78th Street Community Library: Its legacy of community improvement

On September 20^th, 2014, the 78^th Street Community Library’s doors opened and the Library History Roadshow was set up and ready to digitize library memories in the community room. There, The Friends of the 78^th Street Community Library brought refreshments and the Roadshow crew was poised to digitize library memories.  

A steady stream of visitors bringing their photographs of the library’s groundbreaking ceremony and opening ribbon cutting ceremonies, as well as documents pertaining to the library’s public art collection kept the scanning station very busy. Meanwhile outside, a DJ played hip tunes, making the event extra festive.

At 11:30 a.m., Roadshow crew video recorded a public discussion about this history of the library, consisting of local activists who were instrumental in the pursuing the creation of a public library in their community. 

Fred Hearns, Jan Morris, and Hilrie Kemp, Jr. discussed and answered audience questions about the library’s beginnings and what it took to get a permanent library constructed in their community.  

They described their 10 years of soliciting the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners and the Library Board to support the initiative to build a library in their community.  Their persistence paid off with the result of a $1.8 million, 8,000 square foot library that opened in June 1997 to serve Clair-mel, Progress Village, and Palm River Communities.

Dolores Johnson and Esther Graham talked about how the Friends of the 78th Street Community Library formed, as well as some of the challenges that they have encountered in rallying support for this library. 

Mr. Hilrie Kemp discusses his experiences in being part of the library's beginnings, as well as his history with the Progress Village community. 

The Roadshow crew would like to thank all of the people who took the time to stop by and share their memories; they will go down in Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library history! 

We also want to thank the Friends of the 78^th Street Community Library for bringing refreshments, especially Dolores Johnson and Esther Graham for supporting their library. A special thanks to Fred Hearns, Jan Morris, and Hilrie Kemp, Jr. for offering to share their experiences of the long, obstacle-ridden road to develop a new library from idea to reality.  

For more on the 78th Street Community Library, see its digital collection! 

THPL Digital Collections highlights public library history

A brief look back at the last few years of Library History Roadshows 


Since 2011, the Library History Roadshow has collected over 90 video memories from library patrons, as well as heaps memorabilia from over 28 branch libraries, current and historical, for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Systems (THPL) Library History Digital Collections.  For  us, public librarians, it is humbling to listen and learn about how the public library's services positively affects the quality of life for Hillsborough County residents. 

Throughout the last century, this library system has grown along with the City of Tampa and Hillsborough's County's population while providing quality programming and implementing emerging technologies. The history of every community in Hillsborough County is reflected in the history of their public library branch. See more about the library system's chronology or browse the library's history in the THPL Digital Collections. 

Check for updates on the library's centennial celebration programs and events. 

For more information about the Tampa-Hillsborough County Library History Roadshow, please call: 813-273-3652.