Library

Library Holiday Hours

All three Lakeland Library locations will be closed Monday, January 19th for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.

We will reopen Tuesday, January 20th at 9 AM.

In the Loop: A Crochet Class

Have you mastered the basics of crochet and are looking to learn new stitches and techniques? Join us in the Commons at the Lakeland Public Library on Tuesday, January 20th at 5pm to make a cotton trivet!

This project is accessible to intermediate level crocheters. The pattern, yarn, and hooks will be provided for you, though you are more than welcome to bring your own hook if you’d like (size 4.5mm).

This class is open for ages 18+. Registration is required and opens Tuesday, January 13th at 5 PM.

Breaking the Frame: The Women Who Shaped Art History

The Lakeland Public Library is excited to host Dr. Kristen Carter on Thursday, January 15th at 5:30pm in the Meeting Room, where she will give a presentation on women in art history!

From celebrated creators to forgotten innovators, “Breaking the Frame: The Women who Shaped Art History” will highlight the pivotal roles women have played in the making, commissioning, and interpreting of art across centuries. We will consider how women have shaped art and art history, and why their stories matter now more than ever.

Dr. Kristen Carter is an associate professor of Art History and Museum Studies at Florida Southern College. Her research interests include performance and relationality, and the intersections of art, pedagogy, and politics in contemporary art.

All ages welcome. No registration required.

Crafternoon at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Early dismissal from school and don't know what to do? Come create with us! We'll supply the materials; you just bring your imagination. On Friday, January 16th from 2:30-3:30 pm, we will be making pixel/Minecraft self-portraits!

Crafternoon is a monthly, drop-in craft program for kids ages 5-12 and their grownups at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library, falling on Polk County Public Schools' Early Dismissal Days. No registration required, but things could get messy, so please wear appropriate clothing! Children under the age of 10 must remain with their grown-up in the library throughout the program.

Crafting boosts fine motor skills, improves coordination, allows for creativity and self-expression, and teaches flexibility. 

Questions? Contact Cassie Walters-Shantal at cassandra.walters-shantal@lakelandgov.net

Stories & Stones Walking Tour

Join us on Saturday, January 24th at 9 AM for a walking tour of Lakeland’s oldest cemetery, Lakeview Cemetery. Explore local history through the stories of past residents and learn about the meanings behind funerary symbols.

Stories and Stones Historic Cemetery tours are offered monthly, alternating between Lakeview, Tiger Flowers, and Roselawn Cemeteries. Tours run October through March and are for ages 13+. Registration is required.

Find out more information and register beginning Saturday, January 10th at 9 AM.

Preschool Storytimes at Lakeland Libraries

All three Lakeland Library locations have preschool storytimes for children ages 2-5 and their grownups! With stories, songs, rhymes, and activities, storytimes promote the development of preliteracy, verbal and listening skills, and socio-emotional skills.

Kelly Branch Library Storytimes (10:15 AM select Tuesdays) 
January 20

Lakeland Public Library Storytimes (10 AM select Wednesdays) 
January 14, 21, 28

Larry R. Jackson Branch Storytimes (10 AM select Thursdays) 
January 15, 22

Larry Jackson Branch Library Bilingual Storytime (10 AM last Thursday of the month) 
January 29

For more information, please contact the Kelly Branch Library 863.834.4286, Lakeland Public Library 863.834.4268, or Larry R. Jackson Branch Library 863.834.4288  

Sounds of Music

Lakeland is alive with the Sounds of Music.

Enjoy this "Sounds of Music" photographic stroll through Lakeland's local musical heritage, showcased from our Flickr Digital Collection.