Maitland City Talk

When citizens of Maitland formed the Maitland Public Library in 1896, it is doubtful they would envision what their library would become in 117 years. The relaxing sitting area around the classic fireplace in the original 1907 structure still provides a comfortable place to read. This quiet comfortable area for adults to read, use the wireless internet, or just relax was recently designated by the Board of Trustees as the Elizabeth R. Wood Reading Room to honor the 50-year service of this dedicated Maitland resident.

The wonderfully noisy, crowded children’s area was moved from the original building to a recently doubled larger space near the main entrance. Study areas, computers and comfortable furniture will complete the project this summer using funds raised through the Valentine Tree and 5K. The Friends bookstore in the old children’s area will provide nine new public computer stations in the main area.

How Maitland citizens using the original print library would have seen the move to electronic books and audio is hard to imagine. Using the Maitland Public Library webpage, patrons can use the 24/7 Digital Branch to access e-books, audio books, databases and financial tools, as well as interactively learn one of 81 different languages.

Excitement over the three monthly book clubs has continued the original community feeling for the library. Anyone who enjoys a good book and a chance to discover and share with others is always welcome to join the clubs.

The summer reading program’s theme, “Dig into Reading,” ties in well with the state of Florida’s Viva 500 program. Exciting children and adult programs will feature Florida’s place in history with hands-on experiences, including Mastodons (June 6) with Zach Zacharias, and “A Soldiers experience in old Fort Maitland” (June 8) with Dennis Marshall. The afternoon tea (June 2) features two “original” 1907 Maitland residents sitting by the fireplace reminiscencing.

Children’s’ programming is rapidly growing, with story times on Tuesday and Thursday morning. The new focus on tweens and teens continues with Culture Club, Second Saturday, Legos Engineers and electronic gaming sessions this summer. To find dates and times for events listed in this article, patrons can visit the library; call 407-647-7700, or visit maitlandpubliclibrary.org

The expansion of the art gallery throughout the building featuring amateur and local artists brings a new dimension into the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the library. Featured this month is a tribute to local artist Maury Hurt, with Lisa Flowers and Josephine Huggins in the gallery.

Throughout the 117-year history, the library has remained consistent in the original goal of the citizens of Maitland to have a place to read, relax, learn and socialize. Recognizing the trend of digital materials, the original patrons of Maitland Public Library will be happy to see that the print collection is still alive and well. Moving forward with an eye on the future technological advances, the library remains relevant to the citizens of Maitland, meeting both their print and digital needs.