Historic Englewood Florida
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1505748
www.yoursun.com Page 13 "The organization start- ed making books available in 1922 by putting a small collection in the elemen- tary school on Dearborn Street. Four years later, the books were moved to a corner of the group's newly built clubhouse. But the collection 'was never called a library,' according to the brief history compiled by the sta. Sarasota County didn't operate any public libraries in 1960. "Mr. and Mrs. Wellington Quirk, of Englewood, noticed during a 'motor trip in North Carolina' that small towns in that state had 'attractive public libraries,' according to another brief history of the Elsie Quirk Public Library, which bears no author's name. "Elsie Quirk and her husband got to work when they returned to Englewood. "Along with Leah Lasbury, Lois Potter and Josephine Cortes, the Quirks lobbied the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners for help in starting a library in Englewood. At the time the cities of Sarasota and Venice operated com- munity libraries, but the county government did not fund libraries. "After the Quirks donated $10,000 and a lot on Cocoanut Avenue, the commissioners allocated $4,000. "Englewood residents also asked for funding from the Charlotte Board of County Commissioners. An allocation appeared likely until ocials learned that Florida law prevented a county government from funding a facility outside that county. "The money obtained from Sarasota County was used to pay Harriet Ives, the county's first librarian." Charlotte County had actually allocated money for a library. When com- missioners realized they couldn't spend it outside the county, they built a small library o Placida Road and State Road 776, where Merchant's Crossing Shopping Center was built. It opened a few months before the Elsie Quirk Library was complete in Sarasota County. Ives, a new resident to Englewood with a degree in library science, worked 30 hours a week for $1.50 an hour at the new library. She also worked for Charlotte County during that same time for $1 an hour, according to some sources. Eventually, she retired from Sarasota County in 1988, after 28 years as li- brarian. Helen Burns took over as head librarian. Evans continued: "One of the histories compiled by the library's sta notes that when the Quirks donated the money and land they included a stipulation: A community organization must take charge of the eort to attain a library. An orga- nization was formed in the summer of 1961, a full year before the library opened." The organization was named The Friends of the Englewood Library. In 1983, the group changed its name to The Friends of the Elsie Quirk Public Library of Englewood. The Elsie Quirk Library is at 100 W. Dearborn St., Englewood. The Englewood Charlotte Library is at 3450 Access Road, Englewood. QUIRK FROM PAGE 12A PHOTO PROVIDED BY NANCY WILLE Leah Lasbury, top, and longtime Englewood Librarian Harriet Ives. Call for more details: 941-662-9639 Rental Boat Pickup Location: Cape Haze Marina 6950 Placida Road, Englewood Launch from Cape Haze Marina or We'll Deliver info@abesboatrentals.com A Florida Vacation Experience Like No Other Half Day $275-$525 Full Day $350-$600 Week / Month Rent on a weekly or monthly High Quality Rental Boats at Affordable Rates. 2023 Boat Rental 2023 NEW & PRE-OWNED BOAT SALES BOAT SERVICE & REPAIR • Outboard Engine Repair • Trolling Motor Service • Rigging and More