Monroe County Public Library’s Key West Branch to Close for Roof Replacement

The Key West Branch Library, including the Florida Keys History Center, will close to the public beginning Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, for a complete roof replacement. The closure is expected to last approximately four weeks. 

During the closure, library staff will continue serving the community through offsite programs and outreach events. Information about those events, along with project updates, will be posted at keyslibraries.org and on the Key West branch Facebook and Instagram accounts. Patrons may pick up and borrow library materials from the pickup locker and lending machine at Bernstein Park on Stock Island. The Monroe County Public Library also offers a large and growing digital collection of eBooks, audiobooks, streaming video, streaming music, and other online resources. Library staff, including Florida Keys History Center staff, will remain available to answer questions online. You may submit general library questions at keyslibraries.org/contact-us. You can reach the Florida Keys History Center directly at [email protected]. 

“Closing a public facility is never a decision we take lightly, especially one as important to the community as the Key West library,” said Monroe County Administrator Christine Hurley. “At the same time, we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the public facilities and resources entrusted to Monroe County.”

In addition to its expansive collection, the Key West library houses irreplaceable photographs, documents, and historical materials preserved by the Florida Keys History Center. Originally opened in 1959, it was the first location in the countywide library system that now includes five branches in Key West, Big Pine Key, Marathon, Islamorada, and Key Largo.