Our Story & Mission
The Needed Next Chapter
Nearly 70 years ago, a group of Collier County residents believed their growing community needed something important: a public library.
What began in 1957 as the Collier County Free Public Library grew alongside the community itself. And as it grew, generations of volunteers, advocates, and supporters stepped forward to help.
The Friends of the Library became an important part of that story. For decades, the Friends have raised funds, supported programs, purchased books and resources, and helped make the library experience richer for thousands of people. Their work reflects something that has always been true about great libraries: while they are public institutions, they are also deeply rooted in the communities that surround them.
That legacy matters. And now, as Collier County approaches 70 years of public library service, we have an opportunity to build upon it.
The Library Is Here For All Of Us
Consider who might walk through the doors of one of Collier County's 10 libraries on any given day.
A young child curls up with a parent and discovers a favorite book — launching a lifelong love of reading.
A middle school student fascinated by robotics seeks information about engineering, coding, and how machines work — igniting a career.
A high school student needs a quiet place to study and access digital resources — finding the world beyond their front doorstep.
A parent attends a program with a young child — meeting other families who are navigating the same stage of life.
An entrepreneur comes looking for market information, technology, or a place to work — leaving with an idea that moves a business and the whole town forward.
An older adult visits to explore a lifelong interest, discover something new, or attend a program — finding the richness of connection with others who share their curiosity.
Different generations. Different needs. The same doors. That is the extraordinary potential of our public library.
Libraries nurture curiosity by giving us somewhere to follow a question. They provide access to books, information, technology, ideas, and experiences that should not depend upon someone's age, income, or circumstances. They create connection in a world where genuine community can sometimes be difficult to find. And they offer something equally important: opportunities for people to continue learning, contributing, discovering, and finding purpose throughout their lives.
A library is one of the few places in a community designed for all of us.
The World Has Changed. What Does a Library Need to Be for the Next Generation?
Books and literacy remain fundamental. They always will.
But today's libraries also exist within a world transformed by technology, changing educational needs, new ways of working, longer lives, and growing concerns about isolation and disconnection.
The next generation of libraries can help children develop literacy and a love of learning. They can give young people places to explore science, engineering, technology, art, and ideas. They can help adults navigate an increasingly complex digital world. They can support entrepreneurs, job seekers, caregivers, newcomers, and families. They can create opportunities for older adults to remain intellectually engaged, socially connected, and active participants in their communities.
And perhaps most importantly, they are places where generations encounter one another.
The question before us
What could our library make possible?
Three Partners. Three Important Roles.
Answering that question requires understanding how a strong public library system is supported. Think of it as three partners, each contributing something different.
Collier County provides the foundation.
Public funding supports the library system itself — the people, facilities, collections, technology, operations, and essential services necessary to keep 10 library buildings serving our community. This is the core public investment that makes our library system possible.
The Friends of the Library enrich the experience.
For generations, the Friends have demonstrated what community support can add. Through fundraising, volunteerism, advocacy, and program support, they have helped provide books, activities, programs, and other resources that enhance the work taking place within our libraries.
The Collier County Public Library Foundation expands what is possible.
The Foundation adds another philanthropic dimension: the ability to cultivate major gifts, grants, corporate and foundation partnerships, planned gifts, and endowed funds that can support larger, longer-term and system-wide opportunities.
These roles are not competing. They are complementary. Together, they create something stronger than any one entity could create alone.
Building on What Works
The establishment of the Collier County Public Library Foundation is an investment in a system that matters.
Public resources will always be responsible for the essential work of our public libraries. Philanthropy should not replace that responsibility.
But public budgets must serve many priorities. Philanthropy gives a community the opportunity to go further on purpose — to pilot an innovative program, create an extraordinary learning experience, introduce emerging technology, redesign a space for collaboration and discovery, bring exceptional speakers and programs to our community, expand access, or invest in an idea whose impact may unfold over many years.
It provides the margin between providing a good public service and truly building a resource that lasts through every hurricane, every political wind, every challenge, every year, for generations.
As we approach 70 years since the creation of the Collier County Free Public Library, we have the chance to honor the people who built and supported our libraries while also looking forward.
Because the next chapter of Collier County's libraries will not be written by government alone, by the Friends alone, or by the Foundation alone. It will be written by a community that believes curiosity should be encouraged, knowledge should be accessible, connection should be cultivated, and learning should last a lifetime.
Nearly 70 years of service so far. And a next chapter waiting to be written.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
Your support helps ensure that Collier County's libraries can serve every generation — today and for decades to come.
Ways to Support