Lakeland History Room

Hours:

Mon - Thurs. - 9 am - 7 pm
Fri - Sat: 9 am - 5 pm
Sun: 1:30 pm - 5 pm

Lakeland History Room Librarian Supervisor: LuAnn Mims
Ph: 863.834.4269
Email: luann.mims@lakelandgov.net

Postcard of Lakeland Civic Center at night

Image from the Greetings from Lakeland postcard collection

Using the Lakeland History Room
Services:
- Research assistance with local history
- House/property records research
- Family Genealogy, Newspapers and Obituaries — please contact LuAnn Mims at 863.834.4269 or email LuAnn.Mims@lakelandgov.net
- DIY Digitize Lab — guided assistance by appointment only to reformat analog materials to digital formats (excluding film). Please contact Rebecca Whalon to schedule an appointment in the DIY workspace at 863.834.4212 or email Rebecca.Whalon@lakelandgov.net
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Digital Collections

The Lakeland History Room collection features a variety of materials—documents, photographs, maps, building plans, audio/visual media, and scrapbooks with specialty items like citrus crate labels, artwork, yearbooks, posters, and postcards. There are also 8000+ images viewable online via our Digital Collection on CONTENTdm.

Click on the icons below to explore digital collections, photo albums, and story maps of Lakeland history:
In-Person Classes and Self-Paced Learning
In-Person Classes

Genealogy:
- Generators – meets the first Monday of each month @6pm- is an ad hoc group that discusses genealogical topics of interest
- Beginning Genealogy – offered twice a year – basic introduction to researching your family history
- Get Started with Ancestry.com – offered twice a year – guided tour through the premier genealogical database
- Focus on Family Search – offered twice a year – step by step look at this FREE family history resources
Archival:
- Photograph Preservation instruction offered in person twice a year to introduce reformatting from analog to digital concepts
Self-Paced Learning: Organizing and Preserving Your Materials

Trying to get your personal memorabilia better organized? Start with the Personal Archiving at Home video series. These short videos give detailed instruction on how to take care of your treasured memorabilia – photographs, slides, negatives, papers, audio and video tapes and more. Topics include preservation, storage, digitization, standard formatting, organization tips and adding to your family archives.

Part I: Historic Preservation
Part II: Organization & Maintenance
Part III: Digitization

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History Tours
Lakeland History Room Staff host historical walking tours for the public featuring Lakeland history, as well as providing curated exhibit tours of the Lakeland History and Culture Center.
- Stories and Stones – Saturdays (check dates/registration) monthly walk and talk biographical tours of Lakeland’s oldest cemeteries – Roselawn, Tigers Flowers and Lake View
- Green Hat and White Gloves – Second Tuesdays monthly (check dates and registration) walking tour of Lake Mirror with “Serena Bailey” Lakeland’s first librarian (1929-1959)
- Ties that Bind, 1880-1925 – Lakeland’s Formative Years – curated exhibit tour available by appointment
For more information contact, LuAnn Mims: 863.834.4269, LuAnn.Mims@lakelandgov.net
Lakeland History & Culture Center

Opened on September 8, 2022, the Lakeland History and Culture Center features a 1400 square foot exhibit space dedicated to telling the many stories of our community.

The current exhibit, Ties That Bind: 1880-1925, Lakeland's Formative Years, showcases the early days of Lakeland's founding and incorporation, as well as the role of the railroads in helping to build and develop the area.

Click here for more information about the Lakeland History & Culture Center.

Popular at the Lakeland History Room

Ancestry.com
Start your family history search here at the library! Ancestry.com offers free access to all library patrons. (In library only)

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Bird's-Eye View
Our story begins with you...what better way to tell the many stories of Lakeland and its history, than visually by showcasing highlights from our Digital Collection through Flickr.

Check out our featured album:

Bird's-Eye View

Soar over the Lakeland landscape through time.

Enjoy this photographic stroll through some of Lakeland's aerial views.

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Lakeland Stories Feature: Munn Park
Discover more about Lakeland’s History through Stories!
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