King Family Library
🏢 Sevier County Public Library System · Sevierville, Tennessee
King Family Library
The 41,000-square-foot King Family Library opened May 14, 2010, as the flagship of the Sevier County Public Library System at 408 High Street in Sevierville, a short drive from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Named for the King family — whose lead donation of $1 million followed a tradition started by their grandfather A.J. King in 1966 — it hosts more than 400 programs a year and houses the Rel & Wilma Maples History Center, one of East Tennessee's premier genealogy research facilities.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–6pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 408 High Street, Sevierville, TN 37862
Phone: (865) 453-3532
Website: sevierlibrary.org
Plus Code: 867RVC7R+GM (Sevierville, TN)
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📖 About King Family Library
Sevier County's library history begins in 1921, when businessman Fred P. Rawlings obtained 200 books from the War Surplus Department of the American Library Association and rallied 54 community members to pledge $233.50 for the collection. The library officially opened in 1922 in donated space at the Sevierville Masonic Lodge. After joining the Tennessee State Library System's Nolichucky Regional Library in 1947 and securing grants for a dedicated 5,552-square-foot building on Court Avenue in 1968 — with A.J. King making the lead private donation of $1,000 — the system grew steadily. In January 2007, Danny and Liz King announced a $1 million lead gift to build a new main library, following in their grandfather's footsteps. The campaign ultimately raised $11.9 million. The resulting three-story, 41,000-square-foot King Family Library opened May 14, 2010, featuring a grand vaulted reading room, a computer lab, a children's center, a café, and conference rooms. Its third floor houses the Rel & Wilma Maples History Center, staffed by a trained genealogist, with access to Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest, and decades of collected Sevier County primary sources.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Three-story, 41,000-square-foot flagship library opened May 14, 2010, named for the King family whose $1 million donation anchored an $11.9 million community campaign
- Library history dating to 1922, when Fred P. Rawlings rallied Sevierville residents to open the county's first library in the Masonic Lodge
- Rel & Wilma Maples History Center on the third floor — one of East Tennessee's leading genealogy and local history research facilities, with a staff genealogist and Ancestry.com on-site
- More than 400 programs a year for all ages, from children's storytime to adult literacy and cultural events
- Vaulted grand reading room, café, conference rooms, and media center — comparable to metropolitan libraries in scope and resources
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Sevier County library card holders can access a wide range of free digital resources from home:
📚 Services
- Rel & Wilma Maples History Center — genealogy and local history research with staff genealogist
- Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest available on-site
- Public computers, computer lab & free Wi-Fi
- Media center and makerspace
- Interlibrary loan services
- Meeting rooms and conference rooms
- Café on-site
- Multiple service point desks including children's and reference
- Card catalog and library card registration
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytime and early literacy programming
- Youth summer reading challenge
- Teen and young adult programs
- Adult literacy and lifelong learning
- Genealogy workshops and History Center events
- Cultural and community programs (400+ per year)
📍 Nearby Libraries in East Tennessee
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Sevierville · Browse all Tennessee libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the King Family Library named after?
The library is named for the King family of Sevier County. In January 2007, Danny and Liz King announced a $1 million lead donation to build the new main library — following the footsteps of their grandfather, A.J. King, who made the lead private donation of $1,000 for the county's first dedicated library building in 1966. The campaign raised a total of $11.9 million.
What is the Rel & Wilma Maples History Center?
The Maples History Center, located on the third floor of King Family Library, is Sevier County's premier genealogy and local history research facility. It is staffed by a trained genealogist and holds extensive primary source material on Sevier County, the Great Smoky Mountains, and East Tennessee. Researchers from across the country visit to trace family histories and explore the region's past. In-library access to Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest is available.
Why does King Family Library open at 10 am on Thursdays instead of 9 am?
The Sevier County Public Library System schedules Thursday openings at 10 am at the King Family Library — one hour later than the standard 9 am weekday opening. Hours can change seasonally, so it is always a good idea to verify the current schedule at sevierlibrary.org or by calling (865) 453-3532.
Is there a café inside the King Family Library?
Yes. The King Family Library includes an on-site café, one of the amenities that sets it apart from smaller county branches. It also features a grand vaulted reading room, a conference room, a media center, a computer lab, and a dedicated children's center — making the 41,000-square-foot building comparable in scope to urban metropolitan libraries.
📜 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.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
👶 This library runs story times for kids. See how library story times work — ages, what happens and that they are free — and find other libraries with story-time programs library story times 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.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.