Blog Post

When Will Horizon Westers Have a Library Branch Closer to Home?

Mar 31, 2021

Horizon West Residents Show Interest and Support for New Local Branch

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Horizon West Residents have been expressing their interest in a local Orange County Library System (OCLS) branch for quite some time! With OCLS “Library Pop-Up Events,” attracting over 100 participants at each event, interest in a local branch and its offerings are clear.

If you have not been to the library lately, you might not know that OCLS offers much more than old-fashioned book borrowing. OCLS Libraries enhance quality of life by creating a learning environment and experiences that foster personal growth and development. At a local branch (and now, in many cases, online), you can learn a language, improve your health through exercise classes, practice various types of art, take professional training courses, learn to garden, cook, meditate and so much more!

With a library card, you can borrow e-books, audiobooks and even have traditional books delivered right to your door with Home Delivery—which is convenient because the nearest branches are a long drive for many residents of Horizon West. The two closest existing branches are in the downtown areas of Winter Garden and Windermere. (Despite what our zip codes say, those of us outside city limits are residents of Horizon West in unincorporated Orange County.)

When Will Horizon West Get a Library?

OCLS is working on it! Board of Trustees' meeting minutes reflect discussions about a Horizon West branch since 2016! The library's annual budget totals over $50 million, but due to the cost of construction of a new facility, only one new branch may be built at a time. OCLS currently has funding for one new location, which could be completed in the Fall of 2025.

Other areas of Orange County are interested in having the next library in their community as well, but OCLS has already analyzed the demographic data. They determined that HW's current and predicted future population combined with the distance from HW homes to existing branches makes it the right location for their next branch.

According to recent actions taken by the Board, the next location is planned for Horizon West and they are performing their due diligence to move forward, but the deal is not signed and sealed just yet.

Horizon West Resident Christine Kirby recognizes the pressure OCLS Board of Trustees is under to choose the location of the next branch. “With the explosive growth in Horizon West, our residents certainly want to see a branch closer to home,” she said. “With other parts of the County also experiencing significant growth, I know there is demand for the library in other areas, too. So, I wanted to help organize residents to thank the OCLS Board of Trustees for analyzing all the relevant factors and making plans to go forward with a new Horizon West branch.” Kirby has created and circulated an online petition to show appreciation of OCLS' efforts and to urge decision makers to continue with plans for a Horizon West branch as quickly as possible.

UPDATE June 5th: As of the beginning of June, grassroots efforts on the Lake Nona side have increased significantly. It is not clear if their goal is to get the LN branch sooner without changing anything about the current in-motion plans for HW - or if their goal is to have the order switched so that Lake Nona's branch is "next". The Lake Nona petition and Orlando City Commissioner Jim Gray's recent post both use phrasing that includes "next" in it: "Please consider Lake Nona as the location for the next OCLS branch." and "...bring their next branch to Lake Nona."

You can read about LN's grassroots efforts here: https://nonahoodnews.com/laboring-for-a-lake-nona-library

Things can still change unexpectedly, so as residents of Horizon West, it's important to keep our voices heard until it is 100% certain that the next library branch is being built in Horizon West. Several suggestions on how to easily do this are in orange below.

What's Happened and What's Next?

As we have shared previously, the OCLS Board of Trustees has made strides in moving things forward in Horizon West.

A piece a of property was identified as viable and affordable at the intersection of Tiny Road and Hamlin Groves Trail (near Bridgewater Middle and the future HW Regional Park). This property is currently co-owned by Orange County and the City of Orlando, so OCLS needs to go through the typical negotiation and closing process as is done for real estate transactions. But before that happens, studies must be completed to ensure wildlife and other factors are taken into account. A time-sensitive, environmental study is currently underway.

With many factors still in play for the land transaction, it's important to stay engaged and show your support at every opportunity!

The methods below are simple ways to show your support for the project, which can really go a long way.

Each action YOU TAKE has the power to help move the Horizon West library branch forward!

Simple Actions YOU Can Do to Support Building the Next OCLS Branch in HW

Sign the Petition Today!

Join over 1,500 Horizon West Residents who are voicing support for OCLS Board of Trustees plan to move forward with Horizon West Library by signing the online petition called “Construct the Next New OCLS Library Branch in Horizon West.” Leave a comment emphasizing why a local library branch is important to you. This helps show decision-makers the true-life impact a library can make for Horizon West Residents and families.
Make Sure You Have a Library Card (Apply Online)

A great way to show you are interested in a local library is to make sure you have a current library card! Sign up or renew online and your card will be mailed to you within two weeks!
Attend OCLS Board Meetings (Virtual Options Available!)

OCLS Board of Trustees will conduct their next meeting Jun 10, 2021 at 6:00 PM. Meeting details are posted on the OCLS website.

Mark your calendar now and plan to attend in person at the Orlando Public Library or remotely via Zoom to stay plugged in regarding plans for a library in Horizon West.

ZOOM LINK WILL BE: https://zoom.us/j/96714797564

Make sure you are part of our Horizon West Happenings Facebook group to stay in the loop for meeting details and future updates on the HW library.
Write to OCLS and Orange County Officials
If you would like to share your opinion on a Horizon West branch with decision makers, send an email to the following:

OCLS Board of Trustees:
- Crockett Bohannon bohannon.crockett@ocls.info
- Nicole Benjamin benjamin.nicole@ocls.info
- Danielle Levien lavien.danielle@ocls.info
- Lisa Tam tam.lizannette@ocls.info
- Richard Maladecki maladecki.richard@ocls.info
OCLS Library Director Mary Anne Hodel Hodel.MaryAnne@ocls.info

Chief Financial Officer for OCLS Kristopher Shoemaker
shoemaker.kristopher@ocls.info

OCLS General Mailbox comments@ocls.info

District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson District1@ocfl.net
Register to Make Comments at OCLS Meeting

Board meetings are governed by a formal process, so in order to speak at the meeting to voice your support of the HW library, you must first submit a “Notice of Intent to Speak” via the OCLS website. This might sound intimidating, but it’s just a formality to ensure order at the meetings. You can make comments regardless of whether you attend in-person or virtually. Speakers are limited in the amount of time they can have, so be sure to review the Public Comment Policy.

Don’t Forget! National Library Week is April 4 - 10!

April 4-10, 2021 is National Library Week! This is a time to highlight the valuable role libraries, librarians and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening communities. This National Library Week, you can show your appreciation and support for Orange County Library System by taking part in some of the activities listed below.