Alachua County Library District

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Alachua County Library District

The Alachua County Library District is an independent special taxing district that provides public library services to about 280,000 people in Alachua County, Florida. It serves all the county’s municipalities and runs a headquarters library in downtown Gainesville, plus four Gainesville branches. It also operates branches in seven other municipalities, a branch at the county jail, and two bookmobiles, for a total of 12 locations.

Branch locations
- Gainesville: Headquarters, Millhopper, Tower Road, Library Partnership, Cone Park
- Other municipalities: Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, Micanopy, Newberry, Waldo
- Alachua County Jail branch
- Two bookmobiles visit many county locations

History in brief
- The library’s roots go back to 1903–1906 with local clubs and small libraries forming Gainesville’s first public library.
- Gainesville Public Library opened in 1915 and became free in 1918.
- A branch for African American residents (Carver Branch) opened in 1953 and closed after desegregation in 1969.
- In 1958, the city and county began jointly operating county-wide library services.
- The Alachua County Library District was officially established in 1986.
- A new main library opened in 1991. Several branches opened or expanded through the 1990s, with major renovations and new branches in later years (Alachua in 2008, Partnership in 2009, Cone Park in 2011/2013, and Tower Road expansion planned for 2017).

Library cards and access
- Florida residents can get a free library card; non-residents who own property in Florida can also obtain one.
- Digital library cards are available to residents 18 or older for online access only.
- Minors need a parent or guardian to sign up, with appropriate IDs.
- Cards must be renewed every two years in person with a photo ID and proof of address.
- There are no late fees, but blocks occur for five or more overdue items or $50 in overdue materials.
- Card holders can check out up to 100 items at a time.
- Loan periods: books and audiobooks 4 weeks; CDs and DVDs 2 weeks; items can be renewed twice if not on hold.
- The district also offers digital media, holds, and item delivery between branches via the online catalog.

Services and programs
- In-branch services: meeting rooms, various programs for all ages, eBooks, audiobooks, STEM kits, Seed Library with plant seeds, and Wi-Fi.
- Access to digital content: downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, music, magazines, and more.
- Special programs: sensory storytime (in partnership with UF’s Center for Autism and Related Disabilities), homebound mailing, and polling locations for elections.
- Outreach and employment help: links to job resources and re-employment forms.

Community support
- Friends of the Library (established 1954) runs a large biannual book sale (the biggest in Florida), raising funds for library programs and scholarships.
- The ACLD Foundation supports fundraising through name plaques and author events.

In short, the Alachua County Library District provides broad library services across 12 locations, strong community programs, and extensive resources for residents and students alike.