What Your Florida Library Card Gets You Online for Free

Q: Is Ask a Librarian available 24/7?

Live chat and text are staffed 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday (Eastern Time). Email questions can be sent 24/7.

A Florida library card is worth far more than the books on the shelf. It unlocks statewide databases, live research help, and free ebooks — from anywhere in the state.

By Megan Carter, Library Resources Editor · Updated August 11, 2026

In this guide

The Florida Electronic Library (FEL)
Ask a Librarian: free live research help
Free ebooks, audiobooks and streaming
What's included, at a glance
Where to start near you

Every public library card in Florida — whether you got it in Miami, Tampa or a small Panhandle town — comes with a set of free statewide services that most cardholders never fully use. You can read magazines and research databases from your couch, get a real librarian to help with homework or genealogy by chat, and borrow ebooks and audiobooks without ever visiting a branch. This guide walks through what your card unlocks and where to start among the public libraries in Florida.

The Florida Electronic Library (FEL)

The Florida Electronic Library (FEL) is a state-funded collection of online resources that any Florida resident can use for free with a library card. It brings together licensed databases, full-text magazine and newspaper articles, encyclopedias, and learning tools that would cost hundreds of dollars a year to subscribe to individually. It's the single most valuable — and most overlooked — benefit of a Florida library card, and it works the same whether you live in a big city system or a small county one.

Ask a Librarian: free live research help

Ask a Librarian is Florida's statewide virtual reference service. A real librarian will help you track down a source, start a research project, or figure out which database to use — for free. Live chat and text messaging are staffed 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Eastern Time), and you can send a question by email any time, day or night and get a reply back.

Good to know: Ask a Librarian isn't a chatbot — it connects you to staff at Florida libraries. It's genuinely useful for students, job-seekers and anyone doing family-history research.

Free ebooks, audiobooks and streaming

Almost every Florida library system offers ebooks and downloadable audiobooks through the Libby app, so you can borrow and read on a phone or tablet with just your card number. Many systems also offer streaming film and music. Our guide to borrowing ebooks free with Libby, hoopla and Kanopy explains how to set it up in a few minutes.

What's included, at a glance

Service	What you get	How to access
Florida Electronic Library (FEL)	Databases, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, learning tools	Free with any Florida library card
Ask a Librarian	Live research help by chat, text or email	Chat/text daily (hours vary); email 24/7
Libby ebooks & audiobooks	Borrow ebooks and audiobooks on your phone or tablet	Free app + your library card number
Local branch services	Books, wifi, computers, programs, meeting rooms	Visit your city or county library

Where to start near you

All of these benefits come with a free card from your local system. Pick your city to see branches, hours and contact details: Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Lakeland, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Melbourne and Panama City — or browse the full list of public libraries in Florida.

Planning a trip instead? See our public-library road trip through Florida for eight branches worth a stop, from the Gulf Coast to the Everglades.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Florida Electronic Library?

The Florida Electronic Library (FEL) is a state-funded collection of online databases, magazines, newspapers and learning tools that any Florida resident can use for free with a public library card.

Is Ask a Librarian available 24/7?

Live chat and text are staffed 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday–Sunday (Eastern Time). Email questions can be sent any time, 24/7, and a librarian replies.

Do I need a separate card for the Florida Electronic Library?

No. Your regular free card from any Florida public library gives you access to the Florida Electronic Library and to Ask a Librarian.

How do I borrow ebooks from a Florida library?

Install the free Libby app, add your Florida library card, and you can borrow ebooks and audiobooks instantly. Most Florida systems use Libby.

Megan Carter

Megan Carter is the Library Resources Editor at Public-Libraries.com, where she researches and explains how to get the most out of America’s public libraries — from library cards to free digital resources.