The Gulf Gate Library was organized because the Bookmobile at its all day stop in the parking lot of the Gulf Gate Mall could not meet the needs of the growing area. The Gulf Gate Library was opened on Nov. 5, 1973, in a 1500 square foot storefront location on Gateway Avenue. Named originally for the Sarasota librarian, it was called the Betty Service Branch Library and opened with a collection of about 4,000 volumes. Trudy Clemence, now head of the reference department at Selby Library, was the librarian, Marian Butler assisted and Helen Minster was our volunteer cataloger. In the first month, 272 patrons were registered and over 3,000 books circulated. The new library was so successful that it quickly outgrew its quarters and in November 1978 moved to a double storefront on Gulf Gate Drive, with Marian Butler as librarian, one full-time and three part-time assistants and thirty volunteers. For the first time there was even room to have a volunteer appreciation event, a tradition which has been continued to the present time. Within a few years it became obvious that larger library quarters were desperately needed. When Leslie Shoemaker donated land in memory of his first wife, a dedicated group of Friends began fundraising in earnest, under the leadership of Ann Marbut. On Dec. 5, 1983, Gulf Gate Library opened with three full-time professional librarians: Marian Butler as director, Anne Currin in reference, Mary Snyder as youth librarian, two full-time and five part-time assistants. To keep pace with the growth of our community, our collection and our circulation, the number of volunteers has grown to over two hundred active men and women. Volunteers will continue to be an essential part of Gulf Gate Library’s future success, as they have been for the last twenty-five years.