Memories
Events
Oral History Interview with Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon, Chief Curator of the Orlando Museum of Art
It's really exciting to me that Orlando is a young city. It's like a teenage city still trying to find itself. The art scene is actually really exciting because we can play a part in actually helping to shape it,...
People
Oral History Interview: Shawn Welcome, Orlando's Poet Laureate
Shawn Welcome is Orlando's Poet Laureate. He is the founder of Central Florida's longest running open mic, “Diverse Word," which is currently hosted at Bang & Olufsen on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
As a professional poet,...
Topics
Library Storytellers Through the Years
ABOVE: Photo of Children's Library staff in the basement around 1994. Standing: Gregg Gronlund, Charlie Hoeck, and Christi Cohen. Sitting: Crystal Sullivan, Stefani Koorey, Sue Wright, Carolyn Rosenblum, and Jane Tracy.
Storytime at the Library
Storytell...
Places
OPL Expansion Plans and Construction Photos 1982-1985
ABOVE: April 20, 1983, looking Northeast with the 1966 OPL in the top right corner.
Expansion of the 60,000 square foot 1966 Orlando Public Library was planned even before it opened on August 7, 1966, however, the people of Orlando probably...
Topics
Hurricane Heroes 2022
ABOVE: Tigercat Knuckleboom Log Loader
Hurricane Heroes - Hurricane Ian September 2022
There are hurricane heroes of all types.
There are first responders like police officers, sheriff deputies, fire fighters and emergency medical technicians who rush in when...
Places
Young Adult Department 1960s -1980s
ABOVE: The Young Adult Department on the first floor in the area now known as the porch or clock area in the Children's Department.
1960s
The Orlando Public Library opened to the public in August 1966, with 60,000 square feet of space...
Places
Orlando Public Library Expansion 1982-1986
OPL Expansion from 60,000 to 290,000 square feet!
From APL to OPL
The Orlando Public Library was dedicated on Sunday, August 7, 1966, replacing the old Albertson Public Library which opened to the public on November 8, 1923. Compared to the old...
Organizations
OCLS Branches - Then and Now
ABOVE: South Trail Library circa 1982.
Orange County Library System Branch Libraries in 1993
Beginning in February 1993, the Friends of the Library Newsletters featured one of the eleven branches each month. The January 1993 newsletter announced the year-long ...
Places
OPL Under Construction 1964-1966
ABOVE: Photo taken December 1, 1965, looking southeast from the AT&T building on Wall Street. Notice how close the new library is to the former Salvation Army Citadel in the lower right corner of the photo. Also, visible is the...
Events
Orlando Public Library Dedication 1966
From APL to OPL
After decades of waiting, construction of the new Albertson Public Library began in October 1964. In May 1965, it was decided that the name of the new library would be the Orlando Public Library. Read a memo...
Organizations
Annual Reports - From Albertson Public Library to OCLS - 1923 to 1979
Above: Cover of the 1960-1961 Annual Report with an actual library card attached.
Annual Reports
The annual reports for the Albertson Public Library run the gamut from simple small reports produced in the 1930s during the financial crisis, to more elaborate re...
Organizations
Albertson Public Library - In the beginning 1921-1931
ABOVE: Postcard of the Albertson Public Library at 165 East Central Avenue at the corner of Central and Rosalind.
Offer Made and Agreement Signed
On November 10, 1921, Captain Charles L. Albertson, a winter resident of Orlando and a retired Police Inspector f...
Organizations
Bookmobiles, Traveling Branches and Library Stations
ABOVE: The Orlando Public Library Traveling Branch and County Bookmobile in front of the 1966 Orlando Public Library.
A Bookmobile for the Library
A proposal for the addition of a bookmobile was presented to the board of the Albertson Public Library by...
Places
Orlando's African American Libraries - From Booker T. Washington to Washington Park
ABOVE: Alice Grace at the Booker T. Washington Library
Plaque Commemorating the Booker T. Washington Library
On December 30, 2001, the Orange County Library System and the Shiloh Baptist Church celebrated the history of the former Booker T. Washington Library ...
Topics
History of the Orange County Library System
Sorosis Club of Orlando
The beginnings of the current Orange County Library System can be traced to the circulating library collection of the Sorosis Club of Orlando. The collection was initially housed on the second floor of the old Armory building...
Uncategorized
Happy 100th Birthday OCLS!
As part of the year-long 100th Anniversary celebration of the opening of Orlando's first public library in 1923, the Orange County Library System invited visitors to share their birthday wishes with birthday cards designed for the occasion.
Birthday wishes...
Places
The Jones Perry Monument
Lt. Richard A. Jones (right) and Officer Belvin Perry, Sr. (left) are represented ...
Events
1974 Central Florida Film Festival
The 1974 Central Florida Film Festival was the first of its kind, presented in January 1974. Sponsored by PESO, the festival honored actress Gloria Swanson, presenting six of her most popular films over five days.
Central Florida's First Film Festival
R...
Organizations
Oral History Interview with Sarah Dubisson, Winner of the 2024 Dr. Gates Math and Physics Award for Jones High School
Yes, that's what I love about the IB [International Baccalaureate] environment. It's like you're with kids who are like you. So you can like compete and get really messy. But at the same time you're like supporting each other. ...
Places
San Juan Hotel
Though the space on Orange Avenue that the San Juan Hotel once occupied is now the Morgan and Morgan building, the San Juan Hotel was Orlando's first permanent hotel and at one point the largest building in the town when...
Events
Barber - Mizell Feud
The Barber - Mizell Feud was a Reconstruction Era feud between the Barber Family, a cattle herding family and the Mizell Family, two of whom were appointed to local government. The formal reason for the feud can be stated simply...
People
Oral History Interview with Heriverto Trejo-Laredo, Winner of the 2024 Dr. Gates Math and Physics Award for Jones High School
I think my greatest achievement probably within my whole like public education career was probably going into the International Baccalaureate Program. It was really hard, but it became one of my greatest feats, I believe. Like I said, it propelled...
Organizations
Oral History Interview with Scientist and Intrapreneur Dr. Sudhakar "Shan" Shanbhag
My father comes up and stops immediately... He says, "You boys, don't you think it's a good idea, you work very hard, get good grades, get your diploma, your high school degree, then go to college, you study hard, get...
Events
Oral History Interview with Attorney Tanisha Nunn Gary, President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
Orlando is a wonderful place to visit not just for vacations. Love to come and we're going to hit all the theme parks: Sea World, Universal, Disney. But also, to bring conventions. You know, if you are looking to bring...
People
Vicki Brooks: Educator & Advocate
Vicki Brooks has been a member of the Mayor's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission for over 20...
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