“I think the new library will prove to be a wonderful edition in the community,” said chief librarian Marilyn Shynett, as she talked about the soon to be completed new Seffner-Mango Branch Public Library located at 410 N. Kingsway Road, in the heart of Seffner.
Local residents are currently visiting the twice-moved existing and much smaller facility now located inside the Seffner Walmart shopping plaza. At a glance,the library has pretty much everything any library should.
But as most Hillsborough County residents are able to discern the recent population growth which has also added to the local student population has increased the need for a larger place to be able to accommodate the need of all visitors.
“That is a big part of what the new library will help with,” said Shynett adding, “I believe that it is a good move not only because it will be a much bigger building but it will be in the vicinity of local schools and new developments being built in this community.”
Shynett, who has been a librarian since 1979, has seen a lot of changes in the last three decades and favors all the changes especially the new technology, such as self checkout, online cataloging and computer access for both young and old to enjoy, that have become a must have in recent years.
“Customers are now so much more empowered to use the facility,” she said.
As far as the layout of the new building is concerned, Hillsborough County Public Library manager Suzy George said that while each library is unique in itself, the county has used some of the most recent designs.
“We build on what works,” George said but added, “It is always based on population growth and community need.”
The new 15,000 sq. ft. library will almost triple the size of the existing library space and will increase the in-house materials from 45,000 to close to 100,000 books, magazines and other reading materials.
The project’s estimated total building cost is $6.5 million which includes the land, building, furniture as well as $1 million dollars worth of new books, movies and other library materials.
The library will also feature a new computer lab with 12 personal computers, along with 25 additional PCs for all to use, science room, a children’s department and a number of meeting rooms to complete the project.
The Friends of the Library organization will also have a separate space for book sales as it will continue to support the local library.
All monies for the project come from the Hillsborough County’s general revenue and it is scheduled to be completed later this year.
For more information please visit www.hcplc.org or call 273-3652.
