MAITLAND, Fla. – Work is set to begin by early 2026 to transition Maitland’s public library from its current and quaint home near Lake Lily to a two-story, 20,000-square-foot facility right up the road, according to the city.
The Maitland City Council unanimously voted Wednesday to approve designs for the new facility that’s set to be constructed inside Quinn Strong Park at the corner of Maitland and Packwood avenues, or about a block north of the library’s current location.
Construction planning is said to continue throughout the year, building on similar efforts which since 2020 have included the council’s selection of Quinn Strong Park as the best location for a new library — given its closeness to the current library, as well as to the Art & History Museums of Maitland — as well as an online survey and multiple public meetings held in 2023 to gather ideas from residents.
The council has worked with HBM Architecture and Interior Design, going with what it describes as a mid-century modern architectural design which complements existing structures around Maitland.
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The Maitland Library Association was created in 1907 to build the current library on South Maitland Avenue, incorporating the collection that began in 1896 when Clara Dommerich donated 360 books which were first kept in the living room of a local teacher before being relocated to an empty storefront on Horatio Avenue, according to the city.
Today, the library collection exceeds 96,000 items, including nearly 29,000 downloadable books and audio books. The public facility is popular with its weekly activities for youth and adults.
City of Maitland, Florida on Facebook - 8:59 p.m. Jan. 8, 2025 (excerpt)
Though expansions have since occurred in 1959, 1972 and 1989, the council says it’s coming to grips with a building that while beloved is “short on space for many current library activities and has no extra property for additional building enlargements,” the city’s social media post states, adding a study in 2017 found that necessary construction improvements would only reduce the current building’s interior space.
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