Northwest Regional Library System
Library in Florida
The Northwest Regional Library System (NWRLS) is a public library system that serves Bay, Gulf, and Liberty Counties in Florida.
History
The first library in Bay County was established in 1911. It was located in Lynn Haven. The library was created by 14 women who met under the name of the Lynn Haven Literary Club. Each of the 14 women donated one book and three magazines to start the library, meeting in different locations to share their love of books and reading. When their collection grew to over 500 volumes, they needed more space. In 1922 the McMullin family donated land and a building located at 9th Street and Ohio Avenue that would become the McMullin Library.
In 1961, the McMullin Library became part of the Northwest Regional Library System. In 1990, following a shortage of funds within the public library system, the city of Lynn Haven took over responsibility of the library, and it is no longer part of the Northwest Regional Library System. The library's name changed from the McMullin Library to the Lynn Haven Public Library to honor the change in ownership.[1]
In January 1914, The Woman’s Club of Panama City formed the Library Association.
The public source identifies “Northwest Regional Library System” as library in Florida. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Northwest, Regional and Library.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Northwest Regional Library System”, the useful work is to connect “library in Florida” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q35189426. VIAF identifies the subject as 137241673. The Library of Congress control number is n83046523. Authority coordinates are 30.169, -85.673. 1 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1911, 1922, 1961 and 1990.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Northwest Regional Library System”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Northwest Regional Library System primary sources, Northwest Regional Library System archive and Northwest research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Northwest Regional Library System”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Northwest Regional Library System” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.