Oran Branch — Riverside Regional Library
🏢 Riverside Regional Library · Oran, Missouri
Oran Branch — Riverside Regional Library
The Oran Branch of Riverside Regional Library serves a Scott County community with a distinctly international name — Oran was named in 1869 by retired sea captain Ward L. Smith for the Algerian port city he had visited on his voyages. Located at 120 Mountain Street, the branch opens Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, bringing books and free Missouri Evergreen digital resources to southeastern Missouri's bootheel region.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–6pm |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 9am–12pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 120 Mountain St, Oran, MO 63771
Phone: (573) 262-3745
Website: riversideregionallibrary.org
Plus Code: 869G38PV+CR (Oran, MO)
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📖 About Oran Branch — Riverside Regional Library
Oran, Missouri sits in Scott County's Sylvania Township, a small city of about 1,200 whose name traces to a retired sailor's wanderlust: Captain Ward L. Smith, who bought land near the original Sylvania settlement in 1869, renamed it for Oran, Algeria — a city he had visited at sea. The town grew on the Belmont Branch of the Iron Mountain Railroad and the St. Louis and Gulf Branch of the Frisco, making it a rail-junction community in the flat Mississippi bootheel region. Early settlers included German-Alsatian Catholic families who established Guardian Angel Parish in 1893. The Oran Branch of Riverside Regional Library has brought library service to this community as part of the three-county system serving Cape Girardeau, Perry, and Scott counties, giving Oran residents access to books, free computers, and the statewide Missouri Evergreen digital catalog.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Located in Oran — named in 1869 by retired sea captain Ward L. Smith for Oran, Algeria, which he visited on his voyages
- Serves a historic rail-junction community with German-Alsatian Catholic roots dating to 1893
- Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings — a consistent schedule for Scott County residents
- Branch of Riverside Regional Library, part of Missouri Evergreen shared catalog
- Free eBooks, audiobooks, MOREnet research databases, and genealogy resources with a library card
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Oran Branch cardholders access free digital resources through Missouri Evergreen and the statewide MOREnet program:
📚 Services
- Book lending and interlibrary loan through Missouri Evergreen
- Free public computers and Wi-Fi
- Downloadable eBooks and audiobooks via Libby and hoopla
- Genealogy and local-history research resources including HeritageQuest and Missouri Digital Heritage
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
🎸 Programs
- Summer reading program for children and adults
- Youth storytimes and family events
- Community programming coordinated with the Riverside Regional Library system
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southeast Missouri
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did the town of Oran get such an unusual name for a Missouri community?
The town started as the settlement of Sylvania in Scott County's Sylvania Township. After it was laid out in 1868 and briefly renamed St. Cloud, retired sea captain Ward L. Smith — who had bought nearby land in 1869 — renamed it Oran for the Algerian port city he had visited on his voyages. It's one of very few American towns named for an African city, a legacy of one sailor's memories of the Mediterranean world.
Which days is the Oran Branch open, and is it open Saturday mornings?
Yes — the Oran Branch is open Monday 9 am–6 pm, Wednesday 9 am–6 pm, Thursday 9 am–6 pm, and Saturday 9 am–12 pm. It is closed Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. Call (573) 262-3745 or check riversideregionallibrary.org for holiday-closure updates.
Can I borrow eBooks from the Oran Branch without visiting in person?
Yes. With a Riverside Regional Library card you can use Libby (libbyapp.com or the Libby app) to borrow eBooks and audiobooks from the Missouri Evergreen shared catalog anytime, and hoopla (hoopladigital.com) for instant, no-waitlist borrows of eBooks, audiobooks, comics, movies, and music — all free, all available 24/7 from any device.
What is the history of Catholic settlement in Oran, and are there genealogy resources to research it?
German-Alsatian Catholic families established Guardian Angel Parish in Oran in 1893, one of several Catholic communities that took root in Scott County's largely Protestant bootheel region. Cardholders can research those family lines through HeritageQuest (census records, local histories) and Missouri Digital Heritage, both available free online through MOREnet's statewide library program with your Oran Branch card.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.