8/10/2013: Bruton Memorial Library History Roadshow

Celebrating...

Bruton Memorial Library
302 W McLendon Street
Plant City, FL  33563

December 7, 2013

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Do you have a Plant City Library memory, photograph or memorabilia to share? 

In preparation for the centennial of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library system, the Library History Roadshow team will be visiting the Bruton Memorial Library on December 7th to digitize library memories for our history archive.   

Record a video or oral memory, or bring in photos or memorabilia to be scanned and returned to you while you wait!

Come see the unique display of historic Burgert Brother's photographs on exhibit, created especially for this event, curated by Librarian David Parsons and join the Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library  in some refreshments as they also share their history library and memorabilia.  

Overview of the library's history

The history of the Bruton Memorial Library spans nearly 96 years.  Like Hillsborough County's public libraries in Ruskin, Brandon, Temple Terrace and Port Tampa City, the Bruton Memorial Library was started by a women's club, specifically, the Plant City Woman's Club. 

December 4, 1960, Tampa Tribune

In 1917, Plant City citizens met with the Carnegie Foundation with the hopes of getting a Carnegie funded library, however, the opportunity passed due to inadequate local interest at the time.  The Woman's Club started operating a library in their club house in 1927 and although the library only consisted of a few shelves of books, members were more than willing to pay a small fee to join. The library was formally opened to the public in 1929 in the building that was previously the Central Grammar School, located on the southwest corner of Baker Street and Wheeler Street in Plant City. 

In 1933, members of the Woman's Club persuaded the city commission to designate the Miller home, an old frame building on the corner of McLendon and Wheeler Streets, as the site of a library. Once they accepted responsibility for renovating the building, they used part of the building as their club meeting house and designated a corner of the building as the Plant City Library where they shelved their collection of roughly 2,000 donated books.


Left to right: Mrs. Fred Stevenson (librarian),
Mrs. James D. Bruton (library board),
Mrs. L. T. Lanford (hospitality chair)

It is unlikely that a library would have existed in Plant City at this time without the determination of this handful of women driven to maintain its presence in their rural city. A notable participant in this process was Mrs. Quintilla Geer Bruton. She not only took an active role in the campaign to secure the building space for the library, but in 1958 spearheaded an initiative to improve library services in Plant City. Through this initiative, she spurred a special election, the result of which created a library tax to fund the building and maintenance of a brand new library facility on that same site. A library board was created and the city hired its first official librarian.

December 5, 1960 marked the dedication of the new Plant City Library building.  The 4,300 square-foot facility was the first of its kind in Florida, constructed of three earthen-toned precast stone panels and one solid glass plate wall. It held approximately 22,000 volumes in air-conditioned comfort.

In 1962, Mrs. Bruton became the Chair of the State Library Board and in 1963, the Plant City Library was awarded the Book-of-the-Month award and recognized as an outstanding small public library. By 1970, an expansion of the library was underway, boosting the library to 9,000 square-feet with a capacity for 40,000 volumes.

In the early 1980s, Bruton fought tirelessly to ensure that a Plant City Library Board would maintain its autonomy in the wake of the city-county library system merger. She played a prominent role in the design of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System's inter-local agreement for the Plant City Public Library in 1984.

After she passed away in 1989, Bruton's husband donated $100,000 to purchase adjacent land so that the library could be expanded once more. In 1990, the library was rededicated in her honor and renamed the Quintilla Geer Bruton Memorial Library.  Construction on the expansion began in 1993 with an additional $200,000 that Mr. Bruton donated. That same year, the library's Friends of the Library organization was incorporated. 

The remodeled library, now 20,000 square-feet, reopened in April of 1994 with its first computerized catalog system. Shortly after the death of Quintilla's husband, Judge James D. Bruton, the name of the library was shortened to Bruton Memorial Library to recognize both of their contributions to its success. 

Sources:

Bruton, Quintilla Geer. (1985). Six decades of service: A history of the Women's Club of Plant City. Women's Club of Plant City: Plant City, Fla.

Conway, Edward. (Oct. 13, 1969). Plant City Library Expanding. The Tampa Tribune: Tampa, Fla.

Darling, Dave. (Feb. 16, 1989). Plant City to rename library in memory of Quintilla Bruton. Tampa Tribune: Tampa, Fla.

Landers, Stacy (Jan. 7, 1984). Library officials want no part of two proposed bills. The Tampa Tribune: Tampa, Fla.

Sinclair, Ward. (Sept. 27, 1962). Plant citian gets library post. The Tampa Times: Tampa, Fla.

Smith, Claude. (Apr. 22, 1963). Author decries loss of nation's pioneers. The Tampa Tribune: Tampa, Fla.

Walker, Jane. (Dec. 4, 1960). Women play prominent part in establishing city library.  The Tampa Tribune: Tampa, Fla.

Riverview Branch Library Fondly Remembered and Cherished by Community

From 10 am until 3 pm, there was a steady flow of  attendance at the Riverview Branch Library History Roadshow on Saturday, November 16th. Following the history of the library, which was built on the site of a worm farm, children enjoyed a worm-themed story time and gummy worm snack activity while the adults enjoyed tasty refreshments offered by the Friends of the Riverview Library. 

  Several scrapbooks were on hand for roadshow visitors to peruse and an historic Burgert Brother's photographic display, specially created for the event by librarian David Parsons sparked memories of how the library came to be in Riverview. Many notable people from the library's history came to the roadshow to speak about their involvement in its development and to expound upon its services and commitment to the community.

Before the library was constructed, there was bookmobile service to Riverview. 
Friend of the Library, Judy White used to drive the Bookmobile in Riverview before the library existed and has been a supporter of the library since its inception.

Linda McMullen Alfonso, daughter of the founder of the Riverview Library Association, came and recorded her memory of her father's endeavor to establish a permanent library in Riverview. Without his leadership, it might have been many years before there would be a local library.

Library advocate and former library board member, Alice Storms and her husband Nat came to the roadshow and shared their memories. Alice's leadership with the library board was pivotal to the creation and expansion of many libraries in Hillsborough County over the decades and we thank her for all her hard work over the years! 

An original Friend of the Riverview Library, Betty Hancock tells us about her husband's role in the acquisition of the land on which the library was built. 

We were moved by the Vargas family's love of the Riverview Branch Library and their love of reading. July shared with us their collection of photographs of their girls growing up in the library and participating in a variety of library programs.

Patricia Moore, with her daughter Laurel, also shared photos of her children growing up at the library and brought in many of the crafts and awards they received over the years participating in activities including the annual baking contest.

Thanks to everyone who came out the the Riverview Branch Library History Roadshow and to the hospitable branch staff. We had a great time gathering your library's history! 

Celebrating the Riverview Branch Library, 11/16

Riverview Branch Library, circa 1990

Riverview Branch Library

10509 Riverview Drive

Riverview, FL 33578

November 16, 2013

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Do you have memories, photos or memorabilia of the Riverview Branch Library to share? 

Do you remember coming to a unique or special program at the Riverview Branch Library? Or do you remember when the area was only serviced by the Bookmobile? If so, we want to hear from you! The Library History Roadshow team is coming to the Riverview Branch Library to digitize library memories for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System's digital history archive. Record a video or oral memory, or bring in photos or memorabilia to be scanned and returned to you while you wait.

Groundbreaking, Sep. 28, 1978

Overview of the library's history

Library service to the community originated with the "Riverview Station", a bookmobile stop at a local grocery store. A group of citizens later formed the Riverview Library Association when they saw the need for a permanent library building to better serve the communities of Riverview, South Brandon, Progress Village and Gibsonton. With the Gardinier Corporation's donation of land, (which had formerly been used as a worm farm!) the plans became a reality.

Burying the time capsule
during construction, 1979

County officials, library board members and Friends of the Library broke ground for the construction of the Riverview Library on September 28, 1978. 

Dedication ceremony, Nov. 18, 1979

During construction of the facility, the Riverview Library Association and library staff embedded a bicentennial time capsule into the structure. 

Four years after the proposal for a library, the Riverview Branch Library opened November 18, 1979.

Join us as we gather the Riverview Branch Library's history on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Make it a family affair: A special, worm-themed Story Time for children will take place at 10:30 a.m. followed by a fun activity, hope to see you there!

North Tampa Branch Library at The Heart of its Community

North Tampa Branch Library, 2013
8916 N. Boulevard, Tampa

On October 19th, the Roadshow team visited the busy North Tampa Branch Library. 

  The event featured a Burgert Brother's photographic exhibit uniquely tailored to showcase North Tampa's history and years of bookmobile service. Additionally, we were honored to host North Tampa native, Commissioner Ken Hagan, who shared anecdotes of growing up and using his neighborhood library. 

Several visitors of all ages recorded their memories of the North Tampa Branch Library and members of the Friends of the North Tampa  Branch Library helped to identify old photographs for the archive. Visitors and library staff enjoyed refreshments while they recalled memories triggered by the display of Burgert Bros. historic images from the region.  View images from the Library History Roadshow event as well as some photos from the library's past:

Listen as Nando describes what he loves about the North Tampa Branch Library:

Norman Duran also expressed his appreciation for the library:

'Flat Andy' and Friends President, Melodee Suarez at the 
North Tampa Branch Library History Roadshow

Attendees also had the opportunity to pose with the library's Centennial Celebration mascot, "Flat Andy." Andy is the library's lighthearted take of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the benefactor of Tampa's first public libraries -- the West Tampa Branch (est. 1914) and the original Tampa Public Library building (est.1917). The kick-off for the library's Centennial Celebration is January 1st at 2:00 pm at the West Tampa Branch Library!

Many thanks to the Friends of the North Tampa Branch Library and library staff for their hospitality during our visit!  We were very pleased to have Commissioner Ken Hagan's North Tampa Branch library memories recorded for the library history archive and also to showcase the importance of public libraries to our county leaders.

Join us at the next stop at the Riverview Branch Library on November 16, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.!

Announcing the Libraries' Centennial Calendar!

In preparation for our 100th Anniversary celebration in 2014,  the Friends of the Library of Tampa-Hillsborough County, Inc. have created a special perpetual calendar -- a book used to mark important dates throughout each year.

This perpetual calendar will feature over 50 historic images from the Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection, facts about the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library system, special, local historical dates to remember and more. A great gift for history buffs, this keepsake will never go out of date!

Calendars will be available for purchase in the County Center lobby, located at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., on Nov. 8 & 22 and Dec. 6 & 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The calendar price is $15, and note cards that also feature historic photographs will be sold for $5. Cash or checks will be accepted.

Profits from the calendars and note cards benefit community library programming and services. Purchased individually or as a set -- the calendar and note cards make great holiday gifts! 

For inquiries, please contact (813) 273-3652.

Next Stop: North Tampa Branch Library, 10/19

North Tampa Branch Library 

8916 North Blvd.

Tampa, FL 33604

October 19, 2013

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

With special guest speaker Commissioner Ken Hagan at 11:30 a.m. 

Join us to hear Commissioner Ken Hagan speak about growing up in North Tampa being part of the legacy of Hillsborough County Public Libraries, from being a student to his current role as a County Commissioner. The event will be held in the community room and is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. 

Overview of the library's history


Library service in North Tampa began with the bookmobile making stops in the neighborhoods of Sulphur Springs, Golfview and Forest Hills.  In 1960, the Chamberlain High School PTA spearheaded the drive for a permanent library in North Tampa, with their petition that included hundreds of signatures, submitted to the Mayor and the Tampa City Council.  After much deliberation between neighborhood civic groups, the City Council and the Planning Commission, it was decided that the location of the new North Tampa Branch Library would be built across the street from Chamberlain High.  The North Tampa Branch Library opened on January 13, 1964 in a 3,500 square-foot building. 

As Tampa's population exploded, this neighborhood library quickly outgrew its space.  The library building was expanded twice; to 7,000 square feet in 1967 and again to 10,500 square feet in 1977.   

Do you remember the previous library buildings? 

On August 14, 2008 a groundbreaking was held for the construction of a 24,000 square-foot modern library building, which opened on September 18, 2009 at the same location. 

This most recent building includes a large community room, children's room, teen room, quiet study room, computer lab, as well as additional meeting rooms. 


Do you have memories, photos or memorabilia of the North Tampa Branch? 

The Library History Roadshow team will be at the North Tampa Branch to digitize your library memories for our archive on October 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.   

Record a video or oral memory...Or bring in your photos or memorabilia and we will scan and return them to you while you wait.

Join us as we gather the library's history! 

Celebrating the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library...

On September 14th, the Library History Roadshow visited the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library.  With the help of the Friends of the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library and Jan Platt, who contributed her collection of the library's photos and newspaper clippings, we were successful in capturing some of the library's history. 

Some of the notable events rehashed were Jan Platt's legislation that created our modern library system (1984), the groundbreaking (11/30/1999) and dedication (12/11/2000) ceremonies of the library, the opening of the Bookends Cafe (2004), and Jan's personal background on much of the art decorating the library.

Enjoy some images from the day...

As patrons recalled their experiences using the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library's services and materials, we recorded their memories.  Some included anecdotes about some of the older libraries (like the Peninsular Branch, the West Tampa Branch, and the Hyde Park Branch) while others gave personal insight in the Hillsborough County library experience. 

Bonnie Nicotra shares how important the neighborhood library is and how the community benefits from library's programming. 

Emilio Toro earnestly expresses how much his local public library has enhanced his quality of life since moving to Tampa. [1:45]

 

Fran Pasetti is passionate about her local regional library [ :49]

.

Ricky Rodriguez remembers when he was young, visiting his brother who worked for at the West Tampa Library. [1:11]

Lillie Deans, a self-proclaimed 'sci-fi nerd', talks about going to the Hyde Park Branch as a child and the kinds of books she loves to read. [1:46]

Cathy Teti talks about creation of the Friends of the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, why she became involved, and how the club augments the library's programming for the community. [4:19]

Thanks to everyone who came out and shared their library memories. Join us for the next roadshow at the North Tampa Branch on October 19!

Next up: Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 9/14/2013

Celebrating...

Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library

3910 S. Manhattan Ave.

Tampa, FL 33611-1214

September 14, 2013 

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

About the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library

Jan Kaminis Platt

The Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library was dedicated and opened to the public on December 11, 2000. This 25,000 square foot regional library is the 22nd branch in the county's library system and serves the South Tampa community seven days a week. The facility is named in honor of Jan Kaminis Platt, who has served the community for over 20 years as a member of the Tampa City Council and as a Hillsborough County Commissioner. A fervent advocate for libraries, she was named to the American Library Association's "Freedom to Read Honor Roll" and received the "Best Friend of the Year" award from the Friends of the Library of Hillsborough County, Inc. in 1999. For 13 years this library housed and operated the county's Talking Book Library.

About the Talking Book Library

Groundbreaking ceremony, Tampa Tribune, December 8, 1999

The Hillsborough County Talking Book Library is a sub-regional library of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. This free program provides recorded and braille books and magazines to people who are blind, visually impaired or physically handicapped. Hillsborough County’s Talking Book Library began in 1972 and its collection was located in the system’s main library in downtown Tampa, now called the John F. Germany Public Library. In December of 2000, it was moved to the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library when it opened and remained there until 2013 when it relocated to the building next door, the library system’s Technical Services Center. 

We invite all Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library and Talking Books Library patrons, past and present, to join us at this Library History Roadshow. 

• Did you ever attend a special program, story time or a computer class at the library? 
• Have you had a positive experience with library staff?
• Have you ever found information at the library that improved your quality of life? 
• Did you ever use bookmobile service before the library was constructed? 

Come and share your library memories and memorabilia and help us as we gather and digitize this historic information for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library archival collection. 

Even if you are new to the area and have only just begun to use the library, we want to hear from you!  For more information about Library History Roadshow events, please call: 813-273-3652.



7/20/2013: Seffner-Mango Branch Library

On July 20th, the Library History Roadshow visited the Seffner-Mango Branch Library. Despite the rain, both images and memories of the library were captured through interviews with local library patrons.

Jack Bishoff was happy to share his experiences of the Seffner-Mango Branch Library with us. He believes in taking advantage of all that the library has to offer and has made great use of some of the library's genealogy databases. Through HeritageQuest and Ancestry (Library Edition) he has found some very interesting information about his ancestors: 

Laura Barnes, shared her enthusiasm for her local library and recalls when the Seffner-Mango Branch opened in her neighborhood several years ago. 

Thank you to everyone who braved a rainy Saturday to come out to share memories for this edition of the Library History Roadshow and thank you also to the Seffner-Mango Branch Library staff for hosting -- we had a great time and enjoyed meeting all of you! 

The next roadshow will take place September 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Public Library. 

Though it's a long way off, preparations are well underway for our library system's Centennial Celebration! Please mark your calendars for our large kick-off event taking place New Year's Day, January 1, 2013 at the West Tampa Branch Library!

July 20: Seffner-Mango Branch Library History Roadshow



Seffner-Mango Branch, 2009, 410 N, Kingsway Rd., Seffner, FL

  CELEBRATING...

Seffner-Mango Branch Library

July 20, 2013

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

410 N. Kingsway Rd.
Seffner, FL 33584-3602

A look back... 

 

East Gate Branch, ca. 1980, 2311. Hillsborough Ave.

The Seffner-Mango Branch Library came into being during an evolution of library services in East Tampa neighborhoods.  On November 5th, 1978, Library Director Leo Meirose replaced bookmobile service at the East Gate Shopping Center with the establishment of the East Gate Branch Library at 2311 E. Hillsborough Avenue.  It was strategically positioned near the corner of N. 22nd Street in a highly visible, commercial zone to better serve the East Tampa/College Hill neighborhoods.  After 8 years at this location, the lease was not renewed due to a change in landlords who instead desired a retail business in that location.  The branch closed on December 31, 1985. 

Although it took a few years, under the guidance the newly appointed Director of Libraries, John M. Adams, the library reemerged as the Eastlake Branch Library, located further east at 5701 E. Hillsborough Avenue and 56th Ave. on the lower level of the Eastlake Square Mall. The library opened April 25th and was dedicated April 29, 1988.

Eastlake Branch, ca. 1989, Eastlake Sq. Mall

The branch remained there nearly 10 years before the mall's traffic began to wane due to the rising popularity of the nearby Brandon Town Center. Library circulation dwindled significantly and the branch was forced to close on May 11, 1998. 

By this time, residential development in the Seffner-Mango area had increased significantly, and its community clamored for a library to replace traditional bookmobile service to the area.  

Seffner-Mango Branch Library, ca. 1999



With the closing of the Eastlake Branch Library in 1998 and the opening of the College Hill Branch Library in 1993, (renamed the C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library in 2010), the opportunity and need for a branch in the Seffner area of the county arose. On December 28th, 1998, the first Seffner-Mango Branch Library opened in a storefront location within the Mango Shopping Center at 11724 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. This library was dedicated on March 6, 1999 and operated for 10 years until a new, stand-alone building was constructed and dedicated on January 15, 2009 at 410. Kingsway Rd in Seffner.

Do you have a library memory to share?



Did you ever attend a special program, story time or a computer class at the library? Have you had a positive experience with library staff or accessed information at the library that improved your quality of life? Did you ever use bookmobile service before the library was constructed? Even if you are new to the area and have only just begun to use the library, we want to hear from you!

We invite all Seffner-Mango Branch Library patrons, past and present, to join us at our next Library History Roadshow. Come and share their library memories and memorabilia and help us as we gather and digitize this historic information for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library archival collection. For more information about Library History Roadshow events please call: 813-273-3652.

SAVE THE DATE! 

January 1, 2014, kicks off the Centennial Celebration of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System at the West Tampa Branch Library.



Library History Roadshow Visits Thonotosassa Branch Library



Thonotosassa Branch Library, 2013, 10715 Main St.

The Thonotosassa Branch Library is a special place. It was dedicated in 1989 after more than seven years of arduous efforts and patience by its community who demanded that Thonotosassa have its own library.  Well worth a trip down Main Street, the library is an excellent place to experience the tranquility of the area. After attending one of the many different programs offered at the library, the adjacent park is an excellent place for a picnic or to read your latest checked-out book.

Thonotosassa's community is very proud of its historical roots. On June 22nd, the Library History Roadshow team collected the branch's historical files for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library's Florida History & Genealogy Collection, digitized its collection of Tampa Tribune newspaper clippings for inclusion in the library history archive, and recorded this interview about the library's beginnings with long-time Thonotosassa resident and library staff member, Ron Smith.

Many thanks to library branch manager Annamae Trypus and her staff, Ron Smith and Marti Marshall for their hospitality during our visit.

Thonotosassa Branch Library Seeks Revival of Friends Group

Although the Thonotosassa Branch Library's beginning in 1982 was spearheaded with strong support of the community's Friends of the Library group, the group's activities have waned over the years. The Thonotosassa Branch Library seeks members within their community who desire to strengthen the services and programs that the library offers by re-assembling a Friends of the Thonotosassa Branch Library organization. Participants should share a passionate commitment for a strong library system and would work together to help strengthen library collections and program offerings. Those interested in helping to construct a group to support their community library should contact the Friends of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library, Inc. at 813-273-3616.

Mark your calendars for these up-coming events: 

• The next roadshow will be July 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Seffner-Mango Branch Library.
• The Centennial Celebration of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System will take place January 1st, 2013 at the West Tampa Branch Library!

Come to the Thonotosassa Library History Roadshow!



Thonotosassa Branch circa 1990



CELEBRATING...

Thonotosassa Branch Library

June 22, 2013

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

10715 Main St.
Thonotosassa, FL 33592-2831

A look back... 

After years of library service from the bookmobile, the Thonotosassa Branch Library opened in July 1989, serving the Thonotosassa community and surrounding areas in northeastern Hillsborough County. 

  


Tampa Tribune photo of construction, 1988

This 8,000 square-foot library facility was the sixteenth branch of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System, created with the close collaboration of the Friends of the Thonotosassa Library*, the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Board, the Board of County Commissioners and Hillsborough County staff. 

It was constructed, furnished and stocked with funding provided by the U.S. Government's Community Development Block Grant program and designed by the architectural firm Fletcher, Valenti & Chillura, Inc. 

Since its opening 24 years ago then it has served patrons living in this rural section of Hillsborough County with convenient access to books, magazines, DVDs, music and recorded books for all ages and interests. It also provides Internet access and a regular schedule of programs, including Story Time for preschoolers, a summer reading program for school-age children, after school homework help for students and computer classes for all ages. 

Do you have a library memory to share?

Tampa Tribune photo, 1989

Did you ever attend a special program, story time or a computer classes at the library? Have you had a positive experience with library staff or accessed information at the library that improved your quality of life? Did you ever use bookmobile service before the library was constructed? Even if you are new to the area and have just started using the library, we want to hear from  you!

We invite Thonotosassa Branch Library patrons, past and present, to come and share their library memories and memorabilia so that we may digitize them for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library archival collection. For more information about Library History Roadshow events call: 813-273-3652.

* There currently is no Friends of the Library chapter for the Thonotosassa Branch Library. Anyone interested in helping start a group to support the branch should contact the Friends of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library, Inc. at 273-3616.