Jackson Parish Library celebrates 52nd Anniversary at current location

Glen Nash (l) and Faye Hood (r) cut ceremonial ribbon on grand opening of JPL in 1972

Tuesday, September 17th, marked the 52nd year that the Jackson Parish Library has been at their current location of 614 South Polk Street in Jonesboro. A look back at the gala event shows the commemoration began with J.A. Watson, Past President of the Jackson Parish Police Jury providing the Invocation followed Earl Alexander, the current JPPJ President at the time, giving the welcoming address. Librarian, Faye Hood and JPL Board of Controls President, Glen Nash, then cut the ceremonial ribbon leading to Assistant Librarian, Jane Stone, giving all in attendance a tour of the new facility.

A historical review of how the Jackson Parish Library came into being shows that the Louisiana Legislature created the Louisiana Library Commission in 1920, a time when there were no libraries in the state offering parish-wide services. In 1925, the Louisiana Library Commission joined with the great philanthropic Carnegie Corporation to create a network of libraries across the state.

The passage of the Library Law (Act 36) of the 1926 legislature provided for the establishment of financing parish libraries by local Police Juries and stimulated interest in libraries all over the state.

The Jackson Parish Library Board was established in May 1937 with the original members including F.H. Riggs, Mrs. Head, W.H. McLaurian, Mrs. Dr. McBride, J. C. Shows, and S. D. McBride serving as ex-officio member as the Police Jury President at that time. Located on the corner of 4th Street and South Polk Avenue for many years, in 1972 it was moved to the current location.