Coastal Branch Library

Our Library is located off  Highway 331 South in South Walton just behind the Walton County Government Building.  It is a 12,572’ facility that not only has a great selection of books but offers free public computers with wi-fi.  Available for check out are:  Books, Audio Books, DVD, Books on Tape, Large Print Books, Reference Material, Mobile hotspots, Chromebooks, STEAM kits and literacy tablets. The Library has a Children’s section, a large Community Room for large activities and meetings,  an Historic Section housing archives and a new Historic Video Docu-series. The Library is home to the Friends of the Library resale Book Shop which offers gently used books at greatly reduced prices.  There is a rack of free books as well as well as one of our Lil Library at the Coastal Branch Library.  

Services and Programs at the Library

The Library offers a wealth of enrichment programs for all ages!

Children’s programs:  Preschool Story Time Weekly, Summer Reading Program,  Summer Writing Program, Legos,  Chess.  Esports,  Easter Egg Hunt and special events wih our c ommunity partners.

Children of all ages:  Mad Hatter’s Ball, Father Daughter Dance, Escape Room, Animal Show, Cajun Songs and Stories, Poodle Dog Show, Science Show, the Fun Collection, Under the Sea Dance Party, Sheriff’s Posse Show, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance Environment Show, Reading with Sabine (therapy dog) – just to name of few!

For Teens: Esports, Chess, Escape Room.

For Adults and Seniors:  Book Club, Knitwits, Yoga, Meditation, the Joy of Art, Tai Chi, Emerald Coast Stitchers, Game Day for Seniors (weekly) with the Coastal Seniors and a series of programs from January through March highlighting local history, gardening, travel, archaeology and more.

Art Programs:  The Friends of the Coastal Branch Library are honored to partner with the Cultural Art Alliance of Walton County to present ”Art in Public Places.  Renowned artists display their art throughout the year at the Library for all to enjoy.  Come and enjoy the diversity of the artists in our area. We hold quarterly receptions for the public to view the art and meet the artists! Art is available for purchase from the Artists themselves.

Current and Future Programs from the Friends

The Friends of the Library are proud to announce the funding of an Historic Docu-series featuring local talents and locations. The series will be available on youtube and also at a viewing station in the Historic section of the Library and will feature interesting history, music, tales of old, natural plants and the Muscogee Indian museum and rituals. In the past he Friends helped fund the new audio/visual equipment in the Community Room and are looking forward to contributing to new furniture for Adult Game Garden to be open in2024.

Early Friends of the Library History

On October 20, 1986 an historic meeting took place. Twenty friends got together to plan a lending library for Walton County. They contributed 250 paperback books and opened a part time library in a storefront then know as Cano Square with all volunteer staffing. In October of 1993 the Friends announced a new venture: to start a building fund so the library would have its own building. The Friends Board pledged $250,000 and the Walton County Commissioners matched that pledge. Groundbreaking for the new 12,572 sq. ft facility began on May 15, 2000 located on 331 South.

The Friends of the Library received a very special gift from the Dugas Family Foundation that year – $267,000 – the single largest contribution to the Library. The funds went toward the west wing and the reading garden. For Dugas, the donations to the library was one step in building a better community and greatly appreciated.

The friends continue to this day in supporting, funding and enthusiastic engaging programs for all.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

In 1995, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, to benefit the children of her home county in East Tennessee, USA. Dolly’s vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. The new program gave each child a specially selected book each month. By mailing high quality, age appropriate books directly to their homes, Dolly wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could ensure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income. Today, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library sends more than one million books per month to children around the world inspiring them to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More.

Each month, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a high quality, age appropriate book to all registered children, addressed to them, at no cost to the child’s family.

The Imagination Library partners with Local Affiliates and Partners who help bring the program to cities, towns and communities around the world. As a Local Affilitate the Friends of the Coastal Branch Library are responsible for enrolling children who live within the Walton County. We promote their local programs online and at events.

We are proud to be a Local Affiliate and grateful to receive a Non Profit Agency Funding Award from the Board of Walton County Commissioners securing funds to cover that cost of free books for a year. Books are 100% free to enrolled children because the Friends have secured funds to cover the cost of the books and the shipping fees.

Sign your child up here – free!!!!