Marathon Library
Marathon, FL
The Marathon Branch Library, at 14,000 SF of space, serves 8,200 residents of the City of Marathon and the Middle Keys as well as 740,000 annual tourists. It fulfills the County’s vision as the “community’s living room,” with multipurpose meeting spaces as well as its print and media collections, technological and research resources, visitor information, and programming for children, students, families, readers, and researchers.
In addition, the Library provides adult education opportunities for the Monroe County School District, including three classrooms, administrative space, breakroom, and IT room. Programming features GED, ESOL, tax preparation, and computer training. Other meeting spaces on the ground floor comprise a mix of small private conference rooms as well as a larger area that can be partitioned for group presentations. Conversely, the building is sprinkled with unexpected “alone together” USB-supported nooks and crannies with couches and futuristic seating.
The upper floor offers a myriad of activities such as a teen center with video games, yoga and other classes, science lab, summer reading and creative writing programs, seasonal used book sales, job fairs, and other community-oriented events. Decor throughout reflects the natural setting of the Keys, with colorful reference to marine life, fishing, and other aquatic activities.
