Temple Terrace Public Library
| Temple Terrace Public Library | |
|---|---|
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| 28°01′58″N 82°23′29″W / 28.0329°N 82.39129°W | |
| Location | Temple Terrace, Florida, United States |
| Established | 1960 |
| Other information | |
| Director | Teressa Fraser |
| Website | www |
The Temple Terrace Public Library serves 250,000 patrons a year with a selection of more than 100,000 volumes and 52 computers.[1] 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.
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 the Internet were added to the services available.[2]
Fire
An arson 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.[3]
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.[4]
Teen Programs
During the summer, the library provides youth with three main activities and programs: Game Zone, Anime Night, and Crafty Teens. Starting at 6:00 PM, Game Zone provides an opportunity for youth to play video games together on the library’s Nintendo Wii gaming console and laptop computers. In the same vein, on Anime Night the library hosts trivia games and airs popular anime titles on a large screen, with snacks and refreshments provided for free. Crafty Teens introduces a different type of crafting each session, teaching youth sculpting and jewel-crafting, among other crafts. In addition, teenagers aged 16 and older can volunteer as technical support tutors for patrons.[5]
Over the course of the school year, many of the summer activities continue, along with additional programs. For example, Computer Game Creation events teach teenagers how to use JavaScript and HTML5 to create their own video games. Author talks and book signings are another engaging activity type for teenagers to participate in at the library.
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.[6]
See also
- Florida Library Association
- Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System
- Hillsborough County, Florida
- Temple Terrace, Florida
- Museum of Science & Industry (Tampa)
- Florida College
- University of South Florida
References
- ^ "Temple Terrace Public Library History".
- ^ "Temple Terrace Public Library History".
- ^ "Library History Roadshow".
- ^ "Library Services".
- ^ "Teen Programs".
- ^ McKenzie, Joyce (28 October 2015). "Temple Terrace Library steps up to help immigrants seeking citizenship". The Tampa Tribune. TBO. Retrieved 28 October 2015.