Pasco County Library Cooperative

The Pasco County Library Cooperative (PCLC) is the public library system that serves all residents of Pasco County, Florida, and is a member of the Tampa Bay Library Consortium.[1] The Pasco County Library System, as it was originally known, was established by county ordinance in 1980. In 1999, the Pasco County Public Library Cooperative was established as a result of an Interlocal Agreement between the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners and the Zephyrhills City Council.[2] It consists of seven branch libraries and one cooperative partner library, Zephyrhills Public Library. The Pasco County Libraries operate on a budget of $6,344,041 for fiscal year 2016. Pasco Libraries circulated 1,195,649 items for fiscal year 2016; up-to-date statistical information can be found on their website at: http://www.pascolibraries.org/stats/ The head of library services reports to the Assistant County Administrator for Public Services.

Marquee for the New River Library, a branch of the Pasco County Library Cooperative.

Branches

The Pasco County Public Library Cooperative consists of seven branches and one cooperative partner (Zephyrhills), with the administrative offices for the system located at the Hudson Regional Library.[3]

The New River Branch in Zephyrhills, Fla.

Awards

2014

  1. Done and resolved on August 19th, 2014

2013

2010

2008

  • Florida Library of the Year[4] from the Florida Library Association
  • "I Love my Librarian!" award given to director Linda Allen by The New York Times Company[5]
  • Future of the Region Certificate of Excellence and Commemorative program for Public Education in Catastrophe Readiness and Response: Proactive Roles for Public Libraries awarded by Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council[6]

Pasco Libraries website

The Pasco Libraries website is an integrated website that allows patrons to search the library catalog, check out e-books, search fee-based databases, and access language-learning resources. It also allows patrons to post book reviews, access RSS feeds, create lists, and tag materials. The website has links to the library’s social media content, library videos, and e-government sources. It was recognized by the Florida Library Association as the best library website in 2010. Visits to the library's website increased by 28 percent within its first year of being redesigned.[7]

Friends of the Pasco County Library System

Friends of the Pasco County Library System, Inc., is a not-for-profit organization that works closely with the libraries within the cooperative to enrich the library experience of patrons through fundraising, volunteering, and advocacy efforts. Individual libraries also have their own Friends of the Library groups, all retain not-for-profit 501(c)(3) status.

Land O' Lakes Foundry

The Foundry at the Land O' Lakes Branch Library is the first dedicated makerspace in Pasco Libraries, and was officially opened on December 17, 2015. The Foundry is equipped with two 3-D printers, as well as computer-aided-design (CAD) equipment, an Oculus Rift virtual reality system, and an audio recording studio. Other makerspace materials include various hand tools, power tools, and crafting equipment and supplies like yarn and thread. The room serves as the primary meeting space for the Edgar Allan Ohms, the Land O' Lakes High School robotics team sponsored by the library.[8][9]

LAMECon

LAMECon (Library Anime and Manga Enthusiast Convention) is a now defunct anime, manga, and pop culture convention that was held by the Pasco County Library System from 2008 until 2016. LAMECon was a free and otherwise inexpensive alternative for local teens to anime, manga, and pop culture conventions they may not otherwise be able to afford. The first LAMECon was held at the Hudson Regional Library/Administration and Support Services as a one day event. The remaining LAMECon events were held once a year by the Land O' Lakes Branch Library, and these conventions lasted two days, hosting a dance on the first day and the anime, manga, and pop culture convention on the second day. The Land O' Lakes Branch Library hosted the event's dances within their library throughout the duration of the convention's existence and began hosting the convention itself in the Land O Lakes Recreation Complex next door to the library starting in 2015 due to high attendance. As of 2014 LAMECon began hosting guests such as geek comedian Aaron Pabon. These guests would later go on to include comic book writer Chuck Dixon, actor Robert Axelrod, voice actor Adam Harrington, game show host Greg Wicker, musician Marc with a C, and Star Wars costumers 501st Legion. LAMECon was thought up, planned, and organized by a committee of teen volunteers throughout its existence. Planning, brainstorming, organizing, putting on the convention's events, and selecting and coordinating the artist alley vendors were the responsibility of the teens, while the organization of other vendors such as food trucks and the fundraising component of LAMECon for the Pasco County Library System was the responsibility of the teen services librarian of the Land O' Lakes Branch Library.

Rockus Maximus Battle of the Bands

Beginning in 1998, the Pasco County Library System began hosting the now defunct battle of the bands show Rockus Maximus. Originally known as Rock and Read, Rockus Maximus was a battle of the bands show the encouraged local teens through music to come to the library. Musicians who participated in the competition were required to hold a card with the Pasco County Library System, and there was a cash incentive and studio recording time available to the winner of the online and in-person competitions. An online competition as well as an in-person battle of the bands was held yearly to give bands a greater opportunity to win the prizes the competition made available to them. The location of Rockus Maximus varied yearly, with the last official Rockus Maximus show being held at the Pasco County Rotary Pavilion at the Concourse. In 2016 the Pasco County Library System attempted to change the tone of Rockus Maximus from a festival show to a small acoustic coffee house concert known as Rockus Maximus Presents: A Night of Acoustic & Folk Music. Rockus Maximus was discontinued following this. The most notable bands that have performed at the Pasco County Library System's Rockus Maximus include American Idol contestant Kerry Courtney and radio artist WD-HAN.

References

  1. ↑ "Pasco County Library Cooperative 2012-2015 Strategic Vision" (PDF). Pasco County. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  2. ↑ "Pasco County Library Foundation". Pasco Library Foundation. Archived from the original on 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
  3. ↑ "Locations and Hours | Pasco Libraries". www.pascolibraries.org. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  4. ↑ "Florida Library Association 2008 Awards" (PDF).
  5. ↑ Orth, Carl (January 29, 2011). "Linda Allen is turning the page". Suncoastnews.com. Retrieved 2015-07-03.
  6. ↑ "16th Annual Future of the Region Awards" (PDF). Tbrpc.org. Retrieved 2015-07-03.
  7. ↑ "FLA Awards Recipients 2010" (PDF). Florida Library Association. 2010-04-09. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  8. ↑ "Land O' Lakes library opens makerspace". The Laker/Lutz News. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  9. ↑ "Land O'Lakes Foundry | Pasco Libraries". www.pascolibraries.org. Retrieved 2016-03-18.

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