Country United States Established 1885 Size 360,000 Phone +1 850-436-5060 Staff 157 | Type Public Branches 7 Circulation 1,083,813 Budget 4.81 million USD | |
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Location 239 North Spring Street
Pensacola, Florida Address 239 N Spring St, Pensacola, FL 32502, USA Hours Closed now Friday10AM–4PMSaturday10AM–4PMSunday12–4PMMonday10AM–8PMTuesday10AM–8PMWednesday10AM–8PMThursday10AM–8PMSuggest an edit Similar Gulf Breeze Library, Pensacola State College, Escambia County Law Libra, University of West Florida, Library Profiles | ||
The West Florida Public Library System is an organization of libraries that serve the Pensacola, Florida area, with branch libraries in Escambia County, Florida.
Contents
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 "Bookmobile", which visits a number of areas in Escambia County each week.
Branch libraries
History
In 1885, the Pensacola Library Association organized as a subscription library. The library had 184 members who paid .25/month to use the library. During the years of 1904, 1910, 1911 and 1919, the city made attempts to secure Carnegie funds for a public library, however, because the city failed to provide a site and future support for such a library, it was unable to obtain the funds. The city later allotted 25.00/month and then 50.00/month to the library. Still, the library moved to various locations downtown and, at some point, a bond election failed. In 1933, the subscription library closed and its books were stored in the San Carlos Hotel.
In February of 1937, the Pensacola City Council passed an ordinance to establish a free public library and it created a five-member board. In January of 1938, Lucia Tryon was hired as librarian to convert Old Christ Church to the city's first public library which opened on February 15, 1938 with 3352 books. Also in 1938, the Shakespeare Club opened a library on Oak St. in Milton Florida. By March 1, 1938, the Pensacola free public library counted 2,375 cardholders. On August 17, 1952, the Alice S. Williams branch was opened to serve the black community and in 1957, a new Pensacola public library opened at Spring and Gregory St. Finally, in 1963, the city of Santa Rosa entered into an inter-local agreement with the city of Pensacola with service to 1800 patrons at the Milton branch library. This was the beginning of the West Florida Regional Library System.
Funding and administration
The Escambia County branches and the Bookmobile 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'.