Carnegie Public Library
🏢 Carnegie Public Library of Clarksdale & Coahoma County · Clarksdale, Mississippi
Carnegie Public Library
One of the oldest public libraries in the Mississippi Delta, the Carnegie Public Library opened on April 14, 1914, in a Jacobethan Gothic Revival building funded by a $10,000 Andrew Carnegie grant. Today it anchors 114 Delta Avenue in Clarksdale's historic district, preserves an irreplaceable Mississippi Room of regional photographs and documents, and partners with the Mississippi Digital Library to make its collections accessible statewide.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5:30pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–5:30pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5:30pm |
| Thursday | 9am–5:30pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 114 Delta Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 38614
Phone: (662) 624-4461
Website: cplclarksdale.lib.ms.us
Plus Code: 866F6C3G+F3 (Clarksdale, MS)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Carnegie Public Library
The Carnegie Public Library traces its origins to 1909, when Lillian M. Waddell wrote to Andrew Carnegie's secretary requesting a library grant for Clarksdale. Carnegie approved $10,000 in 1911 on condition that the city purchase land and commit annual funding. Memphis architect Charles O. Pfeil designed a Jacobethan/Gothic Revival building; construction began in 1913, and the library opened on April 14, 1914. By 1917, Coahoma County joined the city in sustaining the institution. In 1923, Clarksdale launched the county's first bookmobile, known as the Book Wagon. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource in the Clarksdale Historic District and was most recently renovated in 1990. The library houses a Mississippi Room dedicated to local and regional history — a collection of historic photographs and documents, including the Clarksdale Historic Photograph Collection and the M.M. Painter Photograph Collection, many of which are digitized through a partnership with the Mississippi Digital Library that earned the library the 2017 Cultural Heritage Digitization Award. Cardholders have access to the statewide MAGNOLIA research databases, hoopla, CloudLibrary eBooks, LearningExpress Library, HeritageQuest Online, and a historical Newspaper Archive.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Gothic Revival landmark built 1914 with a $10,000 Andrew Carnegie grant — one of Mississippi's most intact Carnegie library buildings
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource in the Clarksdale Historic District
- Mississippi Room: rare photographs and documents on Clarksdale and the Delta, partially digitized in partnership with the Mississippi Digital Library (2017 Cultural Heritage Digitization Award)
- Home of the Delta's first bookmobile — the Book Wagon launched here in 1923
- Jointly supported by the City of Clarksdale and Coahoma County since 1917, continuing over a century of public funding
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Carnegie Public Library cardholders access Mississippi's statewide digital resources plus the library's own digital collections free of charge:
📚 Services
- Mississippi Room — local and regional history photographs, documents and genealogy materials
- Mississippi Digital Library digitized collections (Clarksdale Historic Photograph Collection & M.M. Painter Collection)
- Newspaper Archive — historical Clarksdale newspaper digitization
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- Interlibrary loan
- Online catalog at clarksdale.biblionix.com
- Reference assistance
🎸 Programs
- Children and youth programming
- Summer Reading Program
- Community events and workshops
- Amnesty Week for waiving overdue fines
- Adult programs and literacy support
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Mississippi Delta
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Clarksdale · Browse all Mississippi libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Carnegie Public Library building historic, and can I visit it as a landmark?
Yes. The building at 114 Delta Avenue, built in 1914 to designs by Memphis architect Charles O. Pfeil, is a Jacobethan/Gothic Revival structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing resource in the Clarksdale Historic District. It is open to the public during regular library hours and remains one of the most intact Carnegie library buildings in Mississippi.
What is the Mississippi Room at Carnegie Public Library?
The Mississippi Room is the library's local-history collection, housing photographs, documents, and records documenting Clarksdale and the broader Delta region. It includes the Clarksdale Historic Photograph Collection and the M.M. Painter Photograph Collection. Many items have been digitized in partnership with the Mississippi Digital Library, which recognized the library with its 2017 Cultural Heritage Digitization Award.
What was the Book Wagon, and how does it connect to Carnegie Public Library?
The Book Wagon was Coahoma County's first bookmobile, launched by Carnegie Public Library in 1923 to bring library services to rural residents throughout the county. It was one of the earliest such services in the Mississippi Delta region.
What digital resources can I access with a Carnegie Public Library card?
Cardholders can access MAGNOLIA statewide research databases, hoopla (movies, music, eBooks and comics with no waitlists), CloudLibrary for downloadable eBooks and audiobooks, HeritageQuest Online for genealogy research, and LearningExpress Library for test prep and skill-building courses — all free.
📜 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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