The West Florida Public Library System is an organization of libraries that serve the Pensacola, Florida area with branch libraries in Escambia County, Florida.

The library system currently has approximately 360,000 books, 36,000 audio resources, and 14,000 video resources in circulation. In addition to its branch libraries, the library system operates a mobile library, the "Wandering Library", which visits a number of areas in Escambia County each week. For fiscal year 2018–2019 the library system had 572,533 faculty visits to all branches.

Branch libraries

  • Pensacola Public Library – 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola, FL 32502 (downtown Pensacola)
  • Tryon Branch Library – 1200 Langley Ave., Pensacola, FL 32504
  • Southwest Branch Library —12248 Gulf Beach Hwy., Pensacola, FL 32507 (southwest Pensacola, near Perdido Key)
  • Westside Branch Library – 1301 W. Gregory St., Pensacola, FL 32502
  • Century Branch Library – 7991 N. Century Blvd., Century, FL 32535
  • Molino Branch Library – 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino, FL 32577 (inside the Molino Community Center)
  • Bellview Library – 6424 Mobile Hwy., Pensacola, FL 32526

History

As new industries brought the city of Pensacola to life in the latter parts of the 19th century, residents were without formal library services and limited to buying books and exchanging reading materials amongst themselves. Observing and experiencing functioning libraries in cities other than their own, these citizens, under the leadership of a local dentist, took steps to create the first formal "library association" in Pensacola. Theo La Far and his associates established the first informal exchange of resources in Pensacola and Escambia County in 1883. The association then took steps to hire Lettie Flynn, a library attendant who would remain employed with the growing library system for 40 years through multiple relocations and the eventual expansion of services. These conditions included a demonstrated financial need for the funding, an appropriate site for the construction, willingness to provide staffing and allot ten percent annually to support the library's operation, and equal access to all patrons regardless of race or color

Funding and administration

The Escambia County branches and the Wandering Library are funded primarily by the City of Pensacola and Escambia County. The branches also receive aid supplement funds from the state, as well as federal grant money.

The West Florida Public Library System is administered by the West Florida Public Library Board, which is made up of nine members, three of which are appointed by the Pensacola City Council and the Escambia County Commission.

While several libraries in Santa Rosa County (including the Gulf Breeze, Jay Navarre & Milton branches) used to be a part of the West Florida Regional Library system, they have since parted ways, hence the name change to 'West Florida Public Library'.

Services provided

  • Electronic books: The library provides patrons access to both downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks via RBdigital and EBSCO. The library will be transferring from RBdigital to Libby sometime in October 2020. The library also has online access to TumbleBooks.
  • Meeting and study rooms: The library provides study rooms, on a first come, first served basis. Meeting rooms are also available by application, with two weeks notice requested.
  • Book clubs: Pensacola, Tryon and Molino libraries feature monthly book clubs.
  • Interlibrary !oan: The library offers interlibrary loan for books, books on CD and music CDs (items must be at least 6 months old). DVDs may not be interlibrary loaned. Patrons may request 5 items within a 30-day period.
  • "Breaker Space": where patrons young and old can go to disassemble electronics to learn circuit and design principles.
  • Talking books and braille: The library is a sub-regional library of the Florida Bureau of Braille and Talking Books Library which provides recorded books and magazines as well as Braille books for patrons with visual or physical disabilities which making reading difficult.
  • West Florida Public Libraries continue to be recognized by the Urban Libraries Council for the Young Leaders Library Card Challenge as the first public library in Florida to provide library cards to all 50,000 K–12 students in Escambia County.

See also

  • Pensacola

References

  • Official Site