Innovation Fund

The St. Pete Beach Library is dedicated to innovative services, technologies, and databases in order to better serve our residents, visitors, businesses, and neighboring communities, in keeping with the City of St. Pete Beach’s Strategic Plan Vision-2030-PDF (stpetebeach.org) which emphasizes technology, resiliency, and forward thinking.

Past efforts: 

  • The library was an active participant in Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education program titled “Library Leadership in a Digital Age” (2017). As a result of that learning environment the Library undertook a multi-organization effort to digitize historical documents and make them available on the web. Read more about this project here: Gulf Beaches Today (google.com) The collaborative effort earned a 2019 “Power of Libraries” Award from the international library technology provider SirsiDynix. 
  • During the Library’s 2020-2021 renovation emphasis was placed on innovative technologies such as a state of the art, internet connected, endless whiteboard and projection system; a simple-to-use play table to encourage digital competency for ages 3-12; Wi-Fi capabilities that extend to outside the building; and digital charging hubs throughout the public areas.

Hayden and Award picture

Library Leadership in a Digital Age (2017) with Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden (on right), SirsiDynix Power of Libraries Award (2019)

To further encourage efforts in this area former Library staff member Tom DeCair has graciously created a memorial Innovation Fund as an ongoing opportunity to allow tax-deductible contributions (through the Friends of the Library, a 50l(c)3 organization).

Tom Decair picture

Tom DeCair

The intention of this effort is not only to raise funds but to be a catalyst for ideas and partnerships and explore current technologies which can be adapted for use in the library and information sciences framework.

To become a partner organization or suggest an idea suitable for this campaign, please email library@stpetebeach.org 

To make a donation please send checks (with Innovation Fund in the subject field) to Friends of the St. Pete Beach Library, 365 73rd Ave. St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

For electronic (credit card) payments, please CLICK HERE