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Celebrating 50 Years of Serving the Community
November 2021 - October 2022
The Miami-Dade Public Library System is celebrating 50 years of providing library resources and services to the community. Our yearlong celebration beginning November 1 will include a variety of special exhibitions, events, activities, recommended reads and more that highlight the Library's history and evolution over the decades to serve the needs of Miami-Dade County residents.
Message from the Director
On November 1, the Miami-Dade Public Library System marked a milestone – 50 years of serving the community. It’s a significant anniversary we are commemorating with a yearlong celebration, and we have lots of golden moments to celebrate thanks to the continued support of you, our patrons, and our dedicated team of library staff.
Throughout the past half century, residents of Miami-Dade County have seen their library system grow into one of the largest public library systems in the United States.
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we will continue to provide new, innovative, and convenient services to the community that promote lifelong learning and literacy, such as the Libraries @ Your Door Home Delivery Service, Tablet Lending Program, Homework Help & Tutoring Program, Adult Learning Academy and Drive-up Wi-Fi. We also encourage you to explore our collection of online content – eBooks, eAudiobooks, movies, music and local and national publications like The Miami Herald, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, a wide variety of digital resources, and more.
We invite you to join us during our yearlong 50th anniversary celebration for special programs, events and exhibits. You can find more information at www.mdpls.org/50years, plus follow us on social media to stay up to date on the latest library news and share your library story using the hashtag #MDPLS50.
And don’t forget, all these great services are available with a library card. Don’t have one? Signing up is quick and easy. You can get an eCard or a physical card where you have your choice of designs, including our special 50th anniversary library card.
We look forward to serving you for many years to come.
Thank you for being a library user.
Sincerely,
Ray Baker, Director
A Historical Overview of the Miami-Dade Public Library System with Dr. Paul George
From the early beginnings of Miami’s public libraries to the vibrant library system we have today, explore the rich history of the Miami-Dade Public Library System during this special 50th anniversary presentation by HistoryMiami Museum's Resident Historian Dr. Paul George. Sponsored by Friends of the Miami-Dade Public Library.
HistoryMiami Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate located in downtown Miami, safeguards and shares Miami stories to foster learning, inspire a sense of place and cultivate an engaged community. Through exhibitions, artistic endeavors, city tours, education, research, collections and publications, HistoryMiami Museum works to help everyone understand the importance of the past in shaping Miami’s future. HistoryMiami Museum connects people by telling the stories of Miami’s communities, individuals, places and events. Visit www.historymiami.org or follow along on social @HistoryMiami to learn more.
Tell Us What the Library Means to You by Sharing Your Library Story
What makes the Library a special place for you? As part of our 50th anniversary celebration, we want to share your stories about the library! We invite you tell us what the library means to you by sharing your favorite library memory or experience. We may even feature your story in our eNewsletter!
Click the link below to share your library story with us.
Behind Every Great Community is a
Great Library
The Friends of the Miami-Dade Public Library was established in 1974 to channel public support for the Miami-Dade Public Library System. The Friends organization plays an important role in promoting increased awareness of Library services and helps foster public engagement in its development.
Click below to read a special message from Friends of the Miami-Dade Public Library President Chad Di Stefano.
Sign up for Our Special Edition 50th Anniversary Library Card!
Sign up for our special, limited edition gold library card commemorating the Miami-Dade Public Library System's 50th anniversary! Get yours today at any library location.
You can also register for an eCard (electronic card) to get instant access to our collection. Click below to learn more about signing up for your library card.
Fifty Years and Beyond
History of the Miami-Dade Public Library System Through Photographs
Drawing on the Library’s vast collection of historical photographs, this virtual exhibit offers a visual history of the growth of the Miami-Dade Public Library System.
The following images from the Digital Collections highlight the Library's transformation into a key facilitator for education, advancement and community and offers a snapshot into the lives of Miami-Dade County residents over the decades.
Timeline of the Library System
More than 50 years of serving the community
The Miami-Dade Public Library System has a long and proud history of providing library services to the residents of Miami-Dade County dating back to the late 19th century. What began as a small reading room in Lemon City in 1894 eventually grew into what is now the Miami-Dade Public Library System, established on November 1, 1971.
Read through a timeline of the library system, from its humble beginnings to the present, to see how library services in Miami-Dade County have evolved over time to meet the informational, educational and recreational needs of all our residents.
Videos
A Visual Narrative of the Miami-Dade Public Library System
(Click on the YouTube icon to expand the video)
Visit our Digital Collections to discover more videos!
Libraries Open The World
A Virtual Exhibition in Commemoration of the Library’s 50th Anniversary
Edwin Villasmil invites us to dive into the magic of a good book, and escape to a fantastical place where we can find inspiration and learn about our planet and ways to save it. Eco-Art, or Ecological Art, is a contemporary form of environmental art that Edwin Villasmil uses as his super power to engage people to consider environmental issues. Villasmil has used his art as a path to communicate, to stimulate dialogue, to educate, and to contribute to social transformation.
Edwin Villasmil
He began his artistic career in theater and painting. Between 1965 and 1989, he studied at Universidad Pedagogica. In 1972, he moved to the United States and lived in New York and Washington, D.C., while studying graphic arts, sculpture, jazz and theater. In 1975, upon his return to Venezuela, he founded Espacios Culturales and became a teacher. In 1979, he undertook a trip for observations and study through Europe and North Africa. When he returned home, he moved from the city to the country, where he developed a series of environmental projects. In 1998, he received his Bachelors of Arts from the University Fermin Toro in Venezuela. In 2002, he participated in the Antoni Gaudi international festival in Barcelona, Spain. In recent years, he has investigated the relationship between art, society, and nature. During his career, he has been honored with important awards and acknowledgements, his art works are exhibited in museums, and are in private and public collections. In the past, he has been president of the Venezuelan Association of Artists of the Plastic Arts.
He is a member in good standing of the Asociacion Interncional de Artes Plasticas (UNESCO). Since 2004, he resides in Miami, FL.
Online Calendar of Events
Be sure to check out our online calendar of events to keep up with all the great events happening at your library!