Columbus-Lowndes Public Library
🏢 Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System · Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus-Lowndes Public Library
The headquarters of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System, this downtown Columbus branch at 314 7th Street North pairs a full public collection with two nationally significant research rooms — the Billups-Garth Archives and the Buckley Genealogy Room — that together preserve more than 1,000 cubic feet of original Columbus and Lowndes County records.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–2pm |
| Saturday | 9am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 314 7th Street North, Columbus, MS 39701
Phone: (662) 329-5300
Website: lowndeslibrary.com
Plus Code: 865HFHXF+6P (Columbus, MS)
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📖 About Columbus-Lowndes Public Library
The Columbus-Lowndes Public Library is the headquarters and main branch of the county library system, which also operates smaller branches in Artesia, Caledonia and Crawford. Located downtown at 314 7th Street North, it serves the city of Columbus and all of Lowndes County with lending collections, public computers, children's programming and community events. The building is best known regionally for its local-history department: the Buckley Genealogy Room — established through a gift from Dr. George Buckley in memory of his wife, Margaret Latimer Buckley — holds over 5,000 books, thousands of periodicals and nearly 1,000 reels of microfilmed newspapers and government records, while the adjoining Billups-Garth Archival Room, supported by the Billups-Garth Foundation since 1992, safeguards more than 1,000 cubic feet of original court records, city minutes, school files, maps, photographs and scrapbooks. The Local History Department dates to 1962 and is one of the deepest genealogical resources in northeast Mississippi. Cardholders also reach Mississippi's statewide MAGNOLIA database consortium free from home.
⭐ What makes this library special
- System headquarters serving Columbus and all of Lowndes County, with satellite branches in Artesia, Caledonia and Crawford
- Billups-Garth Archival Room — supported by the Billups-Garth Foundation since 1992 — holds more than 1,000 cubic feet of original court records, city minutes, school files, maps, photographs and scrapbooks
- Buckley Genealogy Room, a gift of Dr. George Buckley in memory of Margaret Latimer Buckley, with over 5,000 books and nearly 1,000 reels of microfilmed newspapers and records
- Local History Department founded in 1962 — one of northeast Mississippi's deepest genealogy and archival collections
- Free access to Mississippi's statewide MAGNOLIA databases (EBSCO, Britannica, WorldCat) in-branch or from home with a library card
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Columbus-Lowndes cardholders can research, borrow and learn free through Mississippi's statewide digital resources:
📚 Services
- Lending collections for all ages at the Columbus headquarters
- Billups-Garth Archives — original Columbus & Lowndes County documents for on-site research
- Buckley Genealogy Room for family-history and local-history research
- Free public computers, internet access and Wi-Fi
- Printing and copying
- Interlibrary loan for items not held locally
- Reference and research assistance
- Branch service in Artesia, Caledonia and Crawford
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and youth programming
- Summer Reading Program
- Community events and library programming year-round
- Genealogy and local-history research assistance
📍 Nearby Libraries in Northeast Mississippi
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Columbus · Browse all Mississippi libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Billups-Garth Archives and the Buckley Genealogy Room?
They are the two research collections that make the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library a regional destination for local history. The Billups-Garth Archival Room, supported by the Billups-Garth Foundation since 1992, holds more than 1,000 cubic feet of original documents — court records, city minutes, school files, maps, photographs and scrapbooks. The Buckley Genealogy Room, given by Dr. George Buckley in memory of his wife Margaret Latimer Buckley, adds over 5,000 books and nearly 1,000 reels of microfilmed newspapers and government records for family-history research.
When is the downtown Columbus library open?
The main branch at 314 7th Street North is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; it is closed on Sunday. The Local History Department keeps slightly different hours (Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.–2 p.m., and the 1st and 3rd Saturday 9 a.m.–2 p.m.), so plan archival visits accordingly. Hours can change for holidays or weather.
Does the Columbus-Lowndes system have branches outside Columbus?
Yes. In addition to the downtown Columbus headquarters, the system runs three smaller community branches — in Artesia, Caledonia and Crawford — each open a few days a week. A single Lowndes County library card works across all of them, and materials can be requested between locations.
Can I use MAGNOLIA and genealogy databases from home?
MAGNOLIA — Mississippi's statewide database consortium funded by the state legislature — is available remotely at magnolia.lib.ms.us with your library-card credentials and covers EBSCO, Britannica and WorldCat. The specialized genealogy holdings in the Buckley Room and Billups-Garth Archives, however, are on-site collections best used in person with help from the local-history staff.
📜 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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