“Palm Harbor Friends of the Library”

I strongly suspect nearly every public library throughout the United States either has a Library Friends Group or something similar where community members come together to support their local library. We have such wonderful friends in Palm Harbor.

Going all the way back to 1978, the Palm Harbor Friends of the Library have played a crucial part in creating and developing the library. As a matter of fact, although the County provided the land, it was the Friends who obtained the money to build the facility you now see at 2330 Nebraska Avenue.

The library first opened its doors to the citizens of Palm Harbor, Ozona and Crystal Beach on April 1, 1978 and the volunteer force that made it possible had grown to 24. On December 18, 1979 the volunteers formed the Palm Harbor Friends of the Library, Inc. and for the first few years when the library was struggling to get started, it was Friends who provided the annual book budget. More of the history of the library can be found at our website www.palmharborlibrary.org.

Since that time the Palm Harbor Friends of the Library have been extremely instrumental in supporting the needs of the library through:

• Purchasing Furniture and Equipment
• Purchasing the “Library Media Box” that sits right outside the lobby area
• Supporting Staff Scholarships
• Contributing $100,000 to the 2008 remodeling project
• Supporting all Summer Reading Programs
• Financing the annual “Concert Series”

Just to name a few.

Now The Palm Harbor Friends of the Library has been selected as a beneficiary of the Winn-Dixie Community Bag program for the month of February. The Community Bag program, launched in 2019, provides a $1 donation to the Palm Harbor Friends every time a $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at the Winn-Dixie located at 1360 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor, Florida. So, if you buy a bag, you’ll be supporting what has already been mentioned as well as the library’s Literacy Program, completely sponsored by the Friends. In addition, your purchase will support our community environmental efforts. And of course we always welcome new Friends so at an individual membership fee of $15 or family for $25, you can help library even further.

Palm Harbor Friends of the Library…still going strong at 40 years!