Welcome to the Rapides Parish Library Website!
The Rapides Parish Library is a medium-size public library, serving Rapides Parish (county) located in central Louisiana. The library consists of a Main Library, 5 urban branches, 4 rural branches, a bookmobile, a van service to the homebound and a van service to child development centers.
Our Mission
The mission of the Rapides Parish Library is to promote lifelong learning, enhanced quality of life, and literacy through print, audiovisual and electronic resources. The Library staff ensures that all citizens receive the maximum value from available informational, educational and recreational materials.
The Library Board is an all-volunteer body of local citizens. The Police Jury appoints the Library Board, with each juror appointing the member from his/her district. Library Board members serve 5 year terms, with one possible renewal. It is the responsibility of the board to set library policy, oversee the financial functions of the library and to hire the director. The Library Board meets each month, on the third Tuesday of the month, at 3:30 PM, usually at our administrative offices.
We sponsor free and interesting literary programs for the community. Friends provide the Library with volunteers and extra money for books, furniture, and equipment. Friends of the Library believe that good library service is important to everyone. They are ready to help the Library in any way possible. They also receive a quarterly newsletter informing them about what's happening at the Library.
Now you can print the membership form on your computer and just bring it with you when you come in.
The Rapides Parish Library began as an experimental "demonstration" library project by the Louisiana State Library in the early 1940s. During the 1930s, Louisiana's rural population was one of the least read sections of the nation, and so the State Library undertook a bold project to provide Louisiana residents with library materials.
Read our annual reports
The administrative offices of the Rapides Parish Library System are housed in the Huie-Dellmon House located one block behind the Main Library.
See what positions we are trying to fill and determine if you're the right person.
Our outreach services department is responsible for not only bringing the library to those who cannot come to the library, but also for creating events and programming to interest people in coming into the library.
Support services do the background work from purchasing the books, to making sure they get where they need to be, as well as borrowing books from other libraries to increase the books our customers can borrow.
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| Ask Reference |
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We now provide free wireless internet at all our locations. Ask a staff member for details
Join the Online Book Clubs |
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 | Book Clubs
Read books |
| HomeworkLA.org |
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| Tumble Books |
Online books, games, and activities for children brought to you by the Rapides Parish Library and Tumblebooks.com
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| Louisiana Library Connection Databases |
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Rapides Parish School Board Website
| Library Value |
| Find out how much your local library is worth to you. |
| Online Library Calendar |
| Click here to see our online calendar. |
| Storytimes |
| Click here to see when Story Time is at your local branch |
| Construction Blogs |
| View the blogs recording the progress of the construction of our new facilities. |
| Our Catalog |
| Our catalog can be browsed online by clicking here. |
