TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Diann Schultz is a bit of a bookworm. She drives to the LeRoy Collins Library at least once a week looking to dive into a new adventure.
“Oh, I usually have about eight or ten checked out at a time," said Schultz.
Schultz is just one of the thousands of Leon County residents who have a library card. These shelves, packed with stories in the form of books, DVDs, CDs, and even tablets for kids.
Leon County Librarians have been working together on a plan called the Essential Library Initiative. A plan they say will better serve the community for years to come.
“This is an effort to re-align everything we do. Our programs, our services, and our physical spaces,” Debra Sears, the Leon County Library Director said.
This means turning the page to a new chapter. Thousands of books, DVDs, getting checked out for a final time, all donated to non-profit organizations. Sears said this is a normal process that makes room for new possibilities.
“There are some things that no longer check out or they’ve been loved to death. Been checked out over and over again," said Sears.
Now, there’s more space than ever at the library and Sears hopes to utilize it to the fullest extent. This includes more seating, areas for families to work together, and possibly maker spaces.
“Maker spaces are like really fun studios where you have access to all kinds of things so you can make things," said Sears. "This includes sewing, it could be woodworking, it could be 3D printing. Lots of different possibilities.”
Librarians will meet with the Leon County Commission next month to discuss some of the proposed projects. A process Schultz said that will take between three to five years.
