Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library
🏢 Crowley Ridge Regional Library · Jonesboro, Arkansas
Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library
Northeast Arkansas's anchor public library since 1917, the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library serves Jonesboro and eight branch communities through the Crowley Ridge Regional Library system — offering a nationally recognized genealogy collection, free digital resources, and a century of continuous service to Craighead County.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 315 West Oak Avenue, Jonesboro, AR 72401
Phone: (870) 935-5133
Website: libraryinjonesboro.org
Plus Code: 867FR7MR+9W (Jonesboro, AR)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library
Founded in 1917 and incorporated in 1941, the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library has anchored public learning in northeast Arkansas for over a century. The current downtown Jonesboro building opened in 1964 and has grown through five major expansions, most recently a 2,000-square-foot Children's Library addition in 2022. The library is the flagship of the nine-branch Crowley Ridge Regional Library system, serving Craighead and Poinsett counties with more than 164,795 physical items and over 120,000 eBooks. In November 2022, county voters reduced the library's millage from 2 mills to 1 mill, cutting nearly $2 million from its budget and prompting staff reductions and schedule changes effective 2024; a restoration vote failed in November 2024. Despite those headwinds the library continues to offer a free notary, 20+ public computers, and the Arkansas and Genealogy Room — established in 1978 — holding microfilm newspaper archives back to the 1890s.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1917 — over a century of continuous service to Craighead County, making it one of northeast Arkansas's oldest public library institutions
- Arkansas and Genealogy Room (est. 1978) with microfilm newspaper archives to the 1890s and Craighead County census, court, marriage, and tax records
- Nine-branch Crowley Ridge Regional Library system spanning Craighead and Poinsett counties, with 164,795+ physical items and 120,000+ eBooks system-wide
- Free walk-up notary service (no appointment needed) and 20+ public computers plus two Macs in the main building
- 2022 Children's Library expansion added ~2,000 sq ft of new storytime and early-learning space
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Craighead County library cardholders access these digital collections free:
📚 Services
- Free notary service (Adult Services Area, no appointment required)
- Resume review (submit via webform; staff review and advise)
- Public computer center — 20+ Windows PCs plus two Mac computers
- Free high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Arkansas and Genealogy Room with microfilm readers and local history archives
- Bookmobile serving scheduled stops across the county
- Haworth Room meeting space for community events
- Friends of the Library used bookshop
- Friends of the Library Family Activity Center
- Early Learning Kits for young children
- Curbside/accessible pickup services
🎸 Programs
- Murder & Mayhem, Novel Lovers, Cookbook, Film, and Sketchbook book clubs
- Cross-Stitch Club and Knitting Circle (Thursdays at noon in the Genealogy Area)
- Yoga and Zumba fitness classes
- Youth and teen programming and storytimes in the expanded Children's Library
- Summer reading program (all ages)
- Exhibit display space for artistic, civic, cultural, and educational displays
📍 Nearby Libraries in Northeast Arkansas
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Jonesboro · Browse all Arkansas libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Jonesboro library have in-person genealogy resources?
Yes — the Arkansas and Genealogy Room, established in 1978, is one of the library's signature collections. It holds microfilm archives of the Jonesboro Sun dating to 1896 and Craighead County census, court, marriage, and tax records. Staff can help you locate materials, and the library website links to FamilySearch, Find a Grave, and the Genealogy Society of Craighead County Arkansas. Note that staff are not genealogists and cannot conduct research for you; a referral list of local genealogists is available on request.
Can I borrow eBooks and audiobooks with a Craighead County library card?
Yes. The library is a member of the Arkansas Digital Library Consortium (ADLC), so your card unlocks the full ADLC OverDrive collection — over 100,000 titles — through the free Libby app on any phone, tablet, or computer. You can also access digital magazines through the same platform on the day they are released.
How did the library's hours and funding change in recent years?
In November 2022, Craighead County voters approved a petition reducing the library's millage from 2 mills to 1 mill, cutting nearly $2 million from its budget and forcing staff reductions and hour cuts effective January 2024. Voters rejected a proposal to restore the majority of that funding in November 2024. The library has operated with its current leaner schedule since then — Monday through Friday 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.–1 p.m., with Sunday closed.
How many branches does the Craighead County system operate?
The library runs eight locations: the main branch at 315 W. Oak Ave. in Jonesboro plus branches in Brookland, Caraway, Harrisburg, Lake City, Marked Tree, Monette, and Weiner. Together with the Poinsett County library system, these form the nine-branch Crowley Ridge Regional Library cooperative.
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