Hernando County Public Library Hosts Feb. 26 Master Plan Workshop, Online Survey

Residents will have a chance to shape the future of Hernando County libraries at an interactive Master Plan workshop set for Thursday, Feb. 26, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Hernando County Public Library System has invited the public to review proposals and offer feedback that could affect services, access and facility improvements across the county.

“The Hernando County Public Library System will host an in-person public workshop to discuss the Library Facilities Master Plan on Thursday, February 26, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.,” the county announced. The meeting will be held in the Utilities Training Room at the Hernando County Utilities Department Building, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville.

“This interactive workshop will provide community members with an opportunity to learn about the proposed Library Facilities Master Plan and share ideas to help improve the Hernando County Public Library System. The workshop will begin with a brief presentation outlining the Master Plan and will then transition into an open house format, allowing attendees to ask questions, review information, and provide feedback,” county materials say. Representatives from county facilities and library staff are expected to be on hand to discuss redesigns and planned modifications to interior and exterior spaces intended to improve public access and flow, both in person and virtually, as noted in recent fiscal and CIP planning documents.

The Master Plan process is paired with online engagement. County channels urge residents to complete the online survey and follow the project on the county’s EngageHernando project page for ongoing updates. For questions or more information, please contact the Hernando County Public Library System at 352-754-4043 or by email at libacct@hernandocounty.us. The county website and library pages also offer newsletter sign-up options for continued notices.

The library system serves roughly 196,540 residents as of 2022 and operates four branches: the Frederick Eugene Lykes Jr. Memorial Library (Main Branch) at 238 Howell Avenue in Brooksville, East Hernando Branch, West Hernando Branch, and Spring Hill Branch. As of 2020 staff totaled 32 people, including 7 librarians and 25 other staff members. The library had about 92,940 cardholders and had 454,112 circulation [...]. The system notes that its collection is funded under the State Aid to Libraries Grant program administered by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services.

Hernando’s main library dates to county land purchases in 1949 and was dedicated as the Frederick Eugene Lykes Jr. Memorial Library in 1950; the facility sits within a 1.5-acre Hernando Park in downtown Brooksville. The county highlights past recognition, including being named the Florida Library Association’s 2013 Library of the Year, and points to capital planning that aims to modernize spaces and partnerships with the county facilities department.

The Master Plan workshop and survey are an opportunity for residents to weigh in on how library buildings and services support education, digital access, and community wellbeing. The library system encourages attendance and participation as officials develop plans that will guide investments and service priorities in the years ahead.