Plans for the South County Regional Library in Estero began in 1989, when the need to keep up with the rapid growth of south Lee County became evident. At the same time, the Lee County Library System began planning a regional system of service to make in-depth collections available while reducing duplication of resources.
The 32,600-square-foot South County Regional Library opened August 23, 1996, and was presented as a model of recycling and conservation. The building was originally a data processing center, and many of the fixtures were reused or recycled. A partnership with Florida Power and Light resulted in an innovative air conditioning system – still in use today – that freezes ice during off hours to cool the building in peak hours. The construction cost was $2.5 million, and the aggregate budget was $6 million.
The library on Three Oaks Parkway has quickly become an Estero landmark. Registered users total more than 31,334, and circulation of materials exceeds more than 38,000 monthly. Total circulation for Fiscal Year 2006 – 2007 was 465,318, and this year’s circulation figures are far exceeding previous years. The South County Regional Library currently has a collection of more than 177,497 items, including regular and large type books, magazines and newspapers, videos and DVDs, books on CD and audiocassettes, music CDs, and software.
Forty public internet stations are available for patrons to surf the Internet, access the library’s databases and Microsoft Office products. Wireless technology installed this winter season has enabled patrons to use laptops in our library.
Community groups take advantage of the library’s large meeting room, which seats 99, and two study rooms are available as a meeting place for tutors or for quiet study. South County Regional Library has gained a reputation for offering the community a variety of programming. Baby-Parent Rhyme Times, toddler and pre-school storytimes, after-school programs, puppet shows, summer reading activities, Teen Cafes, and game and craft sessions are offered for youth of all ages.
Here are some impressive statistics on program attendance covering October 2007 through June 2008:
· 809 people attended computer classes held in our meeting room and computer training lab on Digital Photography, PC Housekeeping, Windows 101, Spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and more.
· Nearly 2,000 adult patrons attended 35 entertaining educational programs on a wide variety of topics including: historical dramatizations, humanities programs, viewing and discussion series, author programs, musical concerts, storytelling, and book discussions.
· 16 sessions of English Café programs which are free informal conversation sessions conducted for English as a Second Language students were attended by 31 different people from Argentina, China, Colombia, Cuba, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Israel, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Vietnam.
· 316 taxpayers were advised and 290 Federal tax returns prepared by AARP Tax Assistance
Several of Lee County’s system-wide library services operate out of the South County Regional Library: the Bookmobile, the Books-by-Mail program, and Senior Outreach. The Senior Outreach program circulated 3,317 large print books to 79 senior residential facilities this year.
Summer, 2008
