Gulf Gate Library To Set Up Temporary Shop At Sarasota Square Mall

Folks looking to check out a book at Gulf Gate Library can get their groceries at Costco all in one trip for the next year.

The Gulf Gate Library will shutter its doors in December at 7112 Curtiss Ave., so a new library can be built. A temporary location will open in January at the Westfield Sarasota Square Mall in a 20,000-square-foot space beside JCPenny.

"This is an ideal site for the Gulf Gate Library service," said Sarabeth Kalajian, General Manager, Sarasota County Library System. "The mall is convenient for library users, located less than 2 miles from the existing library, with plenty of free parking and easy access to public transportation." 

The temporary location will also be home to the Friends of the Gulf Gate Library Bookstore. 

First opened in 1973, the Gulf Gate Library moved to Curtiss Avenue in 1983. The new Gulf Gate Library is expected to be completed in April 2014.

Funding for the estimated $7.5 million project will come from the penny surtax (1-cent sales tax) and library impact fees, according to the county.