ST CROIX — “Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve and contribute to improving our quality of life.” // Sidney Sheldon – American writer and producer.
For almost seven years, Florence Williams Public Library in downtown Christiansted was closed to the public after the devastating category 5 hurricanes of 2017. The new and improved four- story library reopened in April 2024 with two levels dedicated to book lined shelves and a state- of-the-art computer area with the latest software programs. Visitors have access to digital audio books which are part of the integration of the Library for the Blind and Physically Challenged. Additionally, the library’s multipurpose room, which features video conferencing capabilities, host community events and other gatherings for the public.
Located in the heart of the Christiansted historical district, the library was named for the first native librarian in St. Croix, Florence Augusta Stephens Williams and was dedicated on September 15, 1974. Today, the fully air-conditioned library is equipped with Wi-Fi, comfortable reading lounge areas, archives and special collections, a photo duplication lab, and government documents. With funding contributions from the Department of Interior and Federal Emergency Management Agency, the $702,775 recovery project was completed by Heights Construction & Supply LLC. Florence Williams Public Library showcases a celebration of local culture within its walls. Brightly colored murals and framed paintings from renowned Crucians artists can be seen throughout the space, adding a touch of artistic beauty that one must experience firsthand. One of the newest additions to the Florence Williams Public Library is the children’s room, which pays homage to the territory’s native history of the Taino, Carib and Arawak people. Here, children can get lost in a world of imagination within a Taino hut that provides a fun space for reading.
At the library’s ribbon cutting ceremony, Senate President Novelle Francis Jr. spoke of the critical role libraries play in today’s digital age. “For those in the community who question whether investments in our libraries are needed in this age of Google — consider that libraries are more than checking out books. Libraries are where we access information and resources, both traditionally and digitally,” he said, calling them a hub for community meetings that promote civic and social engagement and home to “our archives, our culture, our history.”
Florence Williams Public Library is located at 1122 King Street in downtown Christiansted on the corner of King Street and King Cross Street. It is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 10am to 5pm. For more information, call 340.773.5715.
Written by Anquanette Gaspard
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