A women's group in Gainesville organized a literary society called the Twentieth Century Club.

The club issued a call for donated material and money to help initiate the town's first library.

The Twentieth Century Club opened a library in the Miller Law Exchange with assistance of 200 donated books and a yearly fee of two dollars.

To be eligible for Carnegie funds to build a library, the city was required to pay 1000 dollars a year to acquire the deed to 419 East University Avenue.

Branch libraries were opened in High Springs, Hawthorne and Micanopy the next year, and a bookmobile was put into service.

In 2008, the Alachua branch underwent a $1.5 million renovation and expansion project that saw the library's size double to 10,000 square feet and included the addition of a drive-up window and specialized areas for both young children and teenagers.

A new, permanent location for the Cone Park Branch Library was opened near the Eastside Community Center in Gainesville on December 14, 2013.

[11] In January 2017, the Tower Road Branch library began undergoing renovations to add 8,500 square feet of space, which would include additions of a quiet reading room, three study rooms, new restrooms and an expanded children's area, among other features.

[13] A potential user must register in person with proper identification and proof of residency or of ownership of property in the state.

Acceptable forms of identification for a minor include: Library card renewal is required every two years and must be done in person with a photo ID and proof of mailing address.

[16] In 2018 The Alachua County Library District and Alachua County Public Schools partnered in a new initiative aimed at expanding access by providing students in public schools with their own library card for free.

[18] Library card holders can check out and return items at any branch located in Alachua County, including the two bookmobiles.

Audiobooks, eBooks, music, TV shows and movies are available to library card holders as downloadable digital media from the distict's website.

Additionally, any items returned by patrons with damaged or missing parts will result in a standard replacement charge for that individual.

[22][20] Apart from library card privileges, the Alachua County Library District branches offer other services including meeting rooms, events for all ages, ebooks, audiobooks, computer access, free mp3 downloads, downloadable magazines, Wi-Fi, printing, interlibrary loans, proctoring, and literacy tutoring for adults and ESOL learners.

[26][27][28] Working with the University of Florida's Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, the Library District offers sensory storytime, a special storytime open to all children but designed to serve children with sensory integration challenges.

[29] The library district also offers mailing services of print and other materials to the homebound of Alachua County.

[36] The library district is also supported by the ACLD Foundation, which raises money through the sale of name plaques and author galas.