After a small expansion in 2018, the Lady Lake Library experienced a rapid rise in patrons. Naturally, anticipation is high among library staff for a $4.2 million expansion that is in the works.
That expansion will soon begin. Meanwhile, there was cause for more immediate excitement as the library announced it has received a $1 million Lake County Impact Fee grant, which will go toward one of the most significant parts of the upcoming project, a significant expansion of the Children’s Library.
When finished, the new youth area will be on the library’s new second floor and will have over 3,000 square feet more space, which will include an expanded lobby, a open activity space outside the elevator entrance and an expanded collection of books and other resources.
“The library is solidified as a vital resource for our community,” Lady Lake Town Manager Bill Lawrence said. That holds true particularly among the younger portion of the community.
Lady Lake Communications Director Elisha Pappacoda said the number of participants in library youth programs has grown from around 8,013 in 2015 to 11,760 in 2023, a 46% increase.
Some of the program’s most popular weekly events are Storytime, at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays; Reading with Scarlett, at 3 p.m. Wednesdays; and Lego Masters, at 3:30 p.m. Fridays.
“Given the constraints of our current youth library’s size, we’ve faced challenges in expanding our programs and growing our collection,” Pappacoda said. “The building’s older structure, characterized by load-bearing walls that cannot be altered, restricts any potential for expansion.”
The town will fund the remaining costs of the overall library expansion, which will cover the growth of the information technology department and the growth management annex, Pappacoda said.
There are currently more than 16,000 cardholders registered with the Lady Lake Library, and about 14,500 patrons visit every month every month.
Lady Lake Town officials estimate the town’s population will increase by 8,500 within the next four years.
Despite the renovation in 2018, more work is needed to keep up with the growth of the community.
“The improvements have quickly been outpaced by our needs, allowing for only a minimal increase in shelving space,” Pappacoda said. “By relocating the youth library to an upstairs area, we will have the opportunity to enhance our collection and broaden the range of services we offer.”
Lady Lake Library Director Aly Herman said the expansion is crucial.
“We have quickly outgrown our current youth library,” she said. “This project will allow us to significantly enhance the library’s collection and programs, benefiting all our patrons.”
The expansion is expected to bring more reading spaces, increase shelving, create a multipurpose room, add study tables, tutoring/studying rooms and space for home-schooled students, Pappacoda said.
“I would like to thank the library directors for their thoughtful applications, our dedicated Library Advisory Board for their recommendations and the Board of County Commissioners for their support of these projects,” said George Taylor, Director for the Office of Library Services for the Lake County Library System.
The town has released a virtual tour of the library expansion that can be viewed on the Town of Lady Lake YouTube channel. For more information about the upcoming expansion, visit ladylakefl.gov.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
