Manatee County Public Library

Last updated

Manatee County Public Library
Manatee County Public Library
Type Public library
Established1918
Branch ofManatee County Community and Veterans Services Department
Branches7

The Manatee County Public Library is a public library that provides services and resources to the communities and visitors of Manatee County. It is a division of the Manatee County Government's Community and Veterans Services Department located in Manatee County, Florida. The library system provides patrons with in-person resources such as books, movies, and music, as well as online databases to access e-books, e-audiobooks, journal articles, magazines, and other resources. Library services include free events for the public, one-on-one learning sessions, and computers and other technological equipment available for public use. Library cards are provided at no charge to those who reside, own property, attend school, or work in Manatee County.

Contents

Branches

History

In 1898, Julia Fuller carried book rentals in her store, which later moved to American Sudbury's store. A library committee was formed in 1904 by the Village Improvement Association. Dr. J.C. Pelot donated a lot at 12th St. West and Avenue West for the library to be built on. In 1904, T. J. Bachman loaned $500 to aid in the construction of a small library. [1]

In 1914, $10,000 was given by the Carnegie Foundation to establish the first library in the area, Palmetto Carnegie Library.

In 1918 the County Library System was established with the opening of the Bradenton Carnegie Library, where the first bookmobile was started in 1956. That same year, some additions were added to the Bradenton Carnegie Library, increasing the overall square footage by one third. [2]

In 1963, a plan was approved for a countywide system which allowed the cities of Bradenton and Palmetto to join with Manatee County. From 1966 to 1969, the South Manatee Branch Library and the Island Branch Library were built. In the early 1970s, the idea of a large central library was proposed by the county. On April 24, 1978, the Central Library was opened to county citizens.[ citation needed ]

In 1990, the library system decided to use the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) to catalog books and other items. OCLC has become a vital part of the information infrastructure that supports research, scholarship, and learning around the world.[ citation needed ]

In 1992, a text-only computer was added to the libraries that was connected to the Bradenton Herald newspaper and had access to the index software.[ clarification needed ] Two years later, one public computer was added for the use of word processing and educational software. In 1996, the first online catalog computers were added for the staff, which replaced the old large wooden card catalogs. Soon after, a few were added for patrons to use.

In 2000, the Central Library gained twelve Windows-based PCs in the second-floor computer lab, thanks to a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2001, bookmobiles were updated, but their services ended in 2010.

Throughout the 2010s, other technology was brought to the library, such as iPads, PCs, laptops, e-readers, and Wifi systems to enhance patrons' experience.

Beginning November 16, 2020, Manatee County Public Libraries went fine free. [3]

From July 1st-31st in 2021, the Manatee County Public Library System held a library card design contest where library staff chose winners from original artwork entries created by Manatee county residents. There were three age group divisions consisting of youths (up to the age of ten), teens (eleven through seventeen years old), and adults (eighteen and up). The winners of each division were Dagney Tang, Madeline Thompson, and Catalina Montalvo.

On January 12th, 2024, the Lakewood Ranch Library opened and was added as the seventh branch of Manatee County's libraries. This facility is the county's first library built in the 21st century and cost $17.6 million. It is 25,000 square feet with two stories and has Manatee County's first library drive-thru window.

Eaton Room

The Eaton Room is a collection of local and state historic materials housed in the Manatee Library System's Central Branch. Originally created following the death of local philanthropist Elizabeth M. Eaton in 1973, the collection includes materials gathered from County libraries, as well as Eaton's own antiquarian Florida purchases. Yearbooks from local schools, telephone books, city directories, oral interviews, and archival negatives from the Manatee County Historical Society were later added. The collection has been expanded to include local maps, local newspapers and magazines, hundreds of books on local history, government documents, and census data. [4] In 2023, The Archive Lab located in the Eaton Room became available to use. [5]

Historical Digital Collection

In 1965, the Manatee County Historical Society began collecting and copying photos from local Manatee County families. The Society turned over 6,259 images to the Manatee County Public Library System in 1977, [6] and the library system continued to collect images from community members within its Eaton Room. In 2003, 32,300 archival negatives were sent to the University of South Florida Tampa Library for digitization. These images were then added to what is now the Manatee County Public Library Historical Image Digital Collection, an online resource where visitors can browse and download images at no charge. The collection includes images of people, activities, and buildings in Manatee County. [7]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manatee County, Florida</span> County in Florida, United States

Manatee County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 399,710. Manatee County is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat and largest city is Bradenton. The county was created in 1855 and named for the Florida manatee, Florida's official marine mammal. Features of Manatee County include access to the southern part of the Tampa Bay estuary, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and the Manatee River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota County, Florida</span> County in Florida, United States

Sarasota County is a county located in Southwest Florida. At the 2020 US census, the population was 434,006. Its county seat is Sarasota and its largest city is North Port. Sarasota County is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota, FL metropolitan statistical area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradenton, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

Bradenton is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698, up from 49,546 at the 2010 census. It is a principal city in the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Downtown Bradenton is along the Manatee River and includes the Bradenton Riverwalk. Downtown Bradenton is also home to the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palmetto, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

Palmetto is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was listed as 13,323, up from 12,606 at the 2010 census. It is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport</span> Airport in Florida, United States

Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport is a public use international airport located within three jurisdictions: Sarasota County, the city limits of Sarasota, and Manatee County, all in the U.S. state of Florida. Owned by the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, it is 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Downtown Sarasota and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Bradenton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta–Fulton Public Library System</span> Library system for the city of Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia

The Atlanta–Fulton Public Library System is a network of public libraries serving the City of Atlanta and Fulton County, both in the U.S. state of Georgia. The system is administered by Fulton County. The system is composed of the Atlanta Central Library in Downtown Atlanta, which serves as the library headquarters, as well as the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, and 33 branch libraries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota</span> Public college in Manatee and Sarasota County, Florida, United States

State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota (SCF) is a public college with campuses in the Manatee and Sarasota counties of Florida. Part of the Florida College System, it is designated a "state college" because it offers a greater number of bachelor's degrees than community colleges. SCF is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1957 as Manatee Junior College, it was known as Manatee Community College from 1985 to 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manatee High School</span> Public high school in Bradenton, Florida, United States

Manatee High School is the oldest public high school in Bradenton, Florida, operated by the Manatee County School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota metropolitan area</span> Metropolitan area in Florida, United States

The Sarasota metropolitan area is a metropolitan area located in Southwest Florida. The metropolitan area is defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) consisting of Manatee County and Sarasota County. The principal cities listed by the OMB for the MSA are North Port, Bradenton, Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice. At the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 833,716. The Census Bureau estimates that its population was 891,411 in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradenton Carnegie Library</span> United States historic place

The Bradenton Carnegie Library is a Carnegie library in Bradenton, Florida. It was founded in 1918, served as Bradenton's main library for 60 years, and now houses the Manatee County Historical Records Library. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacksonville Public Library</span> Public library system in Florida

The Jacksonville Public Library is the public library system of Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It primarily serves Jacksonville and Duval County merged areas, and is also used by the neighboring Baker, Nassau, Clay, and St. Johns counties. It is one of the largest library systems in Florida, with a collection of over three million items. A division of the city government, the library has the third largest group of city employees, after the city's fire department and sheriff's office. There are twenty-one branches and a main library in the system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami-Dade Public Library System</span> Public library system in Florida

The Miami-Dade Public Library System (MDPLS) is a system of libraries in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakewood Ranch High School</span> Public high school in Manatee County, Florida, United States

Lakewood Ranch High School in Manatee County, Florida, United States, was opened in 1998 in Bradenton, Florida. It is named after the master planned community it borders, Lakewood Ranch.

Lakewood Ranch is a planned community and census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Manatee County and northeastern Sarasota County, Florida, United States, consisting of approximately 31,000 acres (13,000 ha). It is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 34,877.

St. Johns County Public Library System serves the surrounding areas of St. Johns County, Florida, including St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fruit Cove, and Hastings. The library system has six branches, two bookmobiles, and offers books-by-mail service. In addition to books, periodicals, and online databases, SJCPLS offers computer access, notary services, Inter-Library Loan service, access to a Seed Library, test proctoring, and many volunteer opportunities. The library system also offers a dynamic range of programming for adults, teens, and children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso Public Libraries</span>

The El Paso Public Libraries is the municipal public library system of El Paso, Texas. The library serves the needs the public in El Paso, Texas, Chaparral, New Mexico and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. It consists of 14 branches and one Bookmobile service. Multiple outreach services are also available including a Homebound service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seminole County Public Library System</span> Public library system in Florida, United States

The Seminole County Public Library System is a public library system with five branches located in the cities of Casselberry, Sanford, Oviedo, Lake Mary, and Longwood, Florida. The Jean Rhein Central Branch (Casselberry) is located at 215 N Oxford Rd, Casselberry, FL 32707.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota Subdivision</span> Seaboard Air Line Railroad line in Florida

The Seaboard Air Line Railroad's Sarasota Subdivision was a rail line that ran from the company's main line at Turkey Creek south to Palmetto, Bradenton, Sarasota, and Venice. The line was built in phases from 1901 to 1911.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Bridge (Manatee River)</span> Bridge in Florida, United States

The Green Bridge is a bridge carrying U.S. Highway 41 Business over the Manatee River between Palmetto and Bradenton, Florida. Built in 1986, the current Green Bridge is 40 feet (12 m) tall and carries four lanes. The original Green Bridge, which partially still stands as a fishing pier, was built in 1927 and named for Emmet P. Green, a local resident who served on the state road board.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About the Manatee County Public Library". Manatee County Government. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Historic Markers Across Florida". Manatee County Government. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Fine Free FAQ". www.mymanatee.org. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  4. ↑ "History & Genealogy".
  5. ↑ "ARCHIVE LAB". mymanatee.org. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Historical Photographs – the Manatee County Historical Society (MCHS)".
  7. ↑ "CONTENTdm".
  8. 1 2 3 4 "About Manatee Libraries". www.mymanatee.org. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Manatee County Public Library System named Library of the Year by Florida Library Association". Manatee County Government. Retrieved October 1, 2017.

27°29′44″N82°34′23″W / 27.495644°N 82.573172°W / 27.495644; -82.573172

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.