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1908. This new
Belleview Library location served the community of Belleview for many years to come. The building was modified several times from 1908 through 2008 when the Belleview Public Library finally moved into a new building which was constructed on land that was a gift to the Marion County Public Library System from the Goolsby family in honor of their parents. Today the old Belleview Library building is home to the Friends of the Belleview Public Library and their used book store. The Friends of the Belleview Library run, in conjuncture, The Belleview Historical Library Museum in the used book store and have preserved library related artifacts dating from 1836 to present.
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549:"OCALA -- The new branch library that will serve the State Road 200 corridor is now known as "Freedom Public Library." County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously adopted the top name recommended by the library naming committee. The other two finalist names were "Community Public Library" and "Francis C. Marion Public Library."".
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Due to the extraordinary growth in Marion County from 1970 through 2000, the Ocala Public
Library was once again in need of additional space. The six-sided Ocala Public Library closed its doors at 6 pm on June 19, 2004. The current Headquarters – Ocala Public Library was opened in August of 2004
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The Forest Public
Library was first located in an old bookmobile which was staffed with volunteers. In 1996 the Forest Public Library moved into a permanent structure where it served the community until 2010. In 2010 a new Forest Public Library was constructed and library services were significantly
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distributed that same day. Though the library was not fully furnished, it was decided to be opened on
September 11 in order to avoid a further delay. The posted hours when the Carnegie Library first opened was weekdays from 8 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 8 pm, but in subsequent issues
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The Marion Oaks Public
Library began as a result of community members coming together to provide public library service to the community. Volunteers of the Friends of the Library raised the funds, secured the current location in the Marion Oaks Community Center, and staffed the Marion Oaks location
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The
Belleview Public Library is one of the oldest libraries in Florida that continues to serve the public. This library was originally opened in 1886 as a Reading Room by the Library Association of Belleview. The original structure fell victim to fire in 1904 and was rebuilt in the same location in
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In 1988 the
Reddick Public Library opened in a church fellowship hall. Since 1993, then it has moved into the former Reddick Elementary School media center and continues to serve the community members in the northwest area Marion County after being leased to the Marion County School Board. Reddick
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The
Freedom Public Library opened in 2000. This library building provides library services to community members residing in the southwest corridor of Marion County. The Freedom Public Library's name was the result of a process where community members offered possible names for the library location
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The historic Fort McCoy Public
Library building sits on land that was deeded by Percy F. Lisk to the Marion County school system in 1932. In 1936, the schoolhouse was built. The property and building were later deeded to Marion County in 1989. In June 1996, the Fort McCoy Public Library opened its
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In the 1950s the
Dunnellon Women's Club provided the first lending library in Dunnellon. It consisted of a few shelves of books and volunteers from the Dunnellon Women's Club maintained the small collection. In 1961 a library was built in Dunnellon on land donated by the City of Dunnellon. This
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from 1967 described the new Ocala Public Library as "hexagonal in shape, not unlike that of a circus tent." The hexagonal shape was chosen in order to for the library to have as much usable space while also not surpassing the budget. The plan was for all library services to take place on the first
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The original Carnegie Library building was demolished in 1968 to make way for the new Ocala Public Library constructed on the same site. The new Ocala Public Library was considered by some to be "unusual in many respects … a real asset to the community … a thing of beauty." An article in the Ocala
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opened in 1886 and was located in the Ocala News Department. It cost each member one dollar for a two-year membership and borrowing privileges. This establishment was followed by a library in the Hotel Ocala which was established by the Women's Library Association. This enterprising group of women
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doors. The Fort McCoy Public Library's building also includes a pre-existing auditorium space with a beautiful stage, original hardwood floors, and an open seating area. This historic building has undergone significant renovations to more appropriately house the library and serve the community.
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was constructed on the site secured for this purpose in 1914. In 1961 the City of Ocala, and neighboring Citrus and Levy Counties joined to create the Central Florida Regional Library. The other libraries that existed in Marion County (Belleview and Dunnellon) joined the system in 1964. Changes
155:. Sankofa Public Library opened its doors to patrons on January 10, 2023. This community center is named after Mary Sue Rich, former City of Ocala Councilwoman. Along with the Sankofa Public Library, the Mary Sue Rich Community Center has two basketball courts, gym equipment, and event space.
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pursued the option of having a Carnegie Library located in Ocala. Their efforts resulted in the creation of the Ocala Free Public Library in 1914. This act established the tax levy and community support required by the Carnegie Foundation as prerequisites for a grant. In 1916 the
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with the express desire that it become part of the library system. In 1996 their hopes were realized when the Marion Oaks Public Library became part of the Central Florida Regional Library System and subsequently part of the Marion County Public Library System.
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floor while the bookmobile and a workroom would have room in the building's basement. The building used skylights and extensive use of glass walls in order to allow in natural light.
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continued as Citrus County separated from the system in 1987 and Levy County in 1999. These changes resulted in what now stands as the Marion County Public Library System.
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63:, the Ocala Carnegie Library's librarian, Louise Gamsby, made notice that the library's hours had changed to weekdays 9 am to 11 am and 4 pm to 8 pm.
534:
Miller, Austin L (August 25, 2000). "OCALA -- Residents in southwest Marion County are looking forward to having a place close to home to read, relax, and do research".
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24:(located in central Florida) through nine library locations in the county. The nine branches serve over an estimated 400,000 people in Marion County, Florida.
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Public Library had its 35th anniversary in 2023. Operations originally funded by the Town of Reddick were gradually assumed in the library system's budget.
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in a refurbished department store. The front of the building displays original mosaic artwork depicting subject areas of the Dewey Decimal System.
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library location served Dunnellon until 2008 when the current building was completed and the new Dunnellon Public Library opened.
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Daniels, Harriet (May 30, 2008). "Belleview library gets new home - GRAND OPENING - Building is 4 times as large".
54:, built in 1916. The Ocala Carnegie Library opened its doors on September 11, 1916, according to an article of the
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Curry, Christopher (July 29, 2008). "Check it out Residents flock to new library branches - NEW ARRIVALS".
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WORDS: MARION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY QUARTERLY MAGAZINE The Friends of The Ocala Public Library
605:"Marion County Commission: Library at Mary Sue Rich Community Center will be named Sankofa"
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Jervis, Laura (June 19, 2008). "Friends of Belleview Library take over old building".
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414:"The new library is expected to meet this community's needs well into the future".
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Opperman, Michael (February 10, 2010). "Grand Opening Forest Public Library".
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Cook, David (August 8, 1983). "Public Library Needs Support From Community".
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Jensen, Karen (Fall 2023). "Happy 35th Anniversary Reddick Public Library".
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Sankofa Public Library is located in the Mary Sue Rich Community Center in
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Tobias, Lucy B (June 23, 1996). "Old Fort McCoy school bound for glory".
494:"Then & Now: Celebrating Marion County's 175th year anniversary"
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and the County Commissioners chose the name from those suggestions
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building, the first Gold certified LEED building in Marion County.
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Cook, David (January 6, 1991). "Ocala Embraced Carnegie Library".
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580:"Marion County Public Library - Reddick Branch Public Library"
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The first, permanent, physical library built in Ocala was the
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WORDS: MARION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY’S QUARTERLY NEWSMAGAZINE
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376:"Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search"
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500:. The Friends of The Ocala Public Library
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752:Hillsborough (Tampa–Hillsborough Co.)
222:"Public Library System Business Plan"
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603:Callahan, Joe (September 7, 2022).
342:"Making Way for Progress Top Job".
18:Marion County Public Library System
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889:County library systems in Florida
46:Headquarters-Ocala Public Library
32:The first circulating library in
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182:U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts
178:"United States Census Bureau"
159:https://library.marionfl.org/
863:St. Petersburg (Mirror Lake)
894:Public libraries in Florida
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667:: CS1 maint: url-status (
628:: CS1 maint: url-status (
129:Marion Oaks Public Library
399:"Shielded from Weather".
111:Fort McCoy Public Library
868:West Palm Beach (Mandel)
709:Florida public libraries
89:Dunnellon Public Library
80:Belleview Public Library
492:Jensen, Karen (2019).
321:The Ocala evening star
295:The Ocala evening Star
269:The Ocala evening star
147:Sankofa Public Library
138:Reddick Public Library
120:Freedom Public Library
52:Ocala Carnegie Library
39:Ocala Carnegie Library
22:Marion County, Florida
344:The Ocala Star Banner
98:Forest Public Library
772:Leon (LeRoy Collins)
737:Duval (Jacksonville)
271:. September 11, 1916
418:. January 26, 2002.
346:. October 10, 1968.
323:. November 6, 1916
297:. October 28, 1916
61:Ocala Evening Star
56:Ocala Evening Star
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464:Ocala Star Banner
449:Ocala Star Banner
434:Ocala Star Banner
416:Ocala Star Banner
401:Ocala Star Banner
359:Ocala Star Banner
265:"Library is Open"
251:Ocala Star Banner
226:Marion County, FL
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69:Star-Banner
883:Categories
848:Clearwater
797:Palm Beach
787:Miami-Dade
589:2022-03-22
385:2021-11-27
164:References
817:St. Lucie
812:St. Johns
504:April 10,
807:Sarasota
747:Hernando
663:cite web
653:July 12,
624:cite web
614:July 12,
832:Volusia
777:Manatee
742:Gadsden
732:Broward
727:Brevard
722:Alachua
231:5 April
187:12 July
59:of the
28:History
20:serves
827:Sumter
792:Orange
782:Marion
715:County
853:Largo
802:Pasco
34:Ocala
841:City
762:Lake
669:link
655:2024
630:link
616:2024
568:: 5.
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329:2021
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