The Islamorada Helen Wadley Branch Library is a branch of the Monroe County Public Library located in Islamorada, Florida.
The building was originally constructed to serve the community as both a storm shelter and school. When classes moved to a new school, the building continued to serve the community above and beyond providing shelter in a storm. During the 1960s Hurricane Donna, the most powerful storm to strike the Keys since 1935, the building offered safety to many of the residents. Built to withstand such a calamity, the building weathered the Category 4 hurricane relatively unscathed. The building has been home to the Islamorada Branch of the Monroe County Library since 1966. Since, there have been two additions to the building, one in 1983 and another in 1999. The storm shelter's former interior cistern was transformed into the library's Florida Room. The historical resource has been filled with books, clippings, and relevant documents illuminating Keys history. It was curated by local historian and former library branch manager Jim Clupper.[1]
In 1983, the library was rededicated to Mrs. Helen Wadley. She served as president of the Friends of the Islamorada Library twice, from 1976 - 1977 and again from 1982 - 1984. If she was not being paid, she was volunteering her time, so it only made sense to dedicate this library branch to her.[2]
The Library offers reading groups, film screenings, technology help, children's programs, community rooms for nonprofit community groups and more.[3]