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53-613: In 1874, the city of St. Augustine, Florida opened a " subscription library ". The library was called the St. Augustine Free Public Library, located at 12 Aviles Street in downtown St. Augustine, Florida, now known as the Segui-Kirby Smith House . It currently serves as a research library for the Saint Augustine Historical Society . Patrons gave money to help buy books for the library, and there

106-604: A catalogue of 690 plays which he claimed to be ready to lend "upon reasonable considerations" from his premises in Westminster . Circulating libraries charged subscription fees to users and offered serious subject matter as well as the popular novels, thus the difficulty in clearly distinguishing circulating from subscription libraries. Occasionally subscription libraries called themselves 'circulating libraries', and vice versa. Many ordinary circulating libraries might call themselves 'subscription' libraries because they charged

159-551: A county administrator. The main environmental and agricultural body is the St. Johns County Soil and Water Conservation District , which works closely with other area agencies. St. Johns County Animal Control operates the St. Johns County Pet Adoption and Holding Center at 130 North Stratton Road. According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a majority of registered voters in St. Johns County. Public schools are run by

212-402: A group of six historical St. Augustine photographs, given to the library by local photographer Betsy Lee. The Southeast Branch Library also hosts the St. Johns County Seed Library, a community partnership. The Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds that visitors can borrow to plant and grow at home. St. Johns County established its first bookmobile in 2001, named

265-434: A subscription, while the earliest private subscription libraries, such as Leeds , Warrington , or Liverpool, describe themselves as 'circulating' libraries in their titles. Since many circulating libraries called themselves after the town where they were situated, it is often difficult to distinguish the type of a particular library, especially since many are only known to posterity from a surviving book label, with nothing but

318-556: Is Brad Powell. The Town of Hastings’ first free-lending library was started in 1906 by the St. Johns Methodist Episcopal Church until the building was torn down in 1930. Fortunately, a group of 17 women, known as the Hastings Home Demonstration and Women’s Club, created a new library in June 1928. The club insisted that the library collection include books which would appeal to children – a progressive attitude, as at

371-431: Is Deborah Rhodes Gibson. Subscription library A subscription library (also membership library or independent library ) is a library that is financed by private funds either from membership fees or endowments. Unlike a public library , access is often restricted to members, but access rights can also be given to non-members, such as students. In the 18th century, there were virtually no public libraries in

424-472: Is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida . As of the 2020 United States census , its population was 273,425. The county seat and most populous incorporated city is St. Augustine , although the nearby community, St. Johns , has a higher population. St. Johns County is part of the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county was established in 1821. It

477-490: Is land and 221 square miles (570 km ) (26.9%) is water. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 273,425 people, 91,253 households, and 67,548 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 123,135 people, 49,614 households, and 34,084 families residing in the county. The population density was 202 inhabitants per square mile (78/km ). There were 58,008 housing units at an average density of 95 per square mile (37/km ). The racial makeup of

530-759: Is located at 101 Library Blvd. in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Manager is Kim Odom. In answer to the demand for increased library services across Saint Johns County, the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library opened in 1985 as a volunteer library in the County Annex Building. Thanks to the Friends of the Library and an exchange of donated property to the present site, the building on Library Boulevard

583-599: Is one of the two original counties established after Florida was ceded to the United States , at the start of the Florida Territorial period, and corresponded roughly to the former colonial province of East Florida . It was named for the St. Johns River , which runs along its western border. St. Johns County primarily comprises residential bedroom communities for those who commute to Jacksonville . Tourism , primarily associated with St. Augustine and

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636-420: Is to say, alternating the simplified Arms of Castille and Leon). Given for a crest is a mural crown of a province. This is a circle of gold walls with in reality twelve gold towers with all the masonry joints in black. Only seven of the towers are visible in the drawing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 822 square miles (2,130 km ), of which 601 square miles (1,560 km )

689-549: The St. Johns County School District , headed by the St. Johns County School Board, an elected five-member board which appoints a superintendent to administer school operations. The system has grown considerably since 2000 to accommodate the county's rapid population growth. It is Florida's top-performing school district in Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores, the state's standardized test for public schools. The district also received

742-432: The subscribers , chose books for the collection that were general, rather than aimed at a particular religious, political or professional group. The books selected for the collection were chosen because they would be mutually beneficial to the shareholders. The committee also selected the librarians who would manage the circulation of materials. Subscription libraries were also referred to as 'proprietary' libraries due to

795-471: The 1980s to pay tribute to the place where Europeans first set foot on U.S. soil in St. Augustine (the new name was also a marketing ploy to attract more tourists). However, new name aside, St. Augustine continued its tradition of being a leader by opening a subscription library in 1874 – the first library in Florida – thanks to the efforts of Francis L. Wilson, who negotiated with the U.S. Government to operate

848-512: The 2011 Energy Star Top Performer and Leader from the EPA. For the 2014–15 school year the district comprised: The St. Johns County School District has a robust special education department serving the needs of students with autism , cerebral palsy , and cognitive disabilities. The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind is a residential school for deaf and blind students, funded and operated by

901-949: The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, they did so in the same building as Franklin's Library Company and delegates were given member privileges for the library. Franklin's subscription library became so popular that many subscription libraries were founded in the colonies, making him remark that it was, "the mother of all the North American subscription libraries, now so numerous". The first subscription library in Canada, The Quebec Library/Bibliotheque de Quebec, opened in 1783. The materials available to subscribers tended to focus on particular subject areas, such as biography , history , philosophy , theology and travel , rather than works of fiction, particularly

954-479: The County). On a heraldic chief of red is a gold castle with towers, with masonry joints in black, and with the windows and doors in red (in recognition of the fortress that was constructed in the military garrison of St. Augustine which is a part of the County). An overall border is composed of eight parts; alternating, a red quadrilateral, with a gold castle and quadrilateral of silver with a purple lion rampant (that

1007-619: The Food Lion Shopping Center. At that time, the county was able to pay two full time employees (Nancy Tanzler who continued to serve as branch manager and Betsy Gill as her assistant). In 1996 the branch moved from the shopping center to its present location and in 2007 the library was expanded to the present configuration. The Hastings Branch Library is located at 6195 S. Main Street in Hastings. The Hastings Branch Manager

1060-629: The Intendants of the Island of Cuba and the governors of the said provinces, respectively, who ordained that all the country east of the river Suwannee should be designated the County of St. Johns. St. Johns was established, along with Escambia County (in the former West Florida province), on July 21, 1821, 11 days after Butler received Florida for the United States, and five days after

1113-865: The LEO Express. Due to its popularity and additional funding, in 2008 St. Johns County purchased another bookmobile. This bookmobile is called the Bluebird Express and is able to service a larger population of St. Johns County. Harold George is Manager of Library Extension Services. Both bookmobiles are housed in the Southeast Branch Library. In August 2010, the library system added its Books by Mail service. The library sends library materials to library patrons for free. These materials can be returned to any branch or bookmobile. The Library Administration Headquarters are located at 6670 US 1 South, in St. Augustine. The Library System Director

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1166-554: The Librarian on record was John C. Wilson, president and the library reported that (1000) books had been issued during the year for home use. In 1874, St. Augustine opened the oldest library in Florida as a “subscription library.” The library was called the St. Augustine Free Public Library. Patrons gave money to help buy books for the library, and there was no charge to check out items. By the 1970s there were three independent libraries in St. Augustine, Hastings and Mill Creek serving

1219-573: The Library System in community programming and attendance. This is due to its proximity to the beach, which attracts a large number of long term visitors from other states and countries. As a result, the Anastasia Island Branch Library has a uniquely diverse clientele not seen at other branch locations. Located in a business center, the library and has also become the local St. Augustine Beach Community Center. This

1272-609: The Main Branch, relocated to the Southeast branch at that time, followed by the Library Extension Services (Bookmobile) several years later. In addition to a welcoming staff, patrons are greeted by two decorative items that enhance the interior of the Southeast library – a giant quilt designed and graciously donated by the St. Augustine Piecemakers, which hangs directly above the entrance to the library, and

1325-443: The advent of free public libraries in the 19th century, most subscription libraries were replaced or taken over by the governing authorities. In London, numerous scientific dabblers , amateurs, professionals concentrated in the comparatively small geographic area began to form a unique development – the learned society : These societies are voluntary associations of men and women who have come together because they are interested in

1378-529: The aims and objects which the societies serve and they feel that they can pursue those interests better as members of a society, rather than as individuals. The libraries therefore have been collected together for the purpose of serving the objects to which the various societies are dedicated and they do this, for the most part, by serving their members. Learned society libraries were private but were owned by larger groups of people. Materials were often lent or borrowed by qualified individuals or institutions outside

1431-592: The city of St. Augustine was incorporated. The name Saint John's was derived from the Spanish mission (c. 1580) San Juan del Puerto ("Saint John of the Harbor"). The U.S. Department of the Interior dropped the apostrophe in 1932 because an apostrophe implied ownership. It was a huge county, encompassing most of peninsular Florida, more than 39,000 square miles; it was 475 miles long by 165 miles wide. Much of

1484-536: The construction of five more branch libraries and the addition of two bookmobiles. The growth of St. Johns County has been mirrored by the growth of its Library System! The library systems six branches are: Anastasia Island, Bartram Trail, Hastings, Main (Downtown, St. Augustine), Ponte Vedra, Southeast and the Bookmobile-Extension Services. The Anastasia Island Branch is located at 124 Seagrove Main Street, in St. Augustine Beach . It serves

1537-560: The county was 90.92% White , 6.29% African American , 0.26% American Indian , 0.95% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 0.55% from other races , and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.8% of the population. There were 49,614 households, of which 29.2% had children under age 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who

1590-554: The current library in 1987. The library struggled for several decades as the country faced war and poverty, but thanks to the efforts of its patrons, including author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who served as president of the library association from 1942 through 1943, it continued to serve the community. The later efforts of the American Association of University Women and the Junior Service League led to

1643-866: The earliest such institutions were founded in Britain, such as Chetham's Library in 1653, Innerpeffray Library in 1680 and Thomas Plume's Library in 1704. In the American colonies , the Library Company of Philadelphia was started in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . By paying an initial fee and annual dues, members had access to books, maps, fossils, antique coins, minerals, and scientific instruments. This library began with 50 members, swelled to 100 quickly, and then grew prosperous enough to begin to publish its own books. When

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1696-415: The east portion of St. Johns County . The Anastasia Island Branch Manager is Heather Sostrom. The Anastasia Island Branch is the newest of the St. Johns County Libraries, first opening its doors on August 11, 2007. Since its opening the Library has experienced growth far beyond the original expectations for this small Library. At only 8,000 square feet, the Anastasia Island Branch Library consistently leads

1749-536: The establishment of a county library system. Today the Main Library continues to serve the community at its present location on Ponce de Leon Boulevard next to the Davenport Park. Many library patrons fondly remember the park's antique carousel that was only recently removed, using it as a landmark; many locals refer to the Main Library as the "library next to the carousel." The Ponte Vedra Branch Library

1802-403: The establishment of commercial subscription libraries. Many small, private book clubs evolved into subscription libraries, charging high annual fees or requiring subscribing members to purchase shares. Subscription libraries would in turn use these earnings to expand their collections and later create their own publications. Unlike a public library , access was often restricted to members. Some of

1855-417: The expectation that subscribers not only pay an annual fee, but that they must also invest in shares . These shares could be transferred by sale, gift or bequest . Many could not afford to purchase shares to become a member, even though they may have belonged to reading clubs . The increasing production and demand for fiction promoted by rising literacy rates and the expansion of commercial markets, led to

1908-579: The land was uninhabited. Saint Augustine (1565) was the oldest permanent European settlement, and there were Native Americans in the county as well. As described in Certification of the Coat of Arms: In a field of green an Agnus Dei of silver, suspended on the dexter [*left side of the drawing] side of the Agnus Dei is a silver banner with red cross (as a direct allusion and symbol of the name of

1961-459: The library in two rooms of the U.S. Customs house (now Government House). In 1895 the Wilson family purchased a home on Aviles Street, which was the birthplace of Confederate General Edmund Kirby-Smith, and relocated the library to this location. In 1984, a one million dollar funding was approved to build a main library in St. Augustine. The house served as the public library until the construction of

2014-487: The many golf courses in the area, is the chief economic industry. St. Johns County's history begins in 1821, when Colonel Robert Butler received Spanish East Florida from Captain-General Colonel José M. Coppinger . Butler represented Major General Andrew Jackson , federal military commissioner for the Florida provinces (las Floridas) with the powers of governor, exercising the powers of the Captain General and

2067-474: The name as identification. In Britain there were more than 200 commercial circulating libraries open in 1800, more than twice the number of subscription and private proprietary libraries that were operating at the same time. Many proprietors pandered to the most fashionable clientele, making much ado about the sort of shop they offered, the lush interiors, plenty of room and long hours of service. "These 'libraries' would be called rental collections today." With

2120-455: The novel. Subscription libraries were democratic in nature; created by and for communities of local subscribers who aimed to establish permanent collections of books and reading materials, rather than selling their collections annually as the circulating libraries tended to do, in order to raise funds to support their other commercial interests. Even though the subscription libraries were often founded by reading societies , committees, elected by

2173-514: The residents of St. Johns County. Through the hard work and dedication of many supporters, especially the members of the Association of American University Women, a Library System was born. On September 27, 1977, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners voted to establish a Library System for the County, along with a Library Advisory Board. Within 10 years a new 15,000 square foot Main Library would be opened, followed in coming years by

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2226-531: The rise of circulating libraries , which met a need that subscription libraries did not fulfill. William Bathoe opened his commercial venture at two locations in London in 1737, and claimed to have been 'the Original Circulating library'. An early circulating library may even have been established in the mid-17th century; in an edition of "Tom Tyler and his Wife" in 1661 Francis Kirkman included

2279-485: The sense in which we now understand the term i.e. libraries provided from public funds and freely accessible to all. Only one important library in Britain, Chetham's Library in Manchester, was fully and freely accessible to the public. However, during the century, there came into being a whole network of library provision on a private or institutional basis. The increase in secular literature at this time encouraged

2332-655: The society. Societies were concerned mainly with the sciences, physical and biological, and often cooperated with other groups like the Royal Society . Exclusive subscription libraries, the world's oldest being the Chemical Society in London, was founded in 1841 for the general advancement of chemistry . Its primary objective was to guide and direct original research in chemistry and to disseminate that knowledge through debates , lectures and its own journal . St. Johns County St. Johns County

2385-494: The state of Florida. The Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine operates St. Joseph Academy , a private high school in St. Augustine. St. Johns County schools have received a state government grade of "A" for their work with the students and FCAT grading from 2004 to 2014. St. Johns River State College , a state college in the Florida College System , has a campus in St. Johns County near St. Augustine. It

2438-420: The time, many libraries did not serve children whom they believed to be a distraction for adult readers. Continuing the tradition of encouraging young children to read, Branch Librarian Margaret Stevens began offering programming for all children in the community in 1969 regardless of race, ensuring the library’s role as a community center for all. The library continued to operate under the club’s direction until it

2491-407: Was $ 50,099, and the median family income was $ 59,153. Males had a median income of $ 40,783 versus $ 27,240 for females. The per capita income was $ 28,674. About 5.1% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.3% of those under 18 and 6.2% of those 65 or older. The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners is an elected five-member commission, which appoints

2544-406: Was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.90. The age of the population was spread out, with 23.1% under 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females 18 and older, there were 91.5 males. The median household income

2597-574: Was dedicated in May, 1993. An addition to the structure opened in 2002, once again due to the efforts of the Friends. The Southeast Branch Library is located at 6670 US 1 South, in the southeastern area of St. Johns County. The Southeast Branch Manager is Todd Booth. The Southeast Branch opened its doors to the public on October 1, 2003 in response to a growing need for library services in the southern part of St. Johns County. Administrative Headquarters and Technical Services, which were critically overcrowded at

2650-526: Was especially evident after Hurricane Matthew , as many came to the Library for emotional support, a free meeting place, and for recovery information. The Bartram Trail Branch library is located at 60 Davis Pond Blvd. in Fruit Cove, FL. The Branch Manager is Maribeth Beck. The Bartram Trail Branch Library was opened by the county in 1985 and at that time was called the Northwest Library. It

2703-553: Was incorporated into the St. Johns County Public Library System in 1977 and it is located in the former Hastings High School, which is part of the National Registry for Historic Buildings. The Main Library is located in the downtown St. Augustine area, at 1960 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd. The Main Library Branch Manager is Valerie Peischel Mull. The Northeast Corner of Florida was dubbed “The First Coast” in

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2756-518: Was no charge to check out items.   In 1895-96 the state of Florida library system reported the following statistics of note: Libraries reporting (13) [5 general, 2 schools, 5 colleges, 1 law], Number of Volumes for patrons available (43,506), Free libraries in the state (3).  In 1895-96 only one free library in Florida having 3,000 volumes or more was reported (4,500) and was the Free Public Library in St. Augustine. The Name of

2809-425: Was originally located across from Wesley Manor, now Westminster Woods. The Bartram library was able to open thanks to a large number of donated books (many of which came from the Main Library in St. Augustine). The County paid the rent, electricity and the salary of one branch manager, Nancy Tanzler and was only open about 20 hours a week. As the library’s collection grew, so did its need for space and it re-located to

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