You don’t have to travel outside of Plant City to escape from the summer doldrums. Plan a trip to Bruton Memorial Library and through the thousands of books lining its shelves be transported to Rick Riordan’s fantasy world of young demigod Percy Jackson’s adventures at Camp Half-Blood, journey with orphaned children Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden as they create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar or laugh aloud as Greg Heffley (of Diary of a Wimpy Kid fame) deals with very relatable feelings, stories and frustrations growing up through his Middle School years.
For Plant City resident Heather Lee, a trip to the library is a way to get her children out of the house but still enjoy air-conditioned comfort. They visit the library every other week.
“There are a lot of educational toys here for my younger kids,” she said. “My older girls are excited about the reading challenges, it’s important to encourage a love of reading.” Her oldest daughters, Madison (11) and Kaitlyn (10), recently registered for their own library cards.
Madison likes to check out eBooks, audiobooks and movies using the library’s free Libby and Hoopla apps. She’s already listened to four audio books this month. “My favorite so far is the Dear America series, they’re different genres of history from a girl’s perspective,” she said.
Getting lost in the pages of a good book isn’t the only offering at Bruton Memorial Library. A variety of special classes and events for children to adults are scheduled throughout the month. Learn to play Mahjong, a fun and addictive Chinese strategy game. Practice the art of relaxation in a yoga or tai chi class. Take the stage for an evening of karaoke hosted by local artist Morgan Davis. Join in a community drum circle with Giving Tree Music. On June 29, the library will be hosting a Reptile Discovery program with Bruce Shwekick, featuring an introduction to reptiles, including their natural history, geography and conservation efforts.
Even though all special classes and events are free of charge, some require pre-registration due to capacity limits.
Director of Library Services Paul Shaver credits the relationship with city officials and the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC) for the variety of programming options available to guests. “We offer so many services you wouldn’t expect to find at the library,” he said. “I encourage residents to go to our website to view the wide range of programs for adults and youth.”
Many members of the library staff have talents they readily share with the community. “Half our staff are trained musicians and they build on their skills and then share them with the community,” he said.
In addition to books and programming options, the library has four study rooms that can be used by individuals or small groups, desktop computers available to use free of charge, laptop computers that can be checked out from the laptop kiosk for in-library use (must be 17 years of age or older and have an active library card in good standing), iPads with age-appropriate games and apps in the youth area and free Wi-Fi.
Need a library card? They’re free if you live or pay property tax in Hillsborough County. Apply online or in-person at the library. Identification must be provided when registering for the purpose of verifying name, birth date and current residential address. A parent or legal guardian’s signature is required if the applicant is under the age of 17. A library card offers many benefits, including allowing cardholders to place holds on physical items in the library’s catalog and instantly download or stream up to 12 digital movies, music, eBooks and more in Hoopla.
“Families can get a little bit of everything here,” said Youth Services Associate Erin Spicer. “Whether it’s finding a new book or movies to enjoy, joining us for our exciting summer events or just taking a break from the heat in the A/C, families are bound to feel at home here.”
Bruton Memorial Library, located at 302 McLendon Street, is open Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
For more information about Bruton Memorial Library visit www.plantcitygov.com/library or call 813-757-9215. To register for an event on the website, click on the event, select ‘view more’ and input the requested information.