My Clearwater
Clearwater East Community Library at St. Petersburg
College Grand Opening
The Clearwater East Community Library at St.
Petersburg College is a venture years in the making.
The college and the city of Clearwater discussed
partnering to create a joint use library for years. The
idea was based on a concept of combining libraries that
would provide enhanced library services for the community
and college students. Preparations began after it became
apparent that SPC’s Clearwater campus library, built in
1964, and the city’s Clearwater East Library, completed
in 1985, were both aging and in need of upgrades or
replacement. After the partnership was formed, a new joint
use library was designed, and ground was broken in July
2016.
After nearly two years of construction and preparation,
the Clearwater East Community Library at St. Petersburg
College is ready to welcome the community through its
brand-new doors with increased library hours for everyone.
St. Petersburg College boasts two other joint use libraries:
in Seminole and St. Petersburg. A first for the city of
Clearwater, this partnership is based on a unique jointuse
model. The college and city are maintaining their
own exclusive collections and services, sharing spaces, and
blending college and city staff to streamline delivery of
services to students and residents. Users will have expanded
access to information. For instance, reciprocal borrowing
agreements allow students to request and check out
community library materials, and city residents can borrow
college library material, in addition to access to electronic
resources.
The library is located at the corner of Drew Street and
Old Coachman Road, near where the original library was
situated. It is a state-of-the-art, two-story, open concept
08 MyClearwater
building of 40,000 square feet with two entrances: one
facing the college’s central courtyard and the other opening
onto a dedicated community parking lot. The north side
of the building faces a pond with a fountain, surrounded
by attractive landscaping and convenient access from Drew
Street.
The city and college share the building with a combination
of exclusive and shared spaces. For example, the city side of
the first floor features a dedicated children’s section with an
educational discovery area, something the previous branch
didn’t offer, as well as a youth program room and two
conference rooms. The library also features a drive-up service
window for convenient pick-ups and returns. Technology
enhancements include automated materials processing,
new self-checkout kiosks, smart TVs, and plans for handson
maker resources. The college and city share 40 public
internet computers, access to both material collections and
a large community meeting room. St. Petersburg College’s
academic collections, as well as individual and group study
spaces, also reside on the first floor. The college’s Learning
Center and Tutoring Services occupy the second floor.
Joint use libraries are becoming more common across the
country. They allow students and the community to share
a broad range of services and resources conveniently. These
partnerships emphasize the mission both parties share: to
provide information, services and support to their users.
The Clearwater Public Library System is proud of its
partnership with St. Petersburg College, and staff looks
forward to working collaboratively to provide outstanding
library services to the community and college students for
years to come.