The Library is a community service organization that provides access and connects people to information, resources, materials, technology, and experiences to make a positive difference in their lives.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library (EBRPL) was established in 1939 with a collection of second-hand donated books. During its first three years, the library established eight additional library branches to service the Baton Rouge area.

Today, EBRPL is comprised of a Main Library and 13 community or regional branch libraries, and several bookmobiles. With a staff of more than 540 employees, the Library is open a cumulative total of 958 hours weekly. Additional outreach service is provided on a regular basis to area schools, day care centers, retirement centers, and various community centers.

The Library’s collection numbers almost 2 million items. In 2019, our 264,732 registered borrowers made 2,292,168 visits to local libraries, checked out 3,105,034 items, and received assistance with 970,069 reference inquiries. 397,214 people attended a total of 9,646 library programs, and 133,881 patrons attended community meetings in Library meeting rooms.

EBRPL is the recipient of numerous national and state awards including the Modisette Award for Excellence from the Louisiana Library Association and the President’s Coming Up Taller Award. Recently, the Library received a Starred Ranking from Library Journal for the eighth consecutive year.

Your East Baton Rouge Parish Library is almost entirely funded by a 10-year, dedicated property tax since 1986. Proceeds from this tax fund ALL library operations including books and non-print material, technology, staff, maintenance and utilities, capital improvements and all other operations. The tax has been funded at 11.1 mils for the past 20 years; it was again renewed by the voters at 11.1 mils on October 24, 2015.