The Johann Fust
Community Library
Loggia
A beautiful little slice of heaven awaits you in the
Historic District, created in the memory of a German
man in the 1400s who had the foresight to lend
money to another man named Gutenberg. Johann
Fust, you see, was the man to lend Johannes
Gutenberg the money to create the first printing
press.
The Johann Fust Library, located at the corner of
10th Street and Gasparilla Road, is home to not only
a very nice-sized collection of interesting books, but
to a garden courtyard and loggia that many don’t
know about. The library was created after an island
couple, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Amory, gave to the library
to the community. For years they ran the “book
boat,” a little vessel named Papyrus that carried
books, magazines and newspapers to the surrounding
islands. Its last trip was in 1968, captained by Library
Superintendent Thomas Cost.
In 1948 the Amorys decided the island needed its
own library, so they bought land from islander
Jefferson Gaines and had architect Henry Shipley of
Boston design the building.
In the early days, the sounds of the Metropolitan
Opera or the Boston Symphony would be heard
floating through the air while the ladies would sit and
needlepoint, and tea was served at intermission.
After entering through the library’s iconic double
doors made of cypress (copied from a design from
Constantinople), you will find a small office to your
left and the first room of books to your right. Straight
ahead, you will find the loggia.
Flowering bushes and beds, vines and other
greenscape tastefully accent the edges of two
sides of the courtyard, while a new children’s
room can be found in the southwest corner.
Comfortable chairs and tables are artfully
arranged for an ideal outdoor reading
atmosphere, and the loggia is also home to a
huge rare shell collection: Shells from the
collection of George Melissas and the du Pont
family line shelves in the enclosed portion.
Opposite the loggia you’ll find a beautiful fountain
with a Stockholm design.
If the crowds downtown are getting you down
– or anything, for that matter – the loggia is a
great place to find some solace, browse through
a good book and just listen to the sounds of
nature.