in Tampa, Florida. The 8,500 sq. foot facility was renamed in 2011 for Florida Sentinel Bulletin owner and publisher C. Blythe Andrews. The library is located at 2607 E. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. It is part of the Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL), as well as a member of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC).

The Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library is a member of the Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL) and the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC). It is a 15,000 square foot facility located adjacent to Muller Elementary Magnet School on 13619 North 22nd St. In addition to serving as a public library, the location also serves a partnership library with the Hillsborough County Public School system. The library doubles as a media center for the Mueller Elementary Magnet School during school hours and as a public library during all operating hours. In addition to books, the library offers a variety of meeting spaces, computers, technology instruction, literacy and family events.

The Riverview Public Library is part of the Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System and the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. The library is located in Hillsborough County, Florida.

University of South Florida Tampa Library

The University of South Florida Tampa Library is the main research library for the University of South Florida. Housing over 1.3 million books, academic journals and electronic resources, including 52,000 e-journal subscriptions, 443,000 e-books, and over 800 databases, the library has more than 2 million visitors each year. The library offers tutoring and writing services, laptops, a career resource center, and course reserves. The facility houses several special and digital collections, including literature, oral histories, photographs, artifacts, and the university archives. The current Dean of USF Libraries is Todd Chavez.

Helen Virginia Stelle

Helen Virginia Stelle was the first director of the Tampa Free Library and one of the founders of the Florida Library Association.

Spanishtown Creek, sometimes written Spanish Town Creek, was a stream that emptied into the Hillsborough Bay section of Tampa Bay a half-mile west of the Hillsborough River in the area now known as Hyde Park. An area near where it emptied into the Bay was occupied by Spanish speaking fishermen during the era of Spanish control of La Florida before Fort Brooke was established. The village was known as Spanishtown. A historical marker on Bay Street commemorates the history.

Burgert Brothers Photographer duo

The Burgert Brothers were early photographers, most prominently known for documenting the growth of Tampa, Florida. Their photos span the late 1800s until the early 1960s. They depict times of war, natural disasters such as the 1921 Tampa Bay hurricane, economic booms, economic busts, transportation, building projects, bungalows, African American life, cigar factories, sponge docks, strawberry fields, mercantile businesses, banks, and service stations. They also feature Florida leisure activities at parks and beaches including golf, shuffleboard, checkers, and tennis. Thanks to the prolific Burgert Brothers local events and traditions like the Gasparilla Pirate Festival and Florida State Fair have been well-documented.

References

  1. 1 2 Hathaway, Ivan J. (1 August 1996). "New library to ease overcrowding". The Tampa Tribune. NewsBank inc. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Jan K. Platt Obituary". Legacy.com. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library". hcplc.org. The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. ↑ Ryan, Patty; Danielson, Richard; Contorno, Steve (1 November 2017). "Jan Platt, Hillsborough County's voice for the environment, dies at 81". The Tampa Bay Times. NewsBank inc. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Carlton, Sue (7 November 2017). "Who will take up where Jan Platt left off? Anyone? Anyone?". The Tampa Bay Times. NewsBank inc. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Jackson, Orval. "New Platt library dedication leaves its namesake humbled". digitalcollections.hcplc.org. The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "Library History | Home | Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System". www.thpl.org. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Hartman, Jessica (20 April 2007). "Drive Through, Check Out and Log On". The Tampa Bay Times. NewsBank inc. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  9. ↑ Gedalius, Ellen (22 June 2002). "Cafe's The Newest Chapter In Library Services". The Tampa Tribune. NewsBank inc. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  10. ↑ Scherzer, Amy (28 June 2002). "Coffee's brewing, so get cozy with a book". The Tampa Bay Times. NewsBank inc. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "Talking Book Library service at the new Jan Platt Regional Library". digitalcollections.hcplc.org. Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Passport Services". HCPLC.org. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  13. ↑ "Panther portico". Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Art and Artifact Collection. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Olde Port Portico". cooperwoodsculptor.com/. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Pescados". Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Art and Artifact Collection. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  16. ↑ "Job case". Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Art and Artifact Collection. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.