Library

Library Holiday Hours

All three Lakeland Library locations will be closed Monday, September 7th for the Labor Day holiday.

We will reopen Tuesday, September 8th at 9 AM.

Teen Hunger Games Book Club at Jackson Branch

Do you volunteer…to be a member of our Hunger Games Book Club? Come along as we read our way through all five books in Suzanne Collins’s legendary book series.

Whether you are a longtime fan of the series or a first-time reader, join us August 31th from 5:30pm - 6:30pm at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library for our very first Hunger Games Book Club meet up. In August, we’ll talk all things book one while feasting on some capital-themed foods. Bring your opinions, fan art, and questions, and remember, may the odds be ever in your favor!

This group is intended for teens ages 12-17. No registration required.

Questions? Contact Marine Acosta Ponce at Marine.acostaponce@lakelandgov.net or call 863.834.1828.

Healthy Eating with BayCare

Join a BayCare professional on Tuesday, September 1st from 12 PM to 1 PM at the Lakeland Public Library for a free health presentation on practical ways to eat well despite having a busy schedule. Learn simple strategies for smart food choices, healthy snacking, and maintaining balanced nutrition when time is limited. Let's start feeling better by eating better!

No registration required. This event is for ages 18+.

Questions? Contact Ángeles Otero at 863.834.4276 or email angeles.otero@lakelandgov.net for additional information.

Library Card Design Contest

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, and we need your help celebrating! The Lakeland Public Libraries invite you to design our next library card. The selected artworks will be featured on official library cards for use throughout Polk County.

Design submissions will be accepted from August 1st through 31st, with one winner being chosen from each age group: children (ages 3-12), teens (ages 13-17), and adult (ages 18+). The winning designs will be featured on a library card, and the winners will be recognized on the Lakeland Public Library’s social media accounts and digital newsletters.

Learn more about the contest, entry rules, and entry form.

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) 
September 1, 15

Lakeland Public Library Storytimes (10 AM select Wednesdays) 
August 26
September 2, 9, 16

Larry Jackson Branch Library Bilingual Storytime (10 AM last Thursday of the month) 
August 27

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  

Playgrounds, Parks, Fields, and Gardens

Lakeland is home to many outdoor (and indoor) spaces to enjoy, imagine, reflect, and relax.

Enjoy this "Playgrounds, Parks, Fields, and Gardens" photographic stroll through our area's green spaces and recreation places, showcased from our Flickr digital collection.

Baby Storytime at Lakeland Public Library

Join us at 11 AM on select Thursdays at the Lakeland Public Library for an interactive lapsit Baby Storytime with songs, rhymes, and fingerplays! 

Baby Storytime is designed for ages birth to 2 years old. 

Lakeland Public Library Baby Storytime (11 AM Thursdays)
August 27
September 3, 10, 17

For more information, please contact Harley Davis at 863.834.4258.