The Egypt Lake Partnership Library is a collaboration of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System and Hillsborough County Schools. The newly constructed facility houses collections for adults, teens and preschoolers as well as school aged children. There are books, videos, audiotapes and magazines available for checkout by the the community. A variety of materials in Spanish are included.

The Egypt Lake Partnership Library began in the summer of 1997. With help from a Linking Libraries and Communities grant, the public library staffed the school media center during the summer months and offered special programming to encourage the love of reading in children. This same programming was repeated in the summers of 1998 and 1999. In the fall of 1999, the public library began to staff the media center after school hours year round, expanding the traditional summer programming.

Access to the North Tampa Branch Library or the Seminole Heights Branch Library is difficult, at best. The creation of this partnership, with grant money provided through a Linking Libraries and Communities Grant, provides the community with access to many resources commonly found in a branch library within Hillsborough County.

Customers can search THOR, the library catalog, to place holds on materials at other County library branches and pick them up at Egypt Lake. Many electronic resources are available as well such as Gale's Health & Wellness Resource Center, Consulta and ˇInforme! (magazine/newspaper articles).

Internet access is available for the public as well as students. THOR Junior computers have resources designed for children that promote a safe experience on the web.

In September 2000, the school media center and the public library presence moved from a portable classroom to a new 5000 square foot facility facing Lambright Street, near Egypt Lake Elementary School.

Although the public library presence is not available during school hours to the general public, professional staff are available after school, into the evenings and on Saturdays to assist customers with the informational researching and recreational reading needs.

If you have further questions, please feel free to comment on the Egypt Lake Partnership Library.