Longboat Key is getting a library of its own. Town commissioners approved three agreements Monday for the Vern and Sandy Buchanan Sarasota County Library, a $13.5 million project that has been more than a decade in the making. It will be the first county library branch on the island, built on the Town Center Green under a lease that gives Sarasota County the site for free for up to 80 years.
The funding picture is a partnership. Congressman Vern Buchanan and his wife Sandy, the library’s namesakes, contributed $1 million. Residents are working toward a $3.5 million fundraising goal, and the town has agreed to maintain the property and cover any shortfall if that goal is not met. Beyond books, the facility is planned as a community gathering space, a hub for lifelong learning, and a storm emergency resource for the island.
Construction is scheduled to begin in March and last about 18 months. For year-round residents, seasonal visitors, and anyone who has followed this project through its many starts and stalls, the finish line is finally in sight.
What would you most want to see inside Longboat Key’s new library? Let us know in the comments.
