Urban Reading Room 

When the Coral Gables Branch Library closed last year for a long-awaited $3 million renovation, a new, temporary branch was opened at 308 Miracle Mile. While only 20,000 out of the library’s collection of 120,000 “materials” (books, plus video, audio discs, etc.) made the move, they were concentrated in the areas of greatest interest. Among the most popular categories were children’s books, cookbooks, computer books, and anime, which together make up almost two thirds of checkouts. 

If those books don’t match reader interests, the good news is that library-goers have access to any book in the Miami-Dade Public Library System, with the option to transfer a desired book from a different branch within two days or have it delivered straight to your home. Users can search for titles at the library computer or from home at www.mdpls.org

While the new branch is considerably smaller than the main branch (2,200 square feet vs. 28,446 feet) it is a comfortable space that has been well received by the community. The buzz on neighborhood social media is in favor of keeping the space on The Mile even after the main branch reopens this fall. After all, what is more convenient – not to mention symbolic – than to have a public reading room in the heart of the downtown?