1963 - 1972 - The Friends of the Fort Lauderdale Library led by Ruth Byrd, Barbara Cooper and Joyce Gardner, and the League of Women Voters, led by Mary Rosen Lawson campaigned to persuade the Board of County Commissioners to form a countywide library system.

1973 - The Broward County Commission approves the establishment of a county library system on January 9 and directs County Administrator Robert Kauth to move forward with plans to hire a county library director. Consultant F. William Summers produces a plan for countywide library service that recommends a large central information facility and neighborhood branches.

1974 - Broward County Library is established as a division of county government with a budget of $1.5 million and a collection of 270,000 books. Stephen Whitney is the director. The new library system begins issuing cards on June 17. There are four library branches: Fort Lauderdale, Riverland, Mizell and Hollywood. During the first year, the city libraries in Lauderdale Lakes, Coral Springs and Miramar join the county system. The Friends of the Broward County Library are formed to create public interest in the new library system.

1975 - The 14-member Library Advisory Board is established, with Barbara Cooper as chair. Pembroke Pines city library joins. A South County library is opened in leased space in Hollywood. The library system's annual budget is $1.7 million. Bookmobile service began in areas of the county without libraries.

1976 - Library outreach service to economically disadvantaged people, called Library-in-Action, is established, headed by Tyrone Bryant and funded by a LSCA grant of $155,736. The library receives another LSCA grant of $29,715 to provide service to blind and physically handicapped people.

1977 - A branch is opened in Tamarac. The city library in Lauderhill joins. Former state librarian Cecil Beach is hired as Broward County Library Director following the departure of Stephen Whitney.

1978 - The city library in Hallandale joins. Talking Books and Books-by-Mail are established. A public improvements bond issue, which includes $31.8 million for libraries, is passed. The Friends of the Library spearheaded the bond issue promotion, called Libraries Don't Grow on Trees. People Build Them.

1979 - The city libraries of Dania, Margate and Sunrise join the county system.

1980 - The new Collier City and Rock Island branches open, funded by a federal block grant to serve economically disadvantaged areas. The Deerfield Beach city library joins the library system.

1981 - North Lauderdale city library joins. The new Hallandale Branch opens, funded by the 1978 bond issue. Von D. Mizell Branch moves to larger leased quarters down the street in a new community center. The Tamarac, Hollywood, Lauderdale Lakes, and Fort Lauderdale branches are expanded and renovated with bond issue funds. The literacy program is established.

1982 - The new Century Plaza Branch opens in leased storefront. New bond issue libraries for Coral Springs and Davie/Cooper City open. The new Carver Ranches Branch opens, funded by a federal block grant. The Miramar, Pembroke Pines, and South County libraries are closed to make way for new facilities. The Broward Public Library Foundation is established to enhance the library system's collections, programs and services beyond the means of public funding.

1983 - New bond issue libraries open: West Regional, South Regional/BCC, Lauderhill City Hall. South Regional is the first joint-use public-college library in Florida.

1984 - The new 260,000 square-foot $49 million Main Library, funded by the 1978 bond issue, opens in April. The eight-story multi-purpose building is hailed as a symbol of the resurgence of business, government, and cultural activity in the downtown Fort Lauderdale area. Florida Center for the Book, the first affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, opens. The library system celebrates its 10th anniversary in October with Book Bash, a huge used book sale and street fair, and a Birthday Bash with entertainment and activities for all ages.

1985 - The library system's collection now has one book for every county resident.

1986 - Lauderhill Mall branched opens in leased space with assistance from the city. Riverland Branch is expanded and renovated with bond issue funds. Document delivery by fax service begins with fax machines at all branches. An annual Staff Development Day is launched.

1987 - The Automated Library Information System (ALIS) is upgraded. Main Library begins service to students and faculty at the FAU/FIU University Tower. BCL's first docent program begins at the Main Library.

1988 - The new Imperial Point Branch opens, partially funded by the 1978 bond issue. The Rock Island Branch is renamed in honor of Tyrone Bryant. Century Plaza Branch moves to larger leased quarters in same shopping center.

1989 - The library celebrates the Year of the Young Reader with a Love Me, Read to Me campaign and the first annual Children's Reading Festival. A Listening and Viewing Center, funded by the Broward Public Library Foundation, opens in the Main Library. Services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people are upgraded with a federally-funded state grant that provides TTY devices for selected branches, TV decoders for loan, and closed-captioned videos. The library's annual budget is $22.2 million.

1990 - A new CD-ROM catalog, called SunCat, is introduced. Samuel F. Morrison becomes the new library director after the promotion of Cecil Beach to Broward County Public Services Department Director.

1991 - Pompano city library joins the county system, adding three branches: Beach Branch, Northwest Branch, Pompano Beach Branch.

1992 - Galt Ocean Mile Reading Center opens in leased space with assistance from the city. The school board's FDLRS media center moves to the Main Library.

1993 - Deerfield Beach Branch is expanded and renovated with assistance from a state construction grant. A new online catalog, called WiseGuide is launched. The school board's professional collection is integrated into the Main Library collection.

1994 - The library system kicks off its 20th anniversary with an appearance by Maya Angelou at the Collier City Branch. The Hollywood Beach Reading Center opens in a community center with assistance from the city. The West Atlantic Branch and the Weston Reading Center open in leased spaces. The North Regional/BCC library opens, the second joint-use public-college facility in Florida. Fort Lauderdale Branch is renovated to add the ArtServe cultural center. Large collections of Spanish materials are added to ten libraries. The SEFLIN Free-Net is launched. The Office of Hispanic Affairs is established.

1995 - New Sunrise Dan Pearl Branch opens, partially funded by a LSCA grant. Dania Beach Branch and Century Plaza moves to larger quarters in leased space. The former Sunrise Branch is renamed Sunset Strip. The library's website is established.

1996 - Broward County Library wins the Library of the Year award from Library Journal and Gale Research. A new BIG (Broward's Information Gateway) library card is introduced and the online information system is renamed BIGCAT. The Broward Community Technology Center opens at the Main Library and computer kiosks are open at malls in Pompano and Pembroke Pines. The Bienes Center for the Literary Arts: The Dianne and Michael Bienes Special Collections and Rare Book Library opens on the sixth floor of the Main Library. Funded by Dianne and Michael Bienes, the 8,300 square-foot facility has a 5,000 item collection, humidity and temperature-controlled stacks, exhibit areas, and spaces for programs and meetings.

1997 - A Women's Resource Center Library opens at Hollywood Medical Center with assistance from Broward County Library.

1998 - The Tamarac Popular Library opens in leased storefront space. The Small Business Resource Center opens at the Main Library, a joint venture with NationsBank. The library's online information system undergoes a major upgrade and conversion to frame-relay data transmission.

1999 - A $139.9 million bond issue, called Better Libraries for a Better Broward, is approved by 72% of voters. The Pembroke Pines Branch opens, the first joint venture of county, city and middle school. The Hollywood Beach Branch is renamed in honor of Bernice P. Oster, and the Dania Beach Branch is renamed in honor of Paul DeMaio. A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center. The library system celebrates its 25th birthday with the theme Building on a Tradition of Service. The library's annual budget is $33.5 million.

2000 - Southwest Regional Library opens at Pembroke Pines Academic Village. It is the first new building funded by the 1999 bond issue and is a joint venture with the city. The new Web version of the library catalog debuts. New Computer Technology Centers open in seven libraries, and 18 libraries get a total of 97 new computers funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Broward County Library is named Florida's first Library of Promise, part of the Governor's Mentoring Initiative.

2001 - Northwest Regional Library opens, funded by the bond issue and the city. The Galt Ocean Mile Reading Center is expanded and the Dania Beach Paul DeMaio Branch and Weston Reading Center both move into larger quarters funded by the bond issue. After many delays, construction begins for the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center. The state-of-the-art $43 million Library Research and Information Technology Center opens at Nova Southeastern University. It is the first public-private library partnership in Florida and the state's largest library, with 325,000 square feet. A Cultural Information Center opens at the Main Library, funded by the Cultural Affairs Division.

2002 - The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center opens at a cost of $14 million. The library's annual budget is $51.1 million.

2003 - The new Stirling Road Branch, a capital project, opens. Robert E. Cannon becomes the new Broward County Library Director after the retirement of Samuel F. Morrison. The new Tamarac Branch, funded by the bond issue, opens. The Tamarac Popular Library moves into the old Tamarac location. The Collier City Branch reopens after extensive expansion and renovation, partly funded by Jim and Jan Moran, and is renamed the Jan Moran Collier City Learning Library.

2004 - The Hallandale Beach Branch and Deerfield Beach Percy White Branch reopen after renovations funded by the 1999 bond issue. The new Lauderhill Towne Centre Library opens. Construction starts on the new Margate Catherine Young Branch expansion and renovation. Construction starts on the Carver Ranches expansion and renovation, funded from the bond issue. Construction starts on the new Northwest Branch Library, funded from the bond issue. Groundbreakings of new replacement libraries from the bond issue include: North Lauderdale, Weston, Hollywood, Sunset Strip, Tyrone Bryant, West Regional, and South Regional.

2005 - The Hallandale Beach Branch Youth Services Section is dedicated in honor of Joanne and Arnold Lanner. The Margate Catherine Young Branch Library reopens after a renovation and expansion adding 5,000 square feet totaling 15,000 square feet. The South Regional/Broward Community College Library breaks ground on a new facility following the guidelines of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.