Teamwork Makes The Dream Work @ The Library

Every day, our librarians create spaces for connection, discovery, and lifelong learning. Every day, over 2,000 St. Johns County residents use our library system to freely access technology, books, and information. You or someone you know may even be one of them.

As this newsletter “goes to press”, we are celebrating the groundbreaking of our newest partner library in the northeast area of St. Johns County. All the new library projects were identified in the library system’s Master Plan for Facilities as far back as the 1990s, and our “newest” branch library is the Anastasia Island Library, which opened in August 2007. So, I thought it would be timely to share an update on what’s been happening “behind the scenes” with our new libraries and our library project partnerships. You may also follow the progress of these new facilities on the library’s website: New Construction Updates | St. Johns County Public Library System.

Hastings Community Center and Library

The Hastings Library project involves replacing the previous location in the historic Hastings High School building with a new 10,000-square-foot community branch library and Health and Human Services (HHS) annex. This facility is designed to serve both Hastings and southwest St. Johns County. While under construction, both the library and HHS services have temporarily relocated to the W. E. Harris Center as of August 2024. The funding for this project is a combined effort from state and federal sources, focusing on supporting community work, education, and health services. The new Hastings Community Center and Library is expected to open this year.

In April 2024, the Board of County Commissioners approved moving forward with the construction of five regional parks and community centers, which will include new library service outlets specifically in Shearwater, Greenbriar, and Nocatee park locations. Unlike other branches, these new libraries are part of a county-wide initiative that co-locates each library with another county department, aiming to reduce expenses and encourage partnerships. Funding sources include local, state, and federal support. While SJCPLS has previously partnered with the Parks & Recreation Department on program delivery, this marks the first shared regional facility project between the two departments, with an expected timeline of about four years for all projects.

Shearwater Community Park and Library

The Shearwater Library is located next to Trout Creek Academy on Timberwolf Trail, within the Shearwater development in northwest St. Johns County. The groundbreaking event was held in June 2025, and progress on the park amenities and the community center/library structure is being made. This project has the smallest physical library space of the three park partnership projects, with a total of approximately 2600 square feet. In order to maximize the impact of the available space and to align more specifically with Parks & Rec’s target audience of children and families at this site, this location is designed as a specialized children’s library, creating a unique, specialized resource for families in the Shearwater community and fostering a love for reading in young children. It is anticipated that this library will open to the public in mid-2027.

Greenbriar Community Park and Library

The Greenbriar Community Park and Library, located off Rally Road, is another regional partnership project developed to address the county’s growing population. The March 10, 2026, groundbreaking marked the start of this 6,100-square-foot library, which contrasts with the Shearwater branch by providing a full-service offering with a focus on adult and teen resources. The Greenbriar Library is projected to welcome the public in late 2027.

Northeast Community Park and Library

The Northeast Community Park and Library, situated off Diego Plains Road in the Nocatee area, represents the largest of the three Parks & Recreation partnership library projects, with a total area of about 18,000 square feet. Scheduled for a May 1, 2026, groundbreaking, this location will operate as a full-service library with dedicated spaces for children, toddlers, and teens, as well as public meeting and study rooms and technology resources. The anticipated public opening is mid-2028.

In addition to these new libraries, several of our library branches have received maintenance and “beautification” work this past year. We thank the county Facilities staff and our generous Friends of the Library organizations for all their efforts on behalf of our libraries and the improvements to our library facilities.

It’s a great time for libraries in St. Johns County! With six branch library locations and two bookmobiles, our library staff is ready and waiting just for you! Stop in and check us out!