PLANT CITY, Fla. — A proposal to expand the Bruton Memorial Library in Plant City was recently approved by the City Commission.

What You Need To Know

  •   Bruton Memorial Library leaders are seeking to expand the facility due to the increase in the number of residents using its services
  •  The library will work with ASD Sky Tampa to create a master plan that will be presented to commissioners
  •   If the expansion is approved, it will include more study rooms, a nursing room, sensory area and family bathrooms

Library leaders say more people are using their services, so they need to expand to meet demand.

Bruton Memorial Library's director of library services, Paul Shaver, has helped over the past four years to create programs and make the library more accessible, in hopes of making an impact just like his grandmother did.

“My grandmother was very involved in her public library," he said. "They actually have a scholarship named after her."

Shaver said he wants to continue to meet the needs of the community by opening the doors to the services they offer.

“As you see, our population exploded over the last 10 years," he said. "It’s evident that we need more space."

The library will be working with a company to make that expansion happen. According to Shaver, the library has received renovations like new flooring and the addition of study rooms thanks to several grants. But it hasn’t seen an expansion in several years.

In any potential expansion, Shaver said patrons can expect a sensory room, an area for STEM projects as well as a nursing room and a family bathroom for parents.

He said the library is one of the most frequently visited public spaces in the city, which is why he hopes to also add more bilingual staff who can communicate in Spanish or American Sign Language, to better serve the community.

He said many people come to the library's English courses and family programs.

“We need an area where we can have at least have 125 people in one room," Shaver said. "Our programs have really exploded."

Shaver’s team will be working with ASD Sky Tampa to create the design and plan the expansion. That plan is expected to be completed by December, and once it’s done, approval will be up to commissioners.