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  • The History of Orange County Library System: Friends of the Library

    The History of Orange County Library System: Friends of the Library

    If you’re a regular library user, you’ve probably heard mention of the Friends of the Orange County Library System, often referred to simply as the Friends, and wondered who they are and what they do. The organization was founded in 1949 and over the years, the Friends of the Orange County Library System have remained…

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  • From the Director Header, April 2023

    From the Director, April 2023

    If there’s one thing our library system has always excelled at, it’s innovation. As we celebrate our 100 years, I’ve enjoyed taking the time to explore how the library has evolved during each decade we’ve been in existence. This month in Books & Beyond, we look back at the 1940s. The country was coming out…

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  • Q&A with Kelly J. Baptist

    Q&A with Kelly J. Baptist

    Kelly J. Baptist is the author of several works for young readers. Her published works include the middle-grade novels The Swag is in the Socks, Eb & Flow and the Isaiah Dunn series. She won the 2015 We Need Diverse Books short story contest with her story, The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn.…

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  • The History of Orange County Library System: Friends of the Library Bookmobile

    The History of Orange County Library System: Friends of the Library Bookmobile

    In 1949, the Albertson Public Library board received a proposal for a bookmobile that would reach residents in outlying areas of the county. Believing that no other service would be a greater benefit to the community, Sorosis of Orlando Woman’s Club raised $6,000 to purchase a school bus and convert it into a mobile library…

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  • Switch to Libby

    Attention, OverDrive Users: It’s Time to Upgrade to Libby

    On May 1, 2023, the OverDrive app for iOS, Android, and Windows 8/10 will be discontinued. OverDrive users are encouraged to upgrade to the newer Libby app to browse, check out, and enjoy Orange County Library’s eBooks, audiobooks, and digital magazine collection. It’s time to give Libby a try! All your loans, holds, and wish…

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  • A person in front of the Orlando Public Liibrary

    OCLS y el 2023

    By Laura Lizardi, Carmen Medina Bermudez, and Maria Peraza El 2022 está a punto de terminar y ha sido un año lleno de cambios, progresos y del regreso a la normalidad después de los tiempos de COVID 19. Para las bibliotecas del Condado de Orange ha sido un año de renovaciones y remodelaciones en diferentes sucursales,…

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  • From the Director, March 2023

    From the Director, March 2023

    As part of our 100 Year Celebration, we plan to share stories about the history of Orange County Library System in each issue of Books & Beyond. We’ll focus on one decade at a time, and this month, we take a look at the 1930s – a particularly difficult time for everyone, including the library.…

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  • The History of Orange County Library System: Olive Brumbaugh and the Albertson Public Library

    In the spring of 1923, the library board was in need of an experienced librarian to organize and administer the newly established Albertson Public Library. After a lengthy search, they received an application from Miss Olive Brumbaugh, librarian of the Public Library of Frankfort, Indiana. On April 20, 1923, the position was offered to her,…

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  • "K O D A C H R O M E: THE ICONIC COLOR FILM" with many squares for developed pictures.

    Kodachrome: The Iconic Color Film

    Kodachrome, produced by the company Kodak, is the oldest selling brand of color film in existence. Invented in 1935, it quickly became the standard film for cinematography and still photography. Notably, Kodachrome captured the first color photographs of historical events such as the Hindenburg’s disaster of 1937, the first climbers confirmed at the top of…

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  • Every Child Ready to Read

    2023 Early Learning Calendars

    Now available in English and Spanish! Our 2023 Early Learning Calendar includes twelve months of learning activities, book lists and nursery rhymes. One side has a calendar with a fun skills-building activity for every day of the month, and the other contains supplementary content like nursery rhymes, early literacy tips, song lyrics and suggested reading…

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Holiday Closure

Orange County Library System will be closed Tuesday, December 24, Wednesday, December 25, Tuesday, December 31 and Wednesday, January 1 in observance of Christmas and New Year's. View a complete list of holiday closures >

Winter Garden Branch Closure

From January 6 through February 15, Winter Garden Branch will get a much needed refresh to better serve the community. Learn more about the Winter Garden Branch closing >