Established 1960 Phone +1 813-506-6770 | Director Teressa Fraser | |
Location Temple Terrace, Florida, United States Address 202 Bullard Pkwy, Temple Terrace, FL 33617, USA Hours Open today · 12–8PMTuesday12–8PMWednesday10AM–8PMThursday12–8PMFriday9AM–5PMSaturday9AM–5PMSundayClosedMonday10AM–8PMSuggest an edit | ||
Fire alarm tour of 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, like the John F. Germany Public Library. 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.
Contents
History
The library was established on January 15, 1960 after the Temple Terrace Woman’s Club became inspired to create a community library. The local Boy Scout groups and city residents supplied the first book collection for this newly established library. Temple Terrace donated a small caddy house on the 19th tee of the city golf course to serve as the library.
The funding came from the Woman’s Club. Within a year, the collection and circulation had outgrown the caddy house. In April 1961, City Hall became the new location for the library. The rise of library patrons and the demand for more services prompted the city to take over the library from the volunteers. The city appointed a Library Board, which made the Temple Terrace Public Library eligible to receive books from the Hillsborough County Library Service.
On September 23, 1965, construction on a new, larger library began at 202 Bullard Parkway. On April 17, 1966, the library opened its doors. In 1978, an additional 5,600 square feet were added to the existing structure to keep up with the number of patrons. In 1998, the library was renovated and enlarged, and an online catalog and Internet access were added to the services available.
Fire
An arsonist set fire to the library in the morning of February 18, 1982. The blaze destroyed 11,666 books and 1,010 recordings within the library’s collection. However, the citizens and the Woman’s Club rallied and helped restore the library. It reopened in a temporary location, the Lightfoot Recreation Center, six weeks after the arson. Less than a year after the fire, on February 16, 1983, the new library was again open for business.
Services
According to the library’s mission, "the goal of the Temple Terrace Public Library is to meet the information and recreational needs of the residents of Temple Terrace and its surrounding environs by providing both print and non-print materials and engendering a lifelong love of reading and learning." The library also strives to broaden the horizons of its users, promote intellectual freedom, and provide for an enhanced quality of life.
Children's Programs
The Temple Terrace Public Library offers a variety of age-appropriate children's programs at the Temple Terrace Public Library. Stories, finger plays, rhymes, and songs are included in our programs.
ARTS & ACTIVITIES This is a program for school-age children to read, create, and have fun. It is offered Wednesdays at 3:30 pm.
STORY TIME 30 minutes of stories, songs, rhymes, finger plays, dances, and much more, teaching early literacy and socialization skills. It is offered Wednesdays at 10:30 am.
BABY TIME Baby Time is a program for children from Birth-24 months with their caregivers. It is offered Fridays at 11:00 am.
BLOCK PARTY AND PUZZLE PARTY Kids use Lego building blocks or puzzles to have a fun, interactive and creative time. For children 4 to 12 years old. These programs are offered some Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m.
Teen Programs
The Temple Terrace Public Library offers a variety of programs for teens and preteens in grades 6 through 12
GAME ZONE Play Super Smash Bros. Brawl and more on our Nintendo Wii. Check the calendar for dates. Game Zone always starts at 6:00 PM.
ANIME NIGHT Enjoy the latest popular anime titles on a large screen. Snacks provided. Check the calendar for dates. Anime Night always starts at 6:00 PM.
CRAFTY TEENS Anything from jewelry-making to sculpting and more; we do a different craft each session. Check the calendar for dates. Crafty Teens always starts at 6:00 PM.
Adult Programs
The Temple Terrace Public Library offers a wide variety of programs for adults of all ages.
TEMPLE TERRACE BOOK CLUB Two book discussions are held at the library every month. Check at the circulation desk for upcoming dates and book selections or contact the Temple Terrace Public Library at (813) 506-6770.
HOME & GARDEN The Master Gardener Program is an educational and informational service offered to the community through plant clinics that discuss all aspects of gardening: plants, lawns, vegetables, trees, water use, environmental landscape, wildlife habitat conservation, pest management, and more. Clinics are held on Tuesday evenings in the library meeting room.
CRAFTS Attend Color Me Calm and Pinterest Party on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm. All materials for these programs will be provided. In addition to these two craft programs, two Fridays a month, local hobbyists gather to bring their projects from knitting, crochet, quilting, embroidery, and more to Sit n' Stitch. These programs are a fun and informal way to share interests and ideas. Please check our calendar for specific dates or contact the Library at (813) 506-6770.
PRESENTERS & WORKSHOPS Year-round, there is a variety of informational programs that change from month-to-month, including resume and job interview workshops, diet and cooking demonstrations, writing lectures and workshops, art workshops, book signings, and more.
Citizenship Corner
In autumn 2015, the Temple Terrace Library added a Citizenship Corner to its Bullard Parkway site, in order to assist immigrants seeking naturalization. Services include information on US history and government, learning English, and information sessions on the naturalization process. The library also offers a weekly English Practice Conversation Corner. All services offered by the library are free for patrons.
Beyond Books Lending Library
In spring 2016, the Temple Terrace Public Library began lending out more than just books and DVDs. Library patrons are able to check out items like cake pans, tools, board games, sewing machines, and much more, for one week at a time. All of these items have been donated and have helped make the library feel like a resource for the community when they need or want to use an item that they may not be able to purchase.