Boca Raton Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boca Raton Public Library |
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| Country | United States |
| Type | Public Library |
| Coordinates | 26°21′15″N 80°05′21″W / 26.3543°N 80.0893°W |
| Collection | |
| Size | 233,727 |
| Access and use | |
| Population served | 96,114 |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $4,944,300 |
| Staff | 72 |
| Downtown Location | |
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| Established | Downtown Location built in 1962 with additions in 1972 and 1982. Renovated in 1992. New library constructed one block north of the original library and opened in June 2013. |
| Location | 400 NW 2nd Ave. Boca Raton, Florida 33432 |
| Coordinates | 26°21′10″N 80°05′23″W / 26.352651°N 80.089584°W |
| Spanish River Library and Community Center Location | |
|---|---|
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| Established | January 26, 2008 |
| Location | 1501 NW Spanish River Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 |
| Coordinates | 26°23′15″N 80°07′04″W / 26.387535°N 80.117683°W |
The Boca Raton Public Library helps people in Boca Raton, Florida find books, learn new things, and connect with their community. It has two main buildings. Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Contents
How the Library Started
The idea for a community library in Boca Raton began in January 1923. The Woman's Club of Boca Raton started it. Volunteers ran the library, and people donated books to build its collection.
However, the library closed in 1926. All the books were given to a local elementary school.
In January 1946, the community library opened again. Its books were kept in a building at the Boca Raton Army Air Field. But a strong hurricane hit in 1947, damaging the building. This forced the library to close once more.
Another community library opened in 1948, this time inside the city's town hall. The city started giving money to help the library. In 1957, the library moved to a new spot.
A brand new library building was finished in 1961. This building was on NW 2nd Avenue, where the Downtown Library is today. In 1966, this building was officially named the Boca Raton Public Library. It was updated several times over the years.
In 2003, people in Boca Raton voted to spend $19.8 million to build two new library buildings. The first new building opened on January 26, 2008. It's called the Spanish River Library and Community Center. The second new building opened in June 2013. It's located near the original Downtown Library.
Exploring the Library Buildings
The Boca Raton Public Library has two modern locations. They serve everyone living in Boca Raton.
The New Boca Raton Downtown Library is quite large, covering about 41,932 square feet. You can find it at 400 N.W. Boca Raton Boulevard.
The Spanish River Library and Community Center is also big, about 40,940 square feet. It's located at 1501 N.W. Spanish River Boulevard. This library is designed in the beautiful style of Addison Mizner, a famous architect. It also has public spaces for meetings and events. You can always find the library's opening hours on its website.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Downtown Library happened on April 24, 2012. It was designed by PGAL of Boca Raton. The building also follows the Mediterranean style of Addison Mizner. This library was built to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards. This means it's very energy-efficient and good for the environment.
The new Boca Raton Downtown Library officially opened on June 22, 2013. This 42,000 square foot building has many cool features. It offers 70 public computers, quiet study rooms, and spaces for different events.
Discover Studio
In September 2015, the Boca Raton Public Library opened the Discover Studio. It's inside the Downtown location. The Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library helped fund this special studio.
The Discover Studio is a place to learn about new technologies. It's like a pop-up lab where you can try things like 3D printing. You can also learn how to edit photos and videos, make music, and create podcasts. Librarians and other experts teach these classes. The Discover Studio helps the library offer more education to the community. All classes are free if you have a valid library card!
Who Helps the Library?
The Boca Raton Public Library gets help from several groups:
- The Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library are a group of volunteers. They raise money to support cultural programs at the library. They also run a used bookstore at the Downtown Library. The money they earn helps the library.
- The Boca Raton Public Library Foundation, Inc., is a charity group. They also support the library's activities and programs.
- The Boca Raton Public Library Advisory Board gives advice to the City Council. They help with how the library is managed and run. Board members serve for three years and meet every month.
Images for kids
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Spanish River Library and Community Center Lakeside Patio and Rooftop Terrace
