Manatee County will welcome the public on Friday to the newest library location.
The Lakewood Ranch Library Branch will be opening with more than 45,000 books, CDs, DVDs, and more. The $17.5 million facility includes two meeting spaces, a reading room, a teen room, a workshop, and even a rooftop terrace.
“Probably the most unique feature that it has is that we have a drive-thru.”
It’s the library in the county to have a drive-thru. Residents can pick up items they’ve reserved online, return items, or even ask a librarian a quick question.
The new library has a game room for teens and young adults. A workshop for everyone has sewing machines, a hot press to screen print shirts, a Cricut hat press, a 3D printer, a sound booth, easels, and more. Outside the children’s area of the museum, there’s also an outdoor play area with a sensory play station.
“This is more of a community center than just a library,” Manatee County District 5 Commissioner Roy Turner said.
In addition to several meeting spaces, the library also has a second floor that is currently vacant but may provide additional meeting or event space in the future and a rooftop terrace for events.
“We’re really excited that the library can use it for library programs and event spaces,” Branch Assistant Supervisor Callie Hutchison said.
A free yoga class will be held on Friday and Saturday mornings.
As libraries everywhere have to work to stay relevant, Manatee County Libraries offer more than just books to borrow. Items telescopes, cake pans, binoculars, and hot spots can be checked out. They even have passes to The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary, and the Florida Railroad Museum.
New and exclusively available at the new location are ukuleles donated by the Aloha Ukulele Club of Lakewood Ranch. The club raised money to buy them and will also be hosting a free workshop on Friday during the library’s grand opening.
The library also has a Spanish book collection for readers of all ages.
The new branch is the furthest east location in the Manatee County Library system.
“We’re definitely making it more accessible for the east county residents,” Branch Supervisor Tiffany Mautino said later, referencing Myakka City.
