As part of Positively Osceola’s 2026 — A New Year, A New Hope series, Osceola Library System leaders Amy Jones and Candice Shields reflect on a year of innovation, partnership, and community engagement while looking ahead to expanding access, discovery, and welcoming spaces for learners of every age.
Under the leadership of Amy Jones, Library Director, and Candice Shields, Assistant Director, the Osceola Library System turns the page on another year full of innovation and growth.
We are incredibly proud of our award-winning staff members being recognized for their efforts this year in Digital Literacy, bringing training to seniors in assisted living facilities; Excellence in Education, recognizing programs for two separate audiences – adults with disabilities, and English language learning; partnership with the Healthy Start Coalition for co-hosting the Community 1st Birthday Party; and Library Innovation for the Walking Library series of educational outings.
We’ve emphasized creating valuable and lasting relationships with community partners that helped elevate our efforts to reach the community with innovative programs and services. With their generous support, we added exciting new things to our collection like blood pressure monitors, digital content, board games, financial literacy content for kids and English language learners, books centered around the American Revolution in honor of America250, and a Memory Lab within TechCentral featuring resources to convert personal memories stored in VHS, cassette, vinyl and more to digital.
The Osceola Library System is focused on being a welcoming hub for learning, discovery and engagement for all ages. Our most popular events are ones that bring the whole family together for interactive, hands-on fun. Highlights include Commissioner Cheryl Grieb’s annual Back to School Bash and backpack giveaway; the Earth Day Celebration in partnership with the City of St. Cloud; “Be My Neighbor Day” with PBS featuring a visit from Daniel Tiger; Summer Learning; and tons of enriching programs and events that happen every day at branches across the county.
The Early Learning Coalition generously facilitated a full makeover of parts of the Children’s area within Hart Memorial Library with the addition of an immersive Early Learn Hub. And we are especially proud of being the first public library in Florida to host the Mobile Museums of Tolerance, a powerful, interactive educational experience that will be returning very soon to our locations this year.
The biggest challenges we face are in getting the word out about our wealth of resources and opportunities, and expanding to meet the needs of a rapidly growing county. Where there’s a new neighborhood, we want to be there, providing convenient, enriching spaces, services, programs and collections.
We hope that in this new year we see more new faces come through our doors and light up with discovery. We hope that the launch of OLLie, our new Mobile Library Unit, will expand our reach to new neighborhoods. We hope to continue to offer enriching and engaging programs for all ages, and continue to strengthen our partnerships and connection with our community.
Amy Jones and Candice Shields
Osceola Library System
