Hialeah Public Libraries — John F. Kennedy Library
🏢 City of Hialeah Public Libraries · Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah Public Libraries — John F. Kennedy Library
The City of Hialeah's flagship library, named for President John F. Kennedy, anchors a system that traces its roots to a 1924 book tea organized by the Hialeah Woman's Club. Renovated in 2017 with colorful murals, new technology and terrazzo floors, the JFK Library is Miami-Dade County's busiest city-operated library — and one of the few in the area offering U.S. passport acceptance services by appointment.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–5:30pm |
| Saturday | 9:30am–5:30pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 190 West 49th Street, Hialeah, FL 33012
Phone: (305) 821-2700
Website: hialeahfl.gov
Plus Code: 76QXVP87+H9 (Hialeah, FL)
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Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Hialeah Public Libraries — John F. Kennedy Library
Hialeah's library story began in 1924 when the Hialeah Woman's Club — led by civic champion Lua Adams Curtiss — hosted a book tea that netted roughly 50 volumes housed in a member's home. The 1926 hurricane wiped out that collection, but the community rebuilt, eventually establishing a city-funded library that moved into the Lua A. Curtiss Branch in 1958. The current John F. Kennedy Library opened in July 1965 as the system's central branch, serving a city that had grown past 100,000 residents. A major renovation completed in March 2017 added art murals, new furniture, computers and polished terrazzo floors. Today the six-location system — one central library plus five neighborhood e-Libraries — serves Hialeah's predominantly Cuban-American population with programming in English and Spanish, a Hialeah History Digital Collection spanning more than 90 years of local history, and passport acceptance services at the JFK branch by appointment.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded in 1924 by the Hialeah Woman's Club and named for Lua Adams Curtiss, mother of aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss
- JFK Library opened July 1965 and was renovated in 2017 with murals, terrazzo floors and modern technology
- Official U.S. Passport Application Acceptance Facility for all ages — appointments at hialeahlibrary.simplybook.me
- Hialeah History Digital Collection of 161,045+ items spanning over 90 years of local records and photographs
- Six-location system (1 central library + 5 neighborhood e-Libraries) serving Hialeah's 230,000+ residents
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Hialeah library cardholders access digital books, streaming, language learning and Florida's statewide databases free of charge:
📚 Services
- U.S. Passport Application Acceptance (by appointment, all ages; $35 execution fee; book at hialeahlibrary.simplybook.me)
- Hialeah History Digital Collection — 161,045+ items of local history, photographs and records
- Chromebook lending for in-library use
- Mobile printing and public computers
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Bilingual reference and reader's advisory (English & Spanish)
- Interlibrary loan through the Miami-Dade library network
🎸 Programs
- ESOL classes in partnership with Miami Dade College
- Citizenship preparation classes
- Café Literario Spanish-language book club
- Ventana al Inglés English conversation program
- Hialeah Makers STEM and creative activities for children
- Homework help for students
- Computer skills and digital literacy workshops
📍 Nearby Libraries in Miami-Dade County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Hialeah JFK Library offer U.S. passport services?
Yes. The John F. Kennedy Library is an official U.S. Passport Application Acceptance Facility. It accepts new applications for all ages and minor renewals (under 16). Appointments are required and can be booked at hialeahlibrary.simplybook.me. The library charges a $35 non-refundable execution fee per applicant in addition to the State Department fee. Passport photos are not available on-site, but a nearby Walgreens can assist.
How did the Hialeah Public Library system get started?
The library traces its roots to 1924, when the Hialeah Woman's Club — led by civic champion Lua Adams Curtiss — held a book tea that collected roughly 50 donated volumes. The 1926 hurricane destroyed that collection, but residents rebuilt the library over the following decades, establishing the Lua A. Curtiss Branch in 1958 and opening the central JFK Library in July 1965. The JFK Library was renovated in 2017 with murals, new technology and polished terrazzo floors.
What is the Hialeah History Digital Collection?
The Hialeah History Digital Collection is an online archive of more than 161,000 primary-source items — photographs, documents, manuscripts, periodicals and video — spanning over 90 years of local history. It is accessible free online through the City of Hialeah's library website and is a key resource for genealogists and local historians researching Miami-Dade County's second-largest city.
Are there any branch libraries besides the JFK Library in Hialeah?
Yes. In addition to the central JFK Library at 190 W 49th Street, the City of Hialeah operates five neighborhood e-Libraries: Curtiss (501 E 4th Ave), West Hialeah (7400 W 24th Ave), North Hialeah (7400 W 10th Ave), Wilde (1701 W 53rd Terrace) and Walker (800 W 29th Street). The e-Libraries are open Monday through Thursday, 3–7 pm, and offer computer access and a rotating book collection.
🛂 This library offers U.S. passport services. See how library passport acceptance works — requirements, fees and appointments — and find other passport acceptance libraries by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
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