About NWRLS
Letter from the Director
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Northwest Regional Library System. NWRLS is a department of Bay County and is headquartered at the Bay County Public Library in Panama City. We have eight locations in Bay, Gulf and Liberty Counties, serving a population of over 193,000 residents. We proudly serve over 39,000 visitors each month who have access to a collection of over 285,000 books, movies, downloadables and more. We offer 113 public computers with internet access, and Wi-Fi is available in all locations. Our customers have access to more than 30 databases, many of which can be accessed 24/7 from any internet computer.
NWRLS offers educational and recreational programs for all ages. Our preschool programs make reading and stories fun for children and families and helps prepare children to enter school with the skills they need to be successful. Our Literacy Department offers one-on-one and group tutoring to help people improve their reading, writing and English, study for the citizenship test and more. Teen and Adult programs are diverse and include musical performances, technology instruction, painting demonstrations, gaming tournaments, book discussions, art exhibits and lectures. The Library is very proud to organize the annual Books Alive Festival of Reading sponsored by the Bay County Public Library Foundation and our many local supporters. Our Foundations and Friends groups provide support, volunteers and funding that makes much of what we do possible.
A must see for residents of Bay County is the Local History Department at the Bay County Public Library. This room is a treasure-trove of local artifacts and information on the history of Bay County. BCPL has recently added the collection and expert staff from the Bay County Law Library which will be available during all of BCPL’s operating hours. Please visit our webpages on the history of the Northwest Regional Library System, our Annual Report and our Long Range Plan for more details about where we have been and where we are going.
Our staff is top notch and committed to providing an exceptional experience for our customers whether they visit in person, on the phone, via chat, text or email. We’re here to connect you with the information you seek.
Thank you for visiting our website. I hope you visit again soon.
Robin Shader
Library Director
