Library to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

From the City of Temple Terrace:

What began as a small, one-room collection of hand-me-down books has grown into one of the busiest public libraries in Hillsborough County, with more than 250,000 visitors annually.

The is celebrating its 50th anniversary as part of National Library Week (April 8-14). The library will host an Anniversary Reception on April 9 with guest speakers, exhibits, refreshments, dignitaries, good friends and wonderful stories of years gone by. The reception will kick off a fun-filled week of activities and festivities for library lovers of all ages.

National Library Week is a celebration of the contributions of libraries and librarians across the country. The theme for this year’s event is You Belong @ Your Library, and that’s especially true during the Temple Terrace Public Library’s 50th anniversary celebration.

In 1959, the GFWC Temple Terrace Woman’s Club inspired the creation of a Temple Terrace library, and the following year the library opened its doors in a one-room caddy shack along the golf course donated by the city.

Books were donated, and the staff consisted entirely of Woman’s Club volunteers. In 1962, the club turned over the library’s operations to the city, kicking off its current run. Today, the library boasts more than 100,000 books and other materials at its facility at 202 Bullard Parkway.

Throughout the 50th anniversary week, the library will be adorned with banners, exhibits and displays. A poster and essay contest for kids is under way, and prizes (including Amazon Kindles and gift certificates) will be awarded to the winners. Here’s the schedule:

Anniversary Reception on April 9 at 1 p.m. will be a celebration of the people who have made our library great. Refreshments, stories, exhibits, dignitaries and tours will be provided. There will be an awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. for contest participants.

Family Activity Night on April 10 at 6:30 p.m., during which there will be stories and crafts for children and their families. Children in kindergarten through sixth-grade will enjoy this event.

Friends of the Temple Terrace Public Library annual volunteer luncheon on April 11 is a by-invitation-only event. Then History Night at 6:30 p.m. with Dr. Gary Mormino, local author and historian, who will share stories about Temple Terrace, highlighting how the community and library have grown and evolved.

Teen Tech Night on April 12 at 6:30 p.m. will be an interesting overview and demonstration of the latest digital devices, from eReaders to laptops to digital musical instruments.

Library History Road Show on April 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., presented by the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System, will have county library staff on hand with audio/video recorders and scanners to gather your historical information about the Temple Terrace library, so bring your old photos, memorabilia and stories to share.

Elephant and Piggy’s Adventure Party on April 14 at 11 a.m. will be fun for children in preschool through third-grade. It includes a story, crafts, games and snacks.

For more information, call 813-506-6770.