Main Library - Lakeland (FL) Public Library

Tuesday morning, August 27, I made my second library visit in Lakeland, FL, this time to the Main Library located on the east side of Lake Morton—one of the many lakes that give the town its name. I arrived just before 10 am to find the parking lot between the library and the Polk (County) Museum of Art to be nearly filled. On my way in from the parking lot, I noticed several people enjoying the very nice little cafe just inside the library entrance.

The Lakeland Public Library first opened in this location on Lake Morton in 1927. The present building was dedicated in 1966 and has been renovated and expanded several times since. Lake Morton is noted for its population of 70 or so resident swans, many of which are descended from a pair of Royal Swans presented to the city by Queen Elizabeth in 1957. The swan is the symbol of the city, and swans are protected by law in Lakeland—even to the point of having speed bumps and “swan crossing” signs along Lake Morton Drive. Hence the swan sculpture that is part of the library sign along Lake Morton Drive is most appropriate.

My initial view from just inside the library doors offered but a glimpse of how extensive this library is. The Friends of the Library Sale shelves are to the left, and to the right are the circulation desk and the shelves displaying new books.

A boisterous noise drew me to a hallway to the left, where I found two large murals of scenes from Lakeland, including swans on Lake Morton.

The source of all the noise proved to be Story Time just getting under way in a meeting room off the hall. The room was almost filled with excited children and their parents.

The hallway turns to the right where there are various displays and then an entrance into a very large children’s area.

The children’s area includes a a very nice separate area for new readers and a number of computer stations specifically for children’s use.

The children’s area opens up to several different sections of book shelves along with tables and chairs, Windows along a side street and toward Lake Morton bring in lots of natural light and also give a view of the lake.

A doorway off the children’s area leads to a nicely decorated Teen Room (behind the New Readers wall). The room has comfortable chairs, a number of computer stations for teens, and a large collection of books and media for teens.

The door at the far end of the Teen Room opens into the adult areas of the library. The picture below shows that door from the large open area at the center of the library.

Below are several views of this central area—one looking toward a Training Room and two Tutor Rooms, one looking tower the Fiction stacks, one looking down the fiction stack toward the far northern end of the room, and one looking back toward the Teen Room.

Off of this large open room there are several seating/study area with windows offering views of Lake Morton through trees covered with Spanish moss. I decided that I would pick one of these for a reading spot later.

In the central area of the library back toward the entrance is a large area with computer stations that were nearly all in use that Tuesday morning.

As I wandered exploring the library I came across a number of Tutor and Study Rooms.

There are also several special purpose rooms including a very inviting glass-walled learning space called The Commons and a Special Collections room that now houses the Lakeland History materials. These include a fascinating 8-part Origins of Lakeland photo series (that is also available on line at http://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/library/lakeland-history-room/ ).

As with my visit to the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library the day before where I couldn’t check out any books, I brought along my Kindle so I could find a comfortable spot to do some reading in the library. I decided on a chair near The Commons and facing toward Lake Morton. I daresay this is one of the best views in all my library visits so far, rivaled only by the view from the Rio Rancho, NM, library this past December.

When it came time to go get some lunch I headed back toward the entrance and was waylaid by the Friends of the Library Book Sale wall, where I found a hardcover copy of a a Harlan Coben thriller from my Amazon Wish List for only 25¢.

I had originally planned to drive from the library to a nearby diner, but when I Googled directions to the library I noticed a carry-out fish place right across the street. Mr. Fish has been in business and run by the same family since 1968. On such a beautiful day I just couldn’t pass up the chance to sit at a picnic table with a view of Lake Morton and eat a yummy fish sandwich with fries and coleslaw. (And I nearly tripped over some of the native wildlife as I walked across the street to the get lunch.)

What a perfectly lovely way to spend an August morning and lunch hour in the Swan City of Lakeland, FL!

Larry R. Jackson Branch - Lakeland (FL) Public Library

Toward the end of August, I traveled to Lakeland, FL, to visit my father, who is nearly 98 years old, as well as several others family members. Before I left, I learned that one of the libraries in Lakeland is the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library, so I simply had to add it to my library visits, given that I have a brother named Larry Jackson (but with a different middle initial). So on Monday morning August 26, I headed from my hotel to visit the library on N. Florida Ave. with plans to go to a local diner for lunch afterwards. When I got parked at the library, I began taking pictures as soon as I got out of my air-conditioned  car, not realizing that the extreme humidity that morning would condense on my camera lens. Hence the slight fuzziness around the edges of my first two photos, the one above as well as the one below of the sculpture of books beside the library sign.

My initial impression upon entering the library was of a bright and open airy space with high ceilings and lots of windows. (It was also nicely air conditioned on this steamy Florida morning.) I could see the length of the library, past the computer stations in the center of the room and on to the adult book shelves and the far windows.

To the left from the entrance is the library’s Service Desk and a couple of Tutor Rooms. I introduced myself to one of the librarians and learned that the library was built in 1995 and was named in honor of a local lawyer and civil rights activist who had worked tirelessly for years to bring a branch library to North Lakeland.

To the right from the entrance there is a very large children’s area with large windows to the street, lots of book shelves, and a large, colorful mural.

Later when I looked back toward the children’s area area I spotted the colorful “READ” sign hanging on the wall and went back to investigate How it was made. What a clever use of various colored plastic bottle caps.

From the children’s area, I walked past a Youth Services room and stopped for a view of some of the computer stations and the shelves for adult fiction and nonfiction.

I spent some time browsing in the stacks which included books, recorded media, and periodicals. Being a visitor to the area, I couldn’t borrow any books. However I was impressed by the selections at this small branch library.

All along the windows toward the street and the end wall of this room, there are study carrels bathed with natural light. This being Florida I was not surprised when I spotted a couple of lizards crawling on the ledges outside the windows, but I was unable to get any good photos of them.

Having completed my explorations of the library, I spotted a couple of green cushioned chairs against the divider between the book shelves and the computer stations, so I got out my Kindle and settled in to read until lunchtime.

A little before noon, it was time to leave. But before going I walked to the far end of the library to take a photo back toward the entrance. What a nice surprise to find this wonderful library bearing the same name (almost) of my brother Larry!

A short drive across town brought me to a nice little diner/family restaurant on E. Orange St. called the Cozy Oaks. The Texas Burger Melt with bacon, grilled onions, BBQ sauce, and cheddar cheese along with an order of onion rings really hit the spot. After lunch I went to spend the rest of the day with my dad, and I figured I’d visit the Lakeland Main Library the next morning.