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Largo library outlines collection practices, usage and revised display policies
Summary
Library leaders reported collection-development processes, usage statistics and new display/decoration policies; staff described Title Source ordering, a $400,000 annual materials budget and outreach work to maintain access while responding to occasional statements of concern.
Library leaders updated the City Commission on collection management, displays and community input at the May 13 work session, describing how staff select materials, how patrons request titles and how the library handles statements of concern.
Casey McPhee, the library director, summarized organizational structure, collection size and service metrics. She said the library adds roughly 10,000–12,000 physical items a year, maintains about 280,000 items in the collection, and operates with roughly 42 full-time equivalents (about 45 full- and part-time staff). The library’s annual materials budget was reported at about $400,000.
Why it matters: Commissioners asked about selection process, parental choice for children’s materials and the statement-of-concern procedure after recent public attention. Library staff said acquisition decisions use professional reviews and patron requests, and that collection and display policies were revised to clarify roles and consistency across the facility.
Key details and usage figures: Staff reported 2024 circulation returned to pre‑COVID levels (about 881,000 checkouts), roughly 3,000 programs per year and about 57,000 program attendees. The library created about 4,000 new library cards in 2024, bringing active cardholders to about 69,000, and recorded approximately 342,000 visits in 2024. The Largo building is the largest public library facility in Pinellas County at about 90,300 square feet.
Selection process and vendors: The library uses Baker & Taylor’s Title Source 360 platform for much of its ordering, and staff review professional sources such as Library Journal, School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, plus awards lists and circulation data from the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative (PPLC). Librarians, library assistants and clerical staff all play roles in ordering, patron requests and processing; vendor-supplied records are typically delivered shelf-ready.
Children’s and teen services: The children’s wing serves birth through age 12 and, per library policy, children under 13 must not be left alone in that department; the teen room serves grades 6–12 (ages 12–18). Staff said displays in children’s and adult areas are curated to highlight new books and program themes; the administration recently split display and decorations guidance into separate, clearer policies and simplified adult-wing guidance for staff and patrons.
Statement of concern and governance: Since 2019 the library has received six formal statements of concern covering five titles (four children’s books and one adult title). The library advocacy board (appointed by the commission) reviews statement-of-concern forms and makes recommendations to library administration; library staff then respond to petitioners and follow the countywide circulation policy for interlibrary lending and cards.
Awards, outreach and programs: Staff highlighted awards and recognition including the Florida Library Association’s Library of the Year (2018), local awards for innovation and the library’s outreach programs such as a drive-through service and a bookmobile. Staff noted the Greater Largo Library Foundation and Friends of the Largo Library as fundraising partners.
Ending: Commissioners thanked staff for the report and asked for more parent engagement and continued clarity about display materials and the statement-of-concern process. Staff said they will continue outreach and consider additional parent-focused input channels for children’s materials and collections decisions.
