Sarasota County seeks input for Longboat Key's first public library

Sarasota County is set to partner with Longboat Key to help the community build its first public library, with a target opening by the end of 2026.

To Renee DiPilato, the excitement of building a new, modern library is not just for housing books, but for the needs of an entire community.

Before a packed room at Longboat Key Town Hall, DiPilato, the Sarasota Director of Libraries and Historical Resources, outlined plans for what will be the community’s first public library.

“We like to say that we don’t library like we used to,” DiPilato said. “We say that because libraries have changed immensely over the decades.”

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The library is planned to be built at the Longboat Key Town Center, according to the presentation materials. It will be near the recently constructed pavilion on Bay Isles Road. Planners said they anticipate that the existing public parking near the library will be adequate for visitors.

Representatives from Borrelli + Partners, the architectural firm contracted to design the library, said they have about 8,000 square feet to work with. If all goes well, the library should be completed by the end of 2026.

Dipilato said that with the county’s funding plan, the library will have several core services. There will be a collection space for physical materials and spaces for community events, workshops, and meetings. The library will also have publicly accessible computers, free Wi-Fi, and technology instruction.

Although Longboat Key is more known for its retiree community, there will also be a small youth space.

Sarasota County will pay for the library’s construction. Although a final budget has not been finalized, the County Commission allocated $1 million to the project in 2022. Fundraising over this summer will determine which enhancements the library will have and how much the county will pay.

Some residents voiced concerns about their access to digital resources. The northern half of Longboat Key is in Manatee County, which operates under a different library jurisdiction. DiPilato said Sarasota libraries have reciprocity agreements with Charlotte, DeSoto, and Manatee counties. Still, because of the expense, those do not extend to digital materials, such as e-books.

The library’s facilities would be open for anyone to use, DiPilato said, and any non-Sarasota County residents who want access to the library system’s digital materials could purchase an annual pass. Otherwise, Manatee residents can use the digital materials provided by the county’s library system.

After presentations by DiPilato and Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton, the meeting’s participants broke out into different stations to give input on enhancements they would like to see to the library.

County planners admitted that some suggestions, such as virtual reality equipment or a splash pad, didn't seem feasible. Possible enhancements that county and town planners floated included a second story, a rooftop area, and more technology.

Tipton told The Herald-Tribune that individuals in Longboat Key have already expressed interest in donating to the project.

“We will spend May through August trying to connect with certain folks here on the island. We have a very strong philanthropic spirit on the island.”

Longboat Key has a median household income of $141,250 – about 103% higher than the state average.

Tipton said the library would be a cultural space his town has needed since the Longboat Key Center for the Art closed in 2017.

“I think it’s an opportunity to move on a concept that’s been in discussion for two decades,” Tipton said. “I think the partnership with the county allows this to be a very sustained amenity that will benefit the residents for decades to come.”

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Designs have begun for Longboat Key's first physical library