Public Libraries in Jennings, Louisiana

Louisiana — United States

Public Libraries in Jennings, Louisiana

Home of the Jennings Carnegie Public Library, the oldest established library in Louisiana (1908).

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2

Libraries

Libraries in Jennings

Jefferson Davis Parish Library

📍 118 W. Plaquemine St., Jennings, LA 70546

📞 337-824-1210 · 🕑 Mon/Wed/Thu 9–6, Tue 9–8, Fri 9–3, Sat 10–2, Sun closed

Jennings Carnegie Public Library

📍 303 N. Cary Ave., Jennings, LA 70546

📞 337-821-5517 · 🕑 Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun closed

The Story of the Library in Jennings

The Jennings Carnegie Public Library is the oldest established library in Louisiana, tracing its origins to 1889 when the Jennings Ladies' Library Association opened the town's first public library. After the original building burned in 1901, the association secured a $10,000 Carnegie grant, and the present buff-brick building — designed by the New York firm Whitfield & King in a Palladian style with a domed octagonal corner rotunda — was completed in 1908.

The Carnegie building was expanded with a four-bay south-wing addition in 1952 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 8, 1982. It remains an operating public library run by the City of Jennings, holding local-history collections that include photographs, yearbooks, and Jennings newspapers dating back to 1894.

About Public Libraries in Jennings

Jennings is served by the Jefferson Davis Parish Library, whose headquarters branch sits at 118 W. Plaquemine St., along with the historic Jennings Carnegie Public Library operated by the City of Jennings. Any resident of Jefferson Davis Parish can get a free library card, which unlocks borrowing of books, audiobooks and DVDs, public computers and Wi-Fi, children's programming, and remote access to online research databases at no charge.

The Louisiana Library Connection is a suite of online research databases provided free by the State Library of Louisiana to every resident. With a Jefferson Davis Parish library card you can log in from home to research databases, plus Homework Louisiana, which offers free live tutoring from Tutor.com for students and adults.

📚 What You Can Access

  • 📚 Books, audiobooks, and DVDs to borrow with a free parish card
  • 💻 Free public computers, Wi-Fi, and printing
  • 🔎 Louisiana Library Connection research databases from home
  • 🎓 Homework Louisiana free live tutoring via Tutor.com
  • 🧒 Children’s programs and story times
  • 🏛️ Local-history and genealogy collections at the Carnegie library

🏛️ Quick Facts

Libraries 2 (Jefferson Davis Parish Library HQ + Jennings Carnegie Public Library)
System Jefferson Davis Parish Library / City of Jennings
Parish HQ address 118 W. Plaquemine St., Jennings, LA 70546
Carnegie library address 303 N. Cary Ave., Jennings, LA 70546
Phone 337-824-1210 (Parish HQ) / 337-821-5517 (Carnegie)
Carnegie library opened 1908 (roots to 1889)
Library card Free to Jefferson Davis Parish residents
State resource Louisiana Library Connection

Explore more public libraries in Louisiana

Elton →Belle Chasse →Amite City →Natchitoches →Farmerville →

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hours of the Jefferson Davis Parish Library in Jennings?
The parish headquarters at 118 W. Plaquemine St. is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 AM–6 PM, Tuesday 9 AM–8 PM, Friday 9 AM–3 PM, and Saturday 10 AM–2 PM. It is closed Sunday. Call 337-824-1210 to confirm holiday hours.
Where is the historic Carnegie library in Jennings and when is it open?
The Jennings Carnegie Public Library, a 1908 Carnegie building on the National Register of Historic Places, is at 303 N. Cary Ave., Jennings, LA 70546 and is open Monday through Saturday, 9 AM–5 PM. Its phone number is 337-821-5517.
How do I get a library card in Jennings?
Residents of Jefferson Davis Parish can get a free library card at any Jefferson Davis Parish Library branch by showing a photo ID and proof of a local address. The card lets you borrow materials and log in to the free Louisiana Library Connection databases from home.
Can I access eBooks and online databases for free?
Yes. With a Jefferson Davis Parish library card you get free access to the Louisiana Library Connection research databases and Homework Louisiana live tutoring, both provided statewide by the State Library of Louisiana.


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