The Riverview Branch Library is part of the Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System and the Hillsborough CountyPublic Library Cooperative. The library is located in Hillsborough County, Florida. The Riverview Branch houses over 70,000 items – books, audiobooks, magazines, music CDs and DVDs – and provides online and internet access to its patrons, via public access computers and Wi-Fi connectivity. The library routinely offers a variety of programs and computer training classes for children, teens, and adults, as well as a community room available for public use. The Friends of the Riverview Library manage the book store located just inside the main doors, and the proceeds from the sales fund special programs events that the Friends provide for the library, as well as help other library operations. On March 3, 2016, a public meeting was held about the proposed expansion/replacement of the Riverview Branch Library, with four sites put forth for consideration. Overall, the new library will be three times larger than the current one. It will feature more meeting spaces, new reading areas, more technology places and separate children's areas. The new library is targeted for completion in the spring of 2020.
History
The Riverview Branch Library opened on November 18, 1979 inside an 8,000-square foot building to serve the populations of Riverview, Gibsonton, and Apollo Beach. The land was donated by the Gardinier Corporation, which was previously being used as a worm farm. Originally, library services were offered via a bookmobile stop called Riverview Station which was placed in a local grocery store. As the needs of the community grew, citizens formed the Riverview Library Association and made plans to build the library itself. In 2008, the size of the parking lot was doubled. In FY18, the Census estimated the population of Riverview, Gibsonton, and Apollo Beach to be at 113,000 people, many of whom visited the library. In all, 103,810 visitors checked out more than 200,000 items from this Riverview Branch Library. This one-room library also had limited computers, access to power device charging, and only one 55-seat meeting room. The Riverview Branch Library was declared functionally obsolete and plans for an expansion/replacement were discussed.
Services
Current materials and services provided at the Riverview Public Library include:
Friends of the Riverview Branch Library book store
Replacement
The replacement Riverview Branch Library will be located at 9951 Balm Riverview Road. It will cover 35,000 square feet and have 8 meeting rooms, along with a designated makerspace, a recording/editing studio, a covered and screened-in reading porch, a separate children's area, the Friends of the Library bookstore, and a vending café. New sustainable features include a solar panelpower system on the building's roof, an electric car charging station, and a focus on native/drought-resistant landscaping. Construction documents were completed and submitted for permitting in October 2018. Expected construction start date is slated for spring 2019. The expected completion date is set for spring 2020. The cost for the new building is estimated at $12.6 million and will be paid from the Library Capital Projects Fund.
