The Monroe County Public Library’s Islamorada branch will close for about five weeks, starting Sept. 15, to receive extensive interior repairs and a refresh, including new flooring, repainting all interior walls, cleaning and lighting improvements.
The work requires the removal of all material, shelving and furnishings.
During this time, staff from the library will be providing outreach services at locations throughout the community. That information and any updates on the project will be available at keyslibraries.org, and on the Islamorada library branch Facebook and Instagram (@islamoradalibrary) accounts.
Patrons can get library materials from the Key Largo and Marathon branches, both of which have pickup lockers that are accessible 24/7. They can also borrow books and DVDs from the library lending machine at the Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. Library patrons can get e-books, e-audiobooks, streaming video and much more any time online. More information is at keyslibraries.org/online.
“We are delighted to give this branch the care and attention the Islamorada community deserves,” said Kimberly Matthews, county senior libraries director. “We take our role as stewards of this important piece of Keys history very seriously. This work will help this building continue serving the Islamorada community, as it has for almost a century, and as we prepare to celebrate its 60 years of service as part of the Monroe County Public Library.”
The oldest building in the Monroe County Public Library system, the Upper Matecumbe Key structure was built after the 1935 Labor Day hurricane as one of two “community houses” meant to shelter the local population in the event of another catastrophic storm.
The building opened in 1938 as the Matecumbe Grammar School. It later served as a meeting place for local churches — and a community refuge during Hurricane Donna in 1960. In 1966, it became the Islamorada branch of the Monroe County Public Library system.
The county has made two additions to the building, in 1983 and 1999, including a room that hosts library and community events, art exhibits and the Monroe County Elections Office during voting.
