St. James Parish Library
🏢 St. James Parish Public Libraries · Lutcher, Louisiana
St. James Parish Library
St. James Parish Library in Lutcher sits at the heart of St. James Parish, one of Louisiana's nineteen original parishes established in 1807 and famous for its unbroken Mississippi River levee bonfires lit every Christmas Eve to guide Papa Noel downriver. The library at 1879 West Main Street opens its doors at 8 a.m. six days a week, anchoring public reading and research services for a parish shaped by Acadian heritage and the rare cultivation of Perique tobacco.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 8am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 8am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 8am–6pm |
| Thursday | 8am–6pm |
| Friday | 8am–4pm |
| Saturday | 8am–12pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1879 West Main Street, LUTCHER, LA 70071
Phone: (225) 869-3618
Website: stjamesla.com
Plus Code: 862F28W4+5P (LUTCHER, LA)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About St. James Parish Library
St. James Parish Library is the public library of St. James Parish, a narrow strip of Acadian country running along both banks of the Mississippi River roughly 36 miles west of New Orleans. The parish is one of Louisiana's nineteen original parishes, established in 1807, and traces its settled history to 1764 when Acadian exiles arrived from Nova Scotia. Lutcher, the library's home community, was established as a sawmill town by businessman Henry J. Lutcher and is today best known for its Christmas Eve bonfire tradition on the Mississippi levee. The library at 1879 West Main Street serves as the parish's primary public information center, offering free library cards to all St. James Parish residents and providing access to the Louisiana Library Connection — the statewide network of databases, digital tools and eBook lending available to every Louisiana cardholder.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Located in St. James Parish, one of Louisiana's nineteen original parishes established in 1807 with deep Acadian roots dating to 1764
- Serves Lutcher, a Mississippi River town named for sawmill entrepreneur Henry J. Lutcher and famous for its Christmas Eve levee bonfire tradition
- St. James Parish is the only place in the world where Perique tobacco — a rare, slow-fermented varietal — has been cultivated continuously for nearly two centuries
- Early opening at 8 a.m. six days a week makes the library accessible to working-hour residents and students
- Free access to Louisiana Library Connection statewide databases including Britannica, Gale and Mango Languages for all cardholders
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
St. James Parish cardholders can read, research and learn free through Louisiana's statewide digital network:
📚 Services
- Free public library cards for St. James Parish residents
- Public computers and free Wi-Fi
- Printing, copying and fax services
- Interlibrary loan through the Louisiana state library network
- Children's and young adult collections
- Reference and research assistance
- Community meeting and program space
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and youth programming
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Adult literacy and lifelong learning programs
- Community cultural and local history events
- Digital resource and database instruction
📍 Nearby Libraries in the River Parishes
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the St. James Parish Library and where is it located?
St. James Parish Library is the public library serving St. James Parish, Louisiana. The main branch is located at 1879 West Main Street in Lutcher, LA 70071. It is open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.–noon. Call (225) 869-3618 for more information.
Why is St. James Parish historically significant?
St. James Parish is one of Louisiana's nineteen original parishes, established in 1807. Its population traces its roots to Acadian exiles who arrived from Nova Scotia as early as 1764. The parish is also the only place in the world where Perique tobacco — a rare, slow-cured varietal prized in specialty pipe blends — has been grown continuously for nearly two centuries.
What statewide digital resources are available with a St. James Parish library card?
Cardholders get free access to the Louisiana Library Connection, which includes Britannica Online, Gale research databases, Mango Languages and additional learning tools. Libby (OverDrive) provides downloadable eBooks and audiobooks, and hoopla offers instant borrows of digital content with no waitlists — all available 24/7 from any device.
What is the Christmas Eve bonfire tradition in Lutcher?
Every Christmas Eve, residents of Lutcher and neighboring communities along St. James Parish build large bonfires on the Mississippi River levee. The tradition holds that the fires light the way for Papa Noel (the Cajun Santa Claus) as he travels downriver to deliver gifts. The celebration draws visitors from across Louisiana and is one of the most distinctive holiday traditions in the Gulf South.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in October 2026.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.