Our Mission
Our mission is to enhance our community through its library by providing materials, services and programming not funded by the library budget.
Our History
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In 1962, a group of citizens, including Walter Farley and the Venice-Nokomis Woman’s Club, formed the Friends of the Venice Library to foster the establishment and long-range support of the public library for Venice. They raised funds for construction while the City of Venice provided land and Sarasota County committed operating expenses. Venice Public Library opened in 1965.
Then, in 2018, the Friends once again partnered with Sarasota County and the City of Venice to build a new library.
The library was named after Dr. William H. Jervey, Jr., a tireless and generous contributor to our community.
The Friends are proud to say the entire community rallied around the effort to build a 19,428-square-foot facility that meets the needs of residents of all ages.
The Friends continue to actively support the library as advocates and fundraisers. You can contribute, too, by becoming a Friend of the Venice Library, volunteering at the bookstore, donating gently used books and media or making a cash donation.
Programs We Fund
Friends make a difference.
The Friends of the Venice Library support the library through book sales in our bookstore, membership in the Friends of the Venice Library and generous donations from bookstore customers and enthusiasts.
The Friends are the heart and soul of the library. Here are examples of how we support the library. We:
Add books and other media to the library’s collection, including e-books and tablets
Provide funding for special needs, equipment, technology and furniture
Supplement the library’s budget
Sponsor events featuring well-known speakers and performers
Sponsor a trolley ride for patrons, such as to view Holiday Lights
Support programs for children, teens, adults and seniors
Sell donated books in our bookstore to raise funds
Promote the library and its activities to the community
Support special creative learning tools, such as Creation Station, which is where patrons can get creative with audio, video, a 3-D printer or even crafts.
Children’s E-Table
The AWE Learning Table offers interactive games, e-books and integrated graphics for young learners to thrive in fun and engaging ways. Children love it … and their parents do, too!
Sunroom Fountain
Photo from Sarasota County
Creation Station
The Creation Station offers space, equipment and software for patrons to get creative with video, audio, sewing, crafts or 3-D printing. The Venice Library has a variety of classes for hands-on learning experiences every month. See What's New for each month's calendar of events.
Our Board of Directors
Heather Shirley, Laura Jo, Tobe Cookingham, Betty Wolfe, Peg Stalford, Dennis Bachens, Lynn Gelzheiser, Char Romano, Michael Bank, Deborah Kostroun, Janet Knudsen with Library Manager Andrew Scheip
Not pictured: Karen Murphy and Donna Pachota
The Friends’ Board of Directors is the motivating force of our organization. The board is composed of talented volunteers who serve as a link between the library and the Venice community. Their dedication to the William H. Jervey, Jr. Public Library is contagious. We are grateful for their leadership as well as for spreading our mission throughout the Venice community.
Executive Board
President: Janet Knudsen
Treasurer: Karen Murphy
Secretary: Heather Shirley
Past President: Tony Mowry
Committees
Tobe Cookingham, Events and Fundraising
Lynn Gelzheiser, Membership
Laura Jo, Membership
Deborah Kostroun, Bookstore Manager
Karen Murphy, Webmaster and Communications
Donna Pachota, Events and Fundraising
Heather Shirley, Communications
