About the Margate Catharine Young Branch Library

Address: 5810 Park Drive, Margate, FL 33063

Directions: (From I-95) Turn left on Atlantic Blvd. and head west to State Rd. 7 (441). Turn right to fourth left turn which is Park Drive. Turn left, go two blocks and library is on corner of Park Dr. and NW 58th Ave.

Phone: 954 968-3800

Hours:
Sunday: Closed
Monday, Thursday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Although it is much bigger than a closet (which some say was the origin of this library), the Margate Catherine Young Branch is one of the smaller and cozier libraries in Broward County. This library seems approachable, not overwhelming. And the staff gets to know their customers, whom they see over and over again. They get to know what their customers read, what they like, and staff will worry about them if they don't appear for awhile. And since many of the staff members have been there for years, they have seen the young people growing up.

This branch began its existence in 1963 in the Margate City Hall in a very tiny room (possibly a closet), with Catharine Young as its first librarian. The present building at 5810 Park Drive was opened to the public in October 1978 and then one year later became part of the Broward County Library System. The branch was renovated in 2005 with Bond issue funds and expanded to half-again its size.

The library is big enough to be interesting, and if the resources aren't there on the premises, materials can be easily borrowed from the nearby North Regional/BCC Library.

This is multi-cultural area and the branch has Hispanic and Haitian customers, as well as South American and Portuguese. The library serves them through citizenship classes and programs like the English Café, where conversational English is taught in a non-threatening environment. The branch also offers basic computer classes and book discussions in Spanish and English. As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, the branch is holding a salsa dancing event "Salsa con Salsa" with recipes for salsa cooking.

There are lots of children who use the library, including neighborhood kids from the nearby middle school and high school. There are programs for young children, like Preschool Story Time and Family Story Time, and kids' parties during seasonal celebrations. Sometimes magicians, storytellers and entertainers will come to visit. And older children enjoyed celebrating Harry Potter parties.

There are a lot of condo and snowbird customers, and the library offers activities to help stimulate their minds. From October through May, the library hosts a Friends of the Library fundraising event that has proven very popular for 20 years-for a small fee customers can attend a weekly presentation on world affairs by noted lecturer Ethne Chesterman.

As in most of our branch libraries, DVD movies are hot items as well as the best-selling books. There is a great amount of library materials circulating at this branch, which is good because there would be no room to store all those materials in the building.

Also popular is a table of public access computers. The library has Wi-Fi access for laptop computers and other electronic devices that customers may wish to bring with them.

This branch tries to hold a musical event at least every other month and there is a grand piano in the auditorium for concerts and recitals. The library has a strong Friends group that sponsors concerts, lectures, book reviews and other cultural activities for thousands of residents.

Library Features:

• DVDs
• CDs
• Large-Print Books
• Books in other languages
• 26 Public Use Computers (20 in Adult area and 6 in Youth Services area)
• Self-Checkout Machine
• Outside Book Drop
• Tutoring Room
• Conference Room (up to 12 people)
• 186-Person Auditorium
• Free parking, 75+ spaces

Volunteers:  For volunteer opportunities, please call 954-968-3800

Art in Public Places: Leslie Fry;s Leaves of Knowledge.