Memories
People
Oral History Interview: Alan Hirschkorn, 9/11 Firefighter
Alan Hirschkorn served with the New York Fire Department, and responded to the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. In the months following, Alan facilitated in the recovery and cleanup efforts. His health suffered as a...
Events
Oral History Interview with Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon, Chief Curator of the Orlando Museum of Art
It's really exciting to me that Orlando is a young city. It's like a teenage city still trying to find itself. The art scene is actually really exciting because we can play a part in actually helping to shape it,...
Places
The Children's Library Through the Years
The Children's Library in Downtown Orlando
The Albertson Public Library 1923 - 1964
When the Albertson Public Library opened on November 8, 1923, the Children's Room was located on the ground floor or basement on the east side of the bu...
Topics
Library Storytellers Through the Years
ABOVE: Photo of Children's Library staff in the basement around 1994. Standing: Gregg Gronlund, Charlie Hoeck, and Christi Cohen. Sitting: Crystal Sullivan, Stefani Koorey, Sue Wright, Carolyn Rosenblum, and Jane Tracy.
Storytime at the Library
Storytell...
Places
OPL Expansion Plans and Construction Photos 1982-1985
ABOVE: April 20, 1983, looking Northeast with the 1966 OPL in the top right corner.
Expansion of the 60,000 square foot 1966 Orlando Public Library was planned even before it opened on August 7, 1966, however, the people of Orlando probably...
Places
Young Adult Department 1960s -1980s
ABOVE: The Young Adult Department on the first floor in the area now known as the porch or clock area in the Children's Department.
1960s
The Orlando Public Library opened to the public in August 1966, with 60,000 square feet of space...
Places
Orlando Public Library Expansion 1982-1986
OPL Expansion from 60,000 to 290,000 square feet!
From APL to OPL
The Orlando Public Library was dedicated on Sunday, August 7, 1966, replacing the old Albertson Public Library which opened to the public on November 8, 1923. Compared to the old...
Organizations
OCLS Branches - Then and Now
ABOVE: South Trail Library circa 1982.
Orange County Library System Branch Libraries in 1993
Beginning in February 1993, the Friends of the Library Newsletters featured one of the eleven branches each month. The January 1993 newsletter announced the year-long ...
Places
OPL Under Construction 1964-1966
ABOVE: Photo taken December 1, 1965, looking southeast from the AT&T building on Wall Street. Notice how close the new library is to the former Salvation Army Citadel in the lower right corner of the photo. Also, visible is the...
Events
Orlando Public Library Dedication 1966
From APL to OPL
After decades of waiting, construction of the new Albertson Public Library began in October 1964. In May 1965, it was decided that the name of the new library would be the Orlando Public Library. Read a memo...
Organizations
Annual Reports - From Albertson Public Library to OCLS - 1923 to 1979
Above: Cover of the 1960-1961 Annual Report with an actual library card attached.
Annual Reports
The annual reports for the Albertson Public Library run the gamut from simple small reports produced in the 1930s during the financial crisis, to more elaborate re...
Organizations
Albertson Public Library - In the beginning 1921-1931
ABOVE: Postcard of the Albertson Public Library at 165 East Central Avenue at the corner of Central and Rosalind.
Offer Made and Agreement Signed
On November 10, 1921, Captain Charles L. Albertson, a winter resident of Orlando and a retired Police Inspector f...
Organizations
Bookmobiles, Traveling Branches and Library Stations
ABOVE: The Orlando Public Library Traveling Branch and County Bookmobile in front of the 1966 Orlando Public Library.
A Bookmobile for the Library
A proposal for the addition of a bookmobile was presented to the board of the Albertson Public Library by...
Places
Orlando's African American Libraries - From Booker T. Washington to Washington Park
ABOVE: Alice Grace at the Booker T. Washington Library
Plaque Commemorating the Booker T. Washington Library
On December 30, 2001, the Orange County Library System and the Shiloh Baptist Church celebrated the history of the former Booker T. Washington Library ...
Topics
History of the Orange County Library System
Sorosis Club of Orlando
The beginnings of the current Orange County Library System can be traced to the circulating library collection of the Sorosis Club of Orlando. The collection was initially housed on the second floor of the old Armory building...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Cordelia Rentz
Cordelia Rentz was interviewed at the Eatonville Library on April 12, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Cordelia Rentz interview on the Orlando Memory YouTube Channel or rea...
Events
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025
About the Project
The Eatonville History Preservation Project is a collaboration between the Orange County Library System’s Eatonville Branch and eSTEAMED Learning, Inc. that merges the arts of quilting and storytelling to preserve the history and cultur...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Lisa G. Moore
Lisa G. Moore designed and created the Eatonville History Preservation Project quilt.
Learn more about the Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 and the participants.
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Sara Brown
Eatonville Branch manager Sara Brown acted as the project coordinator for the Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025. Sara interviewed Eatonville residents participating in the project on April 9th and 12th 2025.
Sara was also interviewed as...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Vanessa Williams
Eatonville resident Vanessa Williams was interviewed at the Eatonville Library on April 12, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Vanessa Williams' interview on the Orlando ...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Tiletha Wells
Eatonville resident Tiletha Wells was interviewed at the Eatonville Library on April 12, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Tiletha Wells' interview on the Orlando Memory You...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Theo Washington
Eatonville resident and Vice Mayor Theo Washington was interviewed at the Eatonville Branch library on April 9, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Theo Washington's interview...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Gloria Ware
Eatonville resident Gloria Ware was interviewed at the Eatonville Library Branch on April 12, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Ware's interview on the Orlando Memory YouTub...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Nehemiah Wagner
Eatonville resident Nehemiah Wagner was interviewed at the Eatonville Library branch on April 12, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Nehemiah Wagner's interview on the Orland...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Emmett Thompkins
Eatonville resident Emmett Thompkins was interviewed at the Eatonville Library branch on April 12, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Emmett Thompkins' interview on the O...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Dominique Taylor
Eatonville resident Dominique Taylor was interviewed at the Eatonville Library branch on April 9, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Dominique Taylor's interview on the Orlando M...
People
Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 - Judie Stokes
Eatonville resident Judie Stokes was interviewed at the Eatonville Library branch on April 12, 2025 by library branch manager and Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 coordinator Sara Brown.
View Judie Stokes' interview on the Orlando M...
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