Our History
Once Upon a Time...
In 1913, Woodrow Wilson was sworn in as the 28th president of the United States, the first Model Ts rolled off the assembly line in Detroit, and the Ladies Improvement Association founded the Delray Beach Public Library. And, for more than a hundred years now, the library has continued to grow right along with the city.
1913
To make their dream of creating a library a reality, members of Delray’s Ladies Improvement Association each donated at least one book from their own shelves. The library’s foundational collection consisted of 40 books. From there, the women raised funds to build the collection through a variety of events, including at-home talent shows and ice cream socials (with ice cream brought in from Miami!).
1914
The library’s collection had almost doubled (nearly 80 books!) – thanks in part to a generous $10.00 contribution from Henry Flagler.
1928
The library’s collection had almost doubled (nearly 80 books!) – thanks in part to a generous $10.00 contribution from Henry Flagler.The devastating Okeechobee hurricane of 1928 flooded the library, which was housed in a small room in Delray’s original Town Hall (located in the 400 block of East Atlantic Avenue). The library temporarily relocated to the Booster Club.
1939
The Delray Beach Public Library Association was formed and took over operations from the Ladies Improvement Association, which had been renamed the Women’s Club of Delray Beach in 1924. The collection had grown to include 3,972 books.
1940
Planning for a new library building was put on hold due to World War II. After contacting the commander of the U.S. Army Airfield in Boca Raton to offer support, an additional reading room was added to accommodate servicemen. By 1943, service members and their families accounted for fully one-third of the library’s book circulation.
1941/2
The library’s first paid librarians were hired with funds provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal.
1942
The City of Delray Beach provides the library with an operating grant of $800, beginning a long – and greatly valued – relationship of mutual respect and support.
1948
A location on 29 SE 4th Avenue was selected for the library’s new home to serve Delray’s growing population of approximately 6,000.
1950
Residents couldn’t wait for the library’s new facility to be completed. Literally! When the doors opened at the Southeast Fourth Avenue location, sections were still under construction.
1960
At a meeting of the library’s Board of Directors, a motion was unanimously approved which provided henceforth the issuing of library cards and checking out materials to all residents regardless of race.
1968
Still growing! A new two-story addition – with an additional 7,500 square feet of space – was approved and constructed.
1976
A local news story reported on a new trend in the children’s department: parents requesting children’s stories that included girls as active participants.
1994
The library launched its first Volunteer Program with an initial eight volunteers.
1998
Internet access became available at public library computers thanks to a grant from the State of Florida.
2006
More than 2,000 local residents celebrated the continued growth of the library and the grand opening of its new location at 100 Atlantic Avenue with a Book Passing Brigade and ribbon cutting ceremony.
2007
Delray’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) begins providing library funding.
2009
The CRA expands its relationship with the library by funding CRA Sundays- and eventually CRA Mondays.
2010
A new Teen Advisory Board is formed; the Empowerment Zone/Computer Lab opens.
2011
A new Computer Center for the Children’s Services Department opened.
2013
The Delray Beach Public Library celebrated 100 years of service to the community.
2016
The Lynda Hunter and Virginia Kimmel Children’s Library expansion opened, featuring a recording studio, technology lab for robotics and other STEM-based projects, 3D printer, public computers and tablet stations.
2018
The library made a $165,000 investment in technology infrastructure, including new computers, servers, software and digital services as well as enhanced connectivity.
2019
The Second Floor Art Galary was introduced. Also that same year, the Library’s Technology, Training and Innovation Lab (TTIL) began.
2020
On March 17, the library closed its doors as the Covid pandemic gripped the nation. Three days later, we began offering virtual services, programs and library cards, allowing residents and area businesses to access 100,000+ digital resources and research databases.
2020
Thanks to the dedication of our staff, the Delray Beach Public Library was the first library in Palm Beach County to re-open following the pandemic lockdowns.
2021
Our Library on the Go – a technology enabled golf cart – hit the streets of Delray, immediately narrowing the digital literary divide in high-need neighborhoods.
2022
The library continued to meet the needs of Delray residents with more technology and technology training, including an innovative pilot program offering devices for low-income seniors and upgraded computers for the Children’s Maker Lab and the Technology, Training and Innovation Lab.
2023
Attendance at the library’s adult programs more than doubled, requests for one-on-one help with technology increased and the Teen Room received a much-needed renovation.
2023
Attendance at the library’s adult programs more than doubled, requests for one-on-one help with technology increased and the Teen Room received a much-needed renovation. The Delray Beach Public Library was named Nonprofit of the Year by the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce.
2024
The Delray Beach Public Library continued to grow and evolve in response to the ongoing growth of the community and the needs of its residents.