Collier County Public Library

26°14′01″N 81°46′13″W / 26.233686°N 81.770214°W / 26.233686; -81.770214

Collier County Public Library
Map
LocationNaples, Florida, United States
TypePublic
Established1964
Branches10
Collection
Size639,882 volumes[1]
Access and use
Circulation2,700,000
Population served397,994 (est. 2023)[2]
Other information
Budget$7,089,800[3]
DirectorCatherine Cowser
Employeesc.100
Websitecollierlibrary.org

The Collier County Public Library (CCPL) is the public library system that serves Collier County in the U.S. state of Florida. It consists of 10 locations, including a headquarters library, two regional locations, and 7 branches distributed throughout the service area. CCPL has a print collection of approximately 640,000 volumes, in addition to providing e-resources, audio-visual materials, and programs.[4]

Structure

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CCPL is governed by the Collier County Public Library Advisory Board, whose five members are appointed to four-year terms by the Board of County Commissioners. The Advisory Board establishes library policy and recommends courses of action for the future development of the library system. The library's director is Catherine Cowser.[5]

The library's $7,089,000 budget primarily comes from taxes and impact fees.[6] Additional funding support comes from the Collier County Friends of the Library, a nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is "to enhance and expand the educational, recreational and technological needs of the Collier County Public Library."[7]

Services

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All Collier County residents and property owners may receive a free library card providing access to all library services and resources. County visitors and non-residents must pay $10 per month, or $100 per year, for library membership.[8]

All CCPL locations offer public computers with Internet access, printing, photocopying, free Wi-Fi, and 24/7 dropboxes for book and DVD returns.[9] Patrons can conduct research using library databases or borrow and download music, e-books, and audiobooks from the library's website. The book a librarian service allows patrons to have a one on one session with a librarian to assist with research, use of library resources, and technology.[10] The Naples Regional Library maintains a Genealogy Room which is staffed by volunteers. The Headquarters Library houses CCPL's Mail-a-Book program which delivers books and other library materials directly to the homes of disabled or homebound patrons.[11]

History

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The first library in Naples started in 1932 when the Naples Women's Club received a home as a gift. This home consisted of a book room with 141 books and was open to residents 3 pm to 5 pm Mondays to Fridays and 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm Monday evenings. This building remained in operation until 1951 when the Naples Women's Club relocated to the current location.[12] In 1957, the Friends of the Library launched the Collier County Free Public Library in a room of the Women's Club. In order to meet the demands of the growing population of Collier County, bookmobiles were used for carrying books to remote towns of Immokalee, Marco Island, and Everglades City. In 1957, the Naples Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the Collier County Commission suggesting that a proposed library system for Collier County be considered during upcoming budget hearings. The commission voted and the library system passed 4-1. which created the Collier County Free Public Library.[13] In 1963, Ferdinand Lee purchased a block in downtown Naples and donated the land to the Collier County Friends of the Library, which later became the home of the library headquarters. However, it has since become the Naples Regional Branch and the county holds a 99-year lease on the land for $1 per year.[13] The bookmobile service started in 1958 and ended in 1981 after the construction of local library branches.[14] This first incarnation of CCPL contained only 10,000 volumes but in September, 1997 had 281,954 volumes.[15] Over the years, the Collier County Public Libraries has grown to add three large regional libraries and seven local branches.[13] The seventh branch located in Golden Gate Estates opened in January 1995.

Friends of the Library

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The Collier County Public Library owes its existence to the Friends of the Library because they were the group who opened the room in conjunction with the Women's club. Since 2001, the Friends have contributed over $1 million dollars to meet the needs of the library. Their mission statement is, "To support Collier County Public Library; to obtain greater usefulness or wider use of library; and to support the literary and educational needs of the community through the Public Library."[16] As of 2018, the Friends have around 2,700 members, who pay dues, and the organization is considered one of the largest non-profit organizations in Collier County. The Friends of the Library pay entirely for: "every public program in all library branches that requires out-of-pocket expenditures, Library Employee of the Month Recognition Programs, (and) library volunteer recognition programs."[17] Aside from that, the Friends of the Library contribute to or provide for over eight other specific library services. The Friends entirely funded three separate construction projects: Rose Hall and Reading Patio at Marco Island Branch Library, Sugden Library Theater at the Orange Blossom Headquarters Library, and Sugden Reading Patio and Mackworth G. Rees Meeting Room at Naples Regional Library. Membership is $30 per individual or $40 for entire families.

Mission statement

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"To provide educational environments, facilitate community engagement and cultivate life-long learning."[18]

Locations

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Location Address Phone Number
East Naples 8787 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, FL 34113 239-775-5592
Estates 1266 Golden Gate Blvd, W Naples, FL 34120 239-455-8088
Everglades 102 Copeland Ave, N Everglades City, FL 34139 239-695-2511
Golden Gate 2432 Lucerne Road, Naples, FL 34116 239-252-4542
Headquarters 2385 Orange Blossom Dr, Naples, FL 34109 239-593-3511
Immokalee 417 N First St, Immokalee, FL 34142 239-657-2882
Marco Island 210 S Heathwood Drive, Marco Island, FL 34145 239-394-3272
Naples Regional 650 Central Ave, Naples, FL 34102 239-252-5135
South Regional 8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy Naples, FL 34113 239-252-7542
Vanderbilt Beach 788 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples, FL 34108 239-597-8444

[19]

Hours by location

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Location Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
East Naples Closed 9:00-6:00 9:00-6:00 9:00-6:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
Estates 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
Everglades City 9:00-12:00; 1:00-4:30 9:00-12:00; 1:00-4:30 9:00-12:00; 1:00-4:30 9:00-12:00; 1:00-4:30 9:00-12:00; 1:00-4:30 Closed Closed
Golden Gate 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
Headquarters 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
Immokalee Closed 9:00-6:00 9:00-6:00 9:00-6:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
Marco Island 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
Naples Regional 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
South Regional 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-8:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed
Vanderbilt Beach Closed 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 10:00-6:00 9:00-5:00 9:00-5:00 Closed

[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Collections - FY 2009-2010" (PDF). Florida Department of State, Division of Library & Information Services. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  2. ^ "Collier County Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  3. ^ "Collier County Budget, FY 2013-2014" (PDF). Collier Board of County Commissioners. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  4. ^ "Collier County Budget, FY 2013-2014, p.40" (PDF). Collier Board of County Commissioners. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  5. ^ "Library Administration". Collier County Public Library. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  6. ^ "Collier County Budget, FY 2013-2014, p.39" (PDF). Collier Board of County Commissioners. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  7. ^ "About the Friends". Friends of the Library of Collier County, Inc. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  8. ^ "card policies". Collier County Public Library. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  9. ^ "Locations, hours, maps". Collier County Public Library. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  10. ^ "In Branch Services". Collier County Library. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
  11. ^ "Public Services". Collier County Public Library. Archived from the original on 2014-02-26. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
  12. ^ Linda Fasulo (2007), "Fifty Years and Counting... The Library, the Friends of the Library, and how it all began, Florida Libraries, 50(1) 18-19.
  13. ^ a b c "Looking at our Libraries: The history behind today's large Collier County library system". Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  14. ^ Fasulo, Fifty Years and Counting, 19.
  15. ^ "Florida Library History Project, Collier County Public Library". Florida Studies Center Publications. Florida Studies Center. January 1990. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  16. ^ Klein, Howard (1980). "Water-resources investigations, Collier County, Florida". Open-File Report. doi:10.3133/ofr801207. ISSN 2331-1258.
  17. ^ Florida, Collier-Friends - Friends of the Library of Collier County. "Collier-Friends - Friends of the Library of Collier County, Florida |". collier-friends.org. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  18. ^ "General Information".
  19. ^ a b Collier County Public Library; Locations, Hours, Maps, http://www.collierlibrary.org/locations/
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