family and promised to donate enough books to start a town library if he was able to sell his Chautauqua lectures. Money was contributed, but very few lectures occurred, and books were never donated. Money that was to be used for the final payment for the lecture series was instead used to start a library. The first librarian of the library was Ms. Payson Pierce, who offered her own home for book storage as well as opened her home to the public. In 1914, a permanent structure was built. Women of the Library Club supported the library until 1936 when the Clermont City Council agreed to maintain it. In 2002, Cooper Memorial became a branch of the Lake County Library System. East Lake County Library: at 31340 S. County Road 437, Sorrento, FL 32776 Eustis Memorial Library, 120 North Center Street, Eustis, Florida 32726 Fruitland Park Library: First began in 1916 from the donation of books from the Bosanquet and Dwight families. Twenty years later, under the joint support of the women of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, and the Community Methodist Church, it became a community library. In 1970, Fruitland Park Library employed its first salaried librarian. Helen Lehmann Memorial Library: at 17435 Fifth St., Montverde, FL 34756 Lady Lake Public Library: at 225 W. Guava St., Lady Lake, FL 32159 Leesburg Public Library: at 100 E. Main St., Leesburg, FL 34748 Marianne Beck Memorial Library: The Marianne Beck Memorial Library began in 1989 as an Eagle Scout project in a former carport in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. The local community raised $50,000 to remodel a former convenience store that was purchased by the town for the new library. Marion Baysinger Memorial Library: at 756 W. Broad St., Groveland, FL 34736 Minneola Schoolhouse Library: at 100 S. Main Ave., Minneola, FL 34715 Paisley County Library: at 24954 County Road 42, Paisley, FL 32767 Tavares Public Library: at 314 N. New Hampshire, Tavares, FL 32778 Umatilla Public Library: at 412 Hatfield Dr., Umatilla, FL 32784 W.T. Bland Public Library''': at 1995 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora, FL 32757 Elections Lake County has voted Republican in U.S. presidential races since 1948. Voter registration Data comes from the Florida Division of Elections. Education There are a number of public schools in the county. Colleges The following colleges are in the county: Lake-Sumter State College Beacon College Southern Technical College Lake Technical