Bay County Public Library as Community Memory
Bay County Public Library, located in Panama City, is just one of Florida’s many libraries offering excellent resources related to Community Memory.
With a dedicated Local History and Genealogy Department, the library is well-equipped to help patrons with their research.
G.M. West family on the beach at St. Andrews Bay (1900)
BCPL’s historical and genealogical offerings include:
- Displays of artifacts owned by or on long-term loan to the library, curated by two staff members.
- More than 16,000 local historical photographs, accessible online through the public catalog and used by local historians, authors, newspapers and many others.
- High-resolution prints of photos in the collection, which locals use to decorate homes and businesses.
- Historical photos posted on BCPL’s Facebook page for Throwback Thursdays to increase awareness of the collection.
- Assistance for patrons’ First Families certification research.
- Only a family descended from those who lived in Bay County prior to 1913 can qualify as a “First Family.”
- The Bay County Genealogical Society administers the program.
Beach in front of the Hang Out
- A quarterly program called “Genealogy After Hours,” which allows attendees to use computers without time limits and pairs them with staff experts and volunteers from the Bay County Genealogical Society.
- Occasional one-time events, such as the Bay County Fishing Heritage program held in 2013 as part of their Bay County Centennial celebration.
To expand their local history and genealogy services, BCPL is:
- Working on a StoryCorps grant to record oral histories, which the library has done in the past in partnership with one of the local Women’s Clubs.
- Working on an outline for genealogy research classes slated to begin next year.
Demolition of the Miracle Strip Tower at Panama City Beach (December 3, 1995)
The library’s director, Robin Shader, says, “Our Local History and Genealogy Department has a very good reputation and great relationships with the local Historical Society and Genealogical Society. Patrons who use the resources in that department comment frequently about how wonderful the staff is and how knowledgeable they are.”
