The Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library was dedicated and opened to the public on December 11, 2000. The facility is named in honor of Jan Kaminis Platt, who has served the community for over 20 years as a member of the Tampa City Council and as a Hillsborough County Commissioner. A fervent advocate for libraries, she was named to the American Library Association's "Freedom to Read Honor Roll" and received the "Best Friend of the Year" award from the Friends of the Library of Hillsborough County, Inc. in 1999.

The 25,000 square foot regional library, the 22nd branch in the county's library system, serves the south Tampa community seven days a week with a full range of services and programs for customers of all ages.

The facility includes two meeting rooms for public use, the Hillsborough Talking Book Library, and a new innovation: a drive-thru window for convenient check out and return of materials. It also features an opening day collection of nearly 90,000 books, magazines, CDs, videos, and DVDs, as well as computers to access a wide variety of electronic resources including the Internet, Suncoast Free-Net and word processing software.

The distinctive collection of art at the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library enhances the architectural design of the building. Featured throughout the interior is an eclectic collection of works on paper and canvas, glass art and woven copper sculpture by a diverse group of local, regional, national and international award-winning artists. At the entry to the children's section is hand carved panther portico and manatee bench.

The Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library is third and final facility paid for primarily by a special .10 mil fund designated within the Special Library Taxing District approved by the Board of County Commissioners in September 1993.

$4.2 million of the library's construction cost came from this fund. A $500,000 grant from the State of Florida's Division of Library and Information Services also helped finance the facility that was designed by the architectural firm of Gee & Jensen.

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