Library History & Facts

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library System is comprised of a Main Library and 12 community or regional Branch Libraries, and a bookmobile. With a staff of more that 390 employees, the Library is open a cumulative total of 892 hours weekly in these 13 outlets. Additional outreach service is provided on a regular basis to area schools, community centers, retirement centers and the Juvenile Detention Center.

The Library's collection numbers more than 2 million items. In 2007, our 366,065 registered borrowers made 2,125,928 visits to local libraries, checked out 2,307,630 items, received assistance with 695,867 reference inquiries, attended 3,947 programs, and registered over 680,000 visits to the Library's website.  OverDrive, a downloadable E-media service and a new Print Management service were implemented. 

In 1995, the voters renewed a dedicated property tax for the purpose of acquiring property, constructing facilities and improving, maintaining, and operating the East Baton Rouge Parish Library System. This dedicated millage has provided the Library Board of Control opportunities to build new libraries, extend hours in all outlets, spend almost two million dollars annually for books, journals, videotapes, audio cassettes, CDs, and DVDs, and provide new electronic resources throughout the system. In 2005, voters again renewed the Library's dedicated property tax at the same millage rate of 11.1 mills.

Since the tax was first voted in 1986, new libraries, such as Jones Creek, Bluebonnet, Greenwell Springs, Baker, Central, Scotlandville and Zachary, have been constructed. In 2005, expansion of the Delmont Gardens Branch was completed and replacement facilities for Carver and Pride Branches were opened. In 2007, the new Eden Park Branch was opened.  The Eden Park Branch won the Rose Award as well as two Interior Design Awards.  Efforts are underway to build a new Main Library in Independence Park and a branch in the Burbank/Southdowns area. Future plans include siting the new Fairway community branch in the Millerville area and replacing the River Center Branch.

Improved facilities, collections and services have been made and are being provided by your tax dollars. The pay-as-you-go program adopted by the Library Board of Control in 1986 has resulted in no bonded indebtedness and the Library has paid no interest. This type of fiscal planning and budgeting is unique among governmental agencies.

2007 Annual Report