Leon County Government partners with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to offer Family Time & Tales, a free video visitation and family literacy program for the inmates at the Leon County Detention Facility and their families.

Video visitation at the library helps children build and strengthen relationships with an incarcerated parent in a family-friendly environment. During the 30-minute visit, children connect with their incarcerated loved ones through a live video feed between the LeRoy Collins Leon County Main Library and the Leon County Detention Facility, allowing them to talk, read, and share stories together.

Schedule a Visit

Video visitation is available by appointment only. Video visitation users can schedule appointments through Securus Technologies and must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Schedule an appointment here.

Sessions are controlled and monitored by Securus Technologies. Visitors must comply with the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library Code of Conduct and the Leon County Sheriff's Office Video Visitation Rules.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact the Library at 850-606-2665.

Hours of Operation

Monday: 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.    
Tuesday: 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 
Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This program is closed on Leon County holidays. Find the holiday schedule here.

Before a Visit

Before your scheduled video visitation, talk to your children about what to expect during the session. Let them know where they will be going, how long the visit will last and what they’ll be doing together with their parent during the session. Saying goodbye at the end can be tough on young children, so reassure them that they can come back to the Library for a video visit in the future.

During a Visit

The video visitation room is located on the third floor of the LeRoy Collins Leon County Main Library, at 200 West Park Avenue. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled visit.

When you arrive at the Leon County Main Library, take the elevator or stairs to the third floor where you’ll be greeted by a friendly librarian who will welcome you to the space. Children then select the book they would like to read with their loved one. When the session begins, children and their incarcerated parent can read the book aloud to one another, which helps bridge conversation gaps, provides a focus for both parent and child, and encourages recreational reading skill development. A selection of books by reading level are available, and children can take the book home as a keepsake at the end of their visit.