Hernando County Public Library System

As of 2020, the library collection included 134,274 physical items and 46,910 digital items. The library’s collection is fully funded under the provisions of the State Aid to Libraries Grant program, administered by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services.

In 1910, the Brooksville Woman’s Club created Hernando County's first free lending library. Within 7 years they collected about 1,083 texts valued at about $833.{{Cite web |date=26 April 2019 |title=History of the Hernando County Public Library System |url=https://www.hernandosun.com/2019/04/26/history-hernando-county-public-library-system/}} By 1926, the collection included 1500 items. The Woman's Club attempted to donate the items to the City of Brooksville in order to start a public library funded by the city. However, the city rejected the offer due to a lack of finances, and the Woman's Club maintained responsibility for the library.{{Cite news |date=1926-04-09 |title=Woman's Club Will Sponsor Plans For Brooksville Public Library |volume=XXV |work=The Brooksville Herald |issue=21 |url=https://newspapers.uflib.ufl.edu/AA00085614/00023/images}} In the 1930s President Roosevelt awarded the State Library of Florida $137,278 via the Work Progress Administration,{{Cite news |date=1938-03-05 |title=State Library Project |work=The Tampa Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/332788688}} a portion of which was allocated to Hernando County and used to fund library services including the bookmobile. Books were transported weekly to rural communities and schools.

In 1949 the county purchased property in the city of Brooksville to establish a permanent facility – which still operates as the main branch of the library. The library was dedicated as the Frederick Eugene Lykes Jr. Memorial Library in 1950, in honor of the deceased son of Frederick Eugene Lykes Sr. who provided much of the funding for the library and was heavily involved with its operations. This library is built within a 1.5-acre public park known as Hernando Park in downtown Brooksville. This library has been renovated and expanded to keep up with current demands. By 1977 the county had 11,690 card holders and a collection of over 47,000 books. The library system ran on 4 full-time and 1 part-time worker and many volunteers.

In 1965 a library branch opened in Ridge Manor on the east side of the county, and a branch in Spring Hill followed in 1968.{{Cite news |last=Stallings |first=Diane |date=1973-07-09 |title=Quiet Please, A Library is Growing |pages=7 |work=North Suncoast Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/318556585 |access-date=2022-10-26}}

In response to a population boom in the 1980s, the West Hernando branch of the library was built and dedicated in 1985. In 1993 the branch was renamed the Staffordene T. Foggia Memorial Library. Staffordene Foggia founded the Friends of the Library of Hernando County in 1983 and was the first president of the organization.{{Cite news |last=Marrero |first=Tony |date=2007-03-07 |title=Events today honor library's namesake |work=Hernando Today |url=link.gale.com/apps/doc/A165957315/ITOF?u=tamp44898&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid= |access-date=2022-10-25}}

In 1993 the library system was awarded a $400,000 federal grant for the construction of a new library in Spring Hill. It was intended to be established as the headquarters and be named after Harold G. Zopp, a prominent land developer with the Deltona Corporation.{{Cite news |last=Platt |first=Wes |date=19 March 1994 |title=County gains federal grant to build library |work=Hernando Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/324158439 |access-date=25 November 2022}} However, the money was returned and plans were put on hold after a contentious county commission meeting in 1994.{{Cite news |last=Minai |first=Leanora |date=23 November 1994 |title=County shelves plans for library |work=Hernando Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/326217499 |access-date=25 November 2022}} John Callahan III, the system's director, departed shortly after the loss.{{Cite news |last=Minai |first=Leanora |date=21 December 1995 |title=Library director resigns, heads to California |work=Hernando Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/326277544 |access-date=25 November 2022}} A council was established to discuss other options for creating the library, which would not officially open for 12 more years. By the time of the branch's opening, the original plans for the library were largely forgotten and the commission was planning to name the library in honor of Frank W. Bierwiler Jr. before the original plans to name the library were rediscovered. Instead, the emergency services building was named after Bierwiler, and the Harold G. Zopp Memorial Library opened in 2006.{{cite news |last=Loder |first=Asjylyn |date=19 April 2006 |title=Library gets a different name from the past |work=Hernando Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/329926333 |access-date=25 November 2022}} The previous building, known as the Little Red Schoolhouse, was left to the Friends of the Library.{{Cite news |last=Broadwater |first=Chandra |date=14 March 2006 |title=Library begins new chapter with branch |work=Hernando Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/329967373 |access-date=25 November 2022}}

Earlier in 2006, the East Hernando Library in Ridge Manor, FL relocated from a storefront in the Sunrise Plaza shopping center to a new 8,500-square-foot building.{{Cite news |last=Raghunathan |first=Abhi |date=3 February 2006 |title=Read it and reap: This new library is top shelf |work=Tampa Bay Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/330116936 |access-date=25 November 2022}}

In 1953 the library received complaints about Communist materials in the library and the board appointed retired colonel and library board member Paul B. Parker to remove materials from the library that were deemed "un-American." The FBI was given a list of the materials.{{Cite news |date=1953-07-12 |title=FBI Official Says He Hasn't Seen Brooksville List |pages=24 |work=Pensacola News Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/352986581 |access-date=2022-10-25}}{{Cite news |date=1953-07-11 |title=Raid Staged on Library |volume=77 |work=Orlando Evening Star |issue=91 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/292230077 |access-date=2022-10-25}} The materials were suspected to include: Mission to Moscow by Joseph E. Davies, The Soviet by Albert R. Williams, Russia and Japan by Maurice Hindus, People of the USSR by Anna Louise Strong, and various magazines and pamphlets such as The Nation and New World Review. Many of the materials were brought in by Lisa von Borowsky, a member of the library board who shared materials belonging to her benefactor colonel Raymond Robins. Robins was the husband of Margaret Dreier Robins, founder of the YWCA and leader of the Brooksville Woman's Club during the founding of the first lending library in Hernando County. Many of the materials were eventually returned to the library, and most of the participants in the incident declined to speak on the subject. However, some did report suspicious incidents that they suspected were related to the investigation.{{Cite news |last=Powers |first=Ormund |date=1955-07-17 |title=Communist Books in Lykes Library Still Big Mystery |pages=3–D |work=The Orlando Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/223408466 |access-date=2022-10-25}}

The Hernando County Public Library System consists of four branches: The branches are organized by location and the main branch is located in downtown Brooksville, Florida. {{Cite web |title=Locations {{!}} Hernando County Public Library |url=https://hernandocountylibrary.us/locations/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |language=en-US}}

{{Infobox building

| name = Frederick Eugene Lykes Jr. Memorial Library (Main Branch)

| location = Brooksville, Florida

| address = 238 Howell Avenue

Brooksville, FL 34601

| opened_date = 1910

| website = https://hernandocountylibrary.us/main-branch-location/

}}

Main Branch: Frederick Eugene Lykes Jr. Memorial Library (Brooksville):

238 Howell Avenue

Brooksville, FL 34601

Hours:

Mon-Wed- 10:00 AM-6:00 PM,

Thurs- 12:00 PM-8:00 PM,

Fri- 9:00 AM-5:00 PM,

Sat & Sun- CLOSED{{cite web | url=https://hernandocountylibrary.us/main-branch-location/ | title=Main Branch | Hernando County Public Library }}

East Hernando Branch:

6457 Windmere Road

Brooksville, FL 34602

Hours:

Tues & Wed- 10:00 AM-6:00 PM,

Thurs- 12:00 PM-8:00 PM,

Fri & Sat- 9:00 AM-5:00 PM,

Sun & Mon- CLOSED{{cite web | url=https://hernandocountylibrary.us/east-hernando-branch/ | title=East Hernando Branch | Hernando County Public Library }}

West Hernando Branch: Staffordene T. Foggia Memorial Library:

6335 Blackbird Avenue

Brooksville, FL 34613

Hours:

Mon-Wed- 10:00 AM-6:00 PM,

Thurs- 12:00 PM-8:00 PM,

Fri- 9:00 AM-5:00 PM,

Sat & Sun- CLOSED{{cite web | url=https://hernandocountylibrary.us/west-hernando-branch-location/ | title=West Hernando Branch | Hernando County Public Library }}

Spring Hill Branch: Harold G. Zopp Memorial Library:

9220 Spring Hill Drive

Spring Hill, FL 34608

Hours:

Tues & Wed- 10:00 AM-6:00 PM,

Thurs- 12:00 PM-8:00 PM,

Fri & Sat- 9:00 AM-5:00 PM,

Sun & Mon- CLOSED{{cite web | url=https://hernandocountylibrary.us/spring-hill-branch/ | title=Spring Hill Branch | Hernando County Public Library }}

Istachatta Library Station:

16246 Lingle Road

Brooksville, FL 34601 (Closed in September 2016 due to the property being declared surplus)

Services include storytimes, book discussions, computer classes, art classes, coding classes, sewing classes and other in-person events.{{Cite web |title=Month Calendar |url=https://hernandocounty.librarycalendar.com/events/month |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=Hernando County Public Library System |language=en}} Digital resources include language learning, genealogy, craft and arts classes, and job skills training.{{Cite web |title=Digital Content {{!}} Hernando County Public Library |url=https://hernandocountylibrary.us/databases/ |access-date=2022-11-25 |language=en-US}}

{{Cite web |title=Library Search & Compare |url=https://www.imls.gov/search-compare-downloads?FFYear=2020&FSCSKey=FL0106 |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=www.imls.gov}}

On July 6, 2013, a fire broke out at the East Hernando Library location. The fire was deemed suspicious due to the fact that some of the wicker furniture from inside the library had been piled up against the back porch door. Two weeks later the Hernando County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal received a confession from a suspect who had been previously reported to be on the scene at the time of the fire. The suspect has since been reported as 18 year old Joseph Brannen. The suspect had made his presence known at the scene of the fire by claiming he was going to school to become a volunteer fire fighter and was there to assist with putting out the fire – he also arrived in a fire suit and an oxygen tank strapped to his back. The smoke and water damage from this incident has been estimated at $500,000. This estimation includes $250,000 in damages to the building and another $250,000 to the books. Eighteen thousand books were damaged by either smoke or water during the incident.{{Cite web |url=http://hernandotoday.com/he/list/news/suspect-admits-he-started-hernando-library-fire-20130723/ |title=Suspect admits he started Hernando library fire |access-date=2014-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407075624/http://hernandotoday.com/he/list/news/suspect-admits-he-started-hernando-library-fire-20130723/ |archive-date=2014-04-07 |url-status=dead }} The suspect accepted a plea deal with the following terms: 8 years in prison, pay back roughly $590,000 to Travelers Insurance and $25,000 to Hernando County.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/teen-sentenced-to-eight-years-in-prison-for-setting-east-hernando-library/2169093/|title=Teen sentenced to eight years in prison for setting East Hernando library fire}}

• Florida Library of the Year Award for 2013 {{Cite web |url=http://www.flalib.org/awards_documents/2013_award_winners_for_web.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407100437/http://www.flalib.org/awards_documents/2013_award_winners_for_web.pdf |archive-date=2014-04-07 |url-status=dead }}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://hernandocountylibrary.us// Hernando County Public Library. 2022]
• [http://florida.educationbug.org/public-library/2882-hernando-county-library-system.html Education Bug. 2013]
• [http://www.hcplgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html Hernando County Library Genealogy Blog]

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{{Florida public libraries}}

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Hernando

Library

Category:Public libraries in Florida