UNIVERSITY AREA - For more than 20 years, University Area residents have waited for a library in their own neighborhood west of the University of South Florida.
Now the Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library at 13619 N 22nd St., will celebrate its grand opening ceremony Monday when government officials and others will speak at a free event, open to the public.
The idea of a library was first conceived in 1993 in a neighborhood needs assessment and adopted in the area's master plan in 1995, said Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist, who has lead a community redevelopment effort in the community for years.
Bill Harris, who has served as the library's branch manager since its soft opening January, said the library was put on the county's "unfunded list" in 2002 and received funding in later years. With its completion, area residents no longer have to drive or take buses to libraries miles away in New Tampa or on North Dale Mabry.
"Now they can walk in here," Harris said. "One in five in the area don't have their own transportation ... so this is great."
The library, which cost more than $4.3 million to build, is in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools with one part the public library and the other the media center for Muller Elementary, which is next to the library.
"They (Muller and nearby Bowers/Whitley Career Center) waited 12 years for this library that they were promised," Crist said.
Tina Russo, regional manager for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System, said: "This is different than the other partnership libraries as they are not open to the public in the morning; they open at 2:30 p.m. This branch opens at 10 a.m. and will be open all day long."
A wall with several double doors separates the two but those doors will open after school closes and were open during the recent spring break. Patrons can check out books from either side.
The 15,000-square foot-library has a brick facade much like many libraries. It contains LED lightning; a mosaic art installation on the floor; furnishings and designs to foster group collaborations as well as an individual quiet reading time; USB connections for laptops and other electronic devices; 16 computers for use by patrons; a "maker space" for high-tech demonstrations ;and a public meeting room to accommodate 50 attendees.
"You have a lot of people in the community who don't know how to use computers," Crist said, adding the library staff will be ready to assist them. "This library will be focused on child development and female issues, too."
The facility also is the site of Hillsborough County Women's Hall of Fame North with photos and bios of the recipients of the award from the county's Commission on the Status of Women. Among those is Joyner, for whom the library is named. She is a former state senator and the first black woman to practice law in both Hillsborough and Polk counties.
"The community showed support for that idea," Russo said. "People said she spoke up and supported the area."
Crist said she was a "role model and champion for the neighborhood."
The library plans to partner with a variety of organizations, including the University Area Community Development Corp., which will offer some of its Prodigy classes for youth.
Sarah Combs, the corporation's CEO and one of the speakers at Monday's ceremony, said: "The Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library will give so much support to residents in need of connecting to books, computers and other resources that will help them not just survive but help them thrive."
Combs added: "Our new library is a true sign of investment in this community and perfectly aligns with the work that all of us are doing in support of this community and our residents."
Contact Lenora Lake at hillsnews@tampabay.com.