CFFK Awards $5000 to the Friends for Digital Books

During this season of thanks, we are so very grateful to be the recipient of a grant award from Community Foundation of the Florida Keys through their 2023 “Up and Over, for the Keys” program.

The award of $5000 will go to help our library make digital book purchases, beyond the regular library system budget. The Foundation received 113 applications from upper, middle, and lower Keys non-profits, of which 49 received awards.

Libraries must buy licenses for digital books, which often cost twice, sometimes triple what a digital copy would cost an individual. In addition, libraries have to renew the license every two years, unless they buy a perpetual license, which costs far more. So with increased usage, costs have skyrocketed. These funds will help the library reduce wait times for digital books, which right now have an 18-day wait on average.

The Friends Support of Juvenile and Young Adult Collection

The Key West Library offers extensive collections for children and teens, such as novels, non-fiction, picture books, graphic novels and manga, DVDs, and baby board books.  The juvenile and young adult collections account for about 40 percent of the library’s total circulation — huge! — with picture books being the most circulated collection in the children’s library.

In fiscal year 2023, the Key West Library spent more than $22,000 on juvenile and young adult materials. Of that, 46 percent came from the donations of the Friends of the Library. Increasingly, electronic reading — ebooks — is becoming a popular format with both adults and young adults. The circulation numbers are outstanding, and the holds lists for popular titles are growing.