Libraries in Beaumont

The Story of the Library in Beaumont

The Tyrrell Historical Library occupies a striking 1903 building at 695 Pearl Street that was originally constructed as the First Baptist Church, blending Richardsonian Romanesque and Victorian Gothic styles with pointed-arch windows and original stained glass. In 1923 Captain W. C. Tyrrell purchased the former church and donated it to the City of Beaumont for use as a public library; it opened in 1926 and served as the city's main library until 1974.

After a major restoration, the building reopened on July 19, 1990 in its current role as the Beaumont Public Library System's center for genealogy and local history. The Tyrrell Historical Library holds Texana and genealogical collections and archives focused on Southeast Texas, including census records, microfilmed newspapers, Confederate soldier records, and passenger lists used by family-history researchers.

About Public Libraries in Beaumont

Public library service in Beaumont is provided by the Beaumont Public Library System, a municipal system operated by the City of Beaumont with several locations including the R.C. Miller Memorial Library on Dowlen Road, the historic Tyrrell Historical Library, the Theodore Johns Library, and the Elmo Willard Library. Any Beaumont-area resident can get a free library card, which unlocks book and media borrowing, computer and Wi-Fi access, and the system's full digital collection of e-books, e-audiobooks, and magazines through the Libby / OverDrive app.

Through your Beaumont Public Library card you can use the TexShare Databases, a statewide collection licensed by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. It gives Texas library patrons free access to thousands of magazines and journals, reference tools, health and genealogy resources, and e-books from home or anywhere with an internet connection.

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