West Plains Public Library
🏢 City of West Plains · West Plains, Missouri
West Plains Public Library
The largest public library between Springfield and Memphis, West Plains Public Library anchors Howell County from a 23,500-square-foot building whose 1998 opening was celebrated with a two-mile community book brigade along West Broadway.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 8am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 8am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 8am–5pm |
| Thursday | 8am–5pm |
| Friday | 8am–5pm |
| Saturday | 8am–12pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 750 W Broadway St, West Plains, MO 65775
Phone: (417) 256-4775
Website: westplains.gov
Plus Code: 868CP4JR+72 (West Plains, MO)
📱 Scan for directions
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About West Plains Public Library
West Plains Public Library has served Howell County since its founding in 1895, when citizens established the G. Frank Pease Memorial Library with crucial support from the Women's Library Club. The library outgrew several historic downtown homes — including space on the Howell County courthouse's third floor occupied since 1937 — before a spirited two-mile human book brigade on November 21, 1998 moved 104 volumes to the current purpose-built facility. That 23,500-square-foot building opened November 23, 1998 and today holds roughly 89,000 volumes, making West Plains Public Library the largest public library between Springfield, Missouri and Memphis, Tennessee. The library's catalog is shared through the Missouri Evergreen consortium, so a West Plains card is good at member libraries across the state.
⭐ What makes this library special
- 23,500 sq ft building opened Nov. 23, 1998 — moved in via a two-mile human book-brigade relay
- ~89,000-volume collection; self-described largest public library between Springfield, MO and Memphis, TN
- Dedicated Genealogy Room with microfilm of the West Plains Daily Quill (1907–present), census records & local cemetery archives
- Full digital suite: Hoopla, Libby (Missouri Libraries 2 Go), Kanopy, NewsBank & Heritage Quest genealogy databases
- Year-round programming: weekly Story Time, Chess Club (ages 6–11), adult Book Club, summer reading & monthly movie nights
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
West Plains cardholders can stream, download and research free through Missouri's shared collections:
📚 Services
- Genealogy Room: microfilm of West Plains Daily Quill (1907–present) and Gazette (1944–1947), 1890 Union Veterans/Widows census, Civil War records, county/family histories, cemetery records and high school yearbooks — open to public; Heritage Quest online requires a card
- Children's room with play area and Plug-and-Play audiobooks
- Separate teen/youth area
- Public computers, internet access and printing
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Community meeting room available for local groups
- Interlibrary loan and material request via Missouri Evergreen
- Free cards for West Plains city residents; Howell County non-city residents $40/yr; out-of-county $40/yr (physical materials only)
- MSU–West Plains student and faculty/staff cards at no charge
🎸 Programs
- Weekly Story Time for children (Tuesdays, two sessions: 10–11 a.m. and 3:45–4:45 p.m.)
- Chess Club for children ages 6–11 (Mondays)
- The Bookshelf Book Club (adult, monthly in-person)
- Summer Reading Program for children (ages 0–11) and teens (ages 12–18)
- Monthly movie nights
- Friends of the Library monthly meetings
📍 Other Missouri Public Libraries
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in West Plains · Browse all Missouri libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What records does the Genealogy Room hold, and do I need a library card to use it?
The Genealogy Room holds microfilm of the West Plains Daily Quill from 1907 to the present, the West Plains Gazette (1944–1947), 1890 Union Veterans and Widows census schedules, Civil War records, county and family histories, cemetery records, and local high school yearbooks. Most physical materials are open to any visitor without a card; online Heritage Quest access requires a current West Plains Public Library card.
How did the library end up on West Broadway, and what was the 1998 'book brigade'?
On November 21, 1998, West Plains residents formed a two-mile human chain to pass 104 volumes hand-to-hand from the old East Main Street building to the new West Broadway site. The 23,500-square-foot building officially opened two days later on November 23, 1998, replacing a series of makeshift homes the library had occupied since 1895 — including decades in a room on the Howell County courthouse's third floor.
Do Howell County residents outside West Plains city limits pay for a library card?
Yes. Cards are free for residents within West Plains city limits. Howell County residents who live outside city limits pay $40 per household per year. Out-of-county residents may also get a card for $40/yr but are limited to borrowing physical materials — digital services such as Hoopla, Libby, and Kanopy are not included for out-of-county cardholders.
Why does West Plains Public Library call itself the largest between Springfield and Memphis?
West Plains sits in the heart of the Ozarks, roughly 90 miles southeast of Springfield and with no large city until Memphis — about 240 miles away. With roughly 89,000 volumes and 23,500 square feet, the library serves as the dominant public library resource across a wide swath of south-central Missouri and northern Arkansas, a distinction noted in regional tourism and historical sources.
📜 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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