Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Department of State

Library and Information Services

For assistance, call 850-245-6600 or visit https://dos.myflorida.com/library-archives/

What is the purpose of the division?

The Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services manages the State Library and State Archives, supports public libraries, provides records management services, and is the designated information resource provider for Florida government and all state agencies. The division coordinates and helps to fund the activities of public libraries; provides a framework for statewide library initiatives; provides archival and records management services; and preserves, collects, and makes available the published and unpublished documentary history of the state.

How does the Division provide its major services?

The division provides resources and services at the R.A. Gray Building in Tallahassee, the Capitol Branch located in the Capitol, the State Records Center and online.
  • State Library of Florida provides reference and research services. Services provided specifically for state employees include interlibrary loans with work site and desktop delivery.  In addition, the Library provides remote access to professional journals, online newspapers, and a variety of other information.
  • State Archives of Florida provides public access to its collection on-site and via the Florida Memory website. An online catalog indexes and describes the materials in the many public records series, historical manuscript collections, and genealogical collection.
  • Library Development provides support to libraries throughout Florida and administers state and federal grants to support and improve their services. The libraries and grants web-based system provides grants management, electronic submission of grant applications, and information for and about Florida libraries.
  • Records Management provides professional assistance to state and local government agencies in managing government records and information. The program establishes records rendition schedules, which set minimum retention periods for public agency records. The program also provides individual and group training sessions on a variety of public records management topics. The program also operates the State Records Center, which offers public agencies low-cost storage, next-day reference service deliveries for paper records, disposal of inactive paper records, and security microfilm and electronic records storage. In addition, the program administers the Capital Postconviction Records Repository, which receives, maintains, and indexes copies of public records submitted by law enforcement, investigative or other agencies with custody of records related to capital cases and provides copies to attorneys and courts for postconviction proceedings.

What is the difference between the Capitol Branch Library, the State Library, and the State Archives?

  • Capitol Branch Library is located on the seventh floor of the Capitol. It provides information and research services to Legislative staff and elected officials. Comprehensive legislative and legal materials are held at the State Library's Capitol Branch.
  • State Library is open to the public and its collections include more than one million items in a variety of formats. The circulating book collection covers a wide range of subjects, with areas of concentration in public administration and government, social sciences, education, library and information science, business, and computer applications. The reference collection includes directories, statistical data books, almanacs, encyclopedias, and other standard reference tools. In addition, the Florida publications collection comprises publications from Florida's territorial period to the present, and the federal publications collection has federal publications that relate to interests and concerns of Floridians. The State Library also houses the Florida collection, which is one of the most comprehensive collections of Floridiana that includes books, manuscripts, maps, memorabilia, periodicals, and other items.
  • State Archives of Florida collects, preserves, and makes available for research the historically significant records of the state, as well as private manuscripts, local government records, photographs, and other materials that complement the official state record. The State Archives’ collections include almost 50,000 cubic feet of original records in traditional paper formats as well as analog and digital audio, video and photographic materials. The Archives’ Florida Photographic collection contains close to a million still images illustrating Florida’s people, communities, environments, pastimes, work and government dating from the beginning of photography to the current time.

What is the Florida Electronic Library?

Florida Electronic Library (FEL) is a gateway to electronic resources that offer access to comprehensive, accurate, and reliable information. The FEL is available to all Florida residents including students in Florida's K-12 schools, universities, and colleges. The FEL can be accessed 24 hours a day from any location with internet access.

How are these activities funded?

The division is funded through general revenue and two trust funds-the Federal Grants Trust Fund and the Records Management Trust Fund. The Federal Grants Trust Fund is authorized by s. 20.105, Florida Statutes, and includes restrictive federal grants used to fund activities within the program. The Records Management Trust Fund is authorized by s. 257.375 Florida Statutes, and is composed of fees collected for the division's records management and archival services.
Fiscal Year: 2023-24
Fund Dollars Positions
PROGRAM: LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES
LIBRARY, ARCHIVES AND INFORMATION SERVICES
44,324,731
69.00
TOTAL
44,324,731
69.00

Updates

Grants to Local Libraries. In Fiscal Year 2022-23, the total available funding for State Aid to Libraries grants was $19,304,072. The available funding in Fiscal Year 2022-23 was similar to  the funding received in the previous fiscal year.

Statutorily Required Reports. The 2023 Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-41, Laws of Florida, which requires the Division of Library and Information Services within the Department of State to create and administer an Internet-based system to which state agencies, water management districts, and other state entities must electronically submit their statutorily required reports. The online system must be implemented by January 1, 2024, and must allow members of the public to search for and access statutorily required reports by recipient, submitter, date, applicable statute, title, topic, or keyword. The law requires the division to compile a list of statutorily required reports and their submission dates by November 1, 2023.

Where can I find related OPPAGA reports?

A complete list of related OPPAGA reports is available on our website.

Where can I get more information?

What are the applicable statutes?

Chapters 119, 257, and 286, Florida Statutes

Whom do I contact for help?

Division of Library and Information Services, 850-245-6600, email: info@dos.myflorida.com
State Library: 850-245-6682

Capitol Branch Library: 850-245-6612
State Archives: 850-245-6719
Library Development: 850-245-6600
Records Management: 850-245-6750
Website