The first state library The current state library was not the first. The Louisiana State Library was created in 1838. It was originally located in
New Orleans, which was the state capital at the time. In 1849 the capital was moved to Baton Rouge, and the library also moved. During the
Civil War the library was moved back to New Orleans to protect the collection. Only part of the collection was taken, and many of the materials that remained behind were lost or destroyed. The State Library of Louisiana opened on November 1, 1925, in
Baton Rouge. The League of Library Commissions was searching for a rural state in need of a book service but without any funds to begin operation on their own. The league chose Louisiana to receive $50,000 from the Carnegie Corporation which was made available for a three-year demonstration period. In the beginning the state did not provide any additional financial assistance for the library. However, after the first year Louisiana appropriated $2,500 in aid. Yearly library appropriations by the state legislature have increased steadily over time. In June 1954 the state legislature passed a bond issue which included $2 million for a new state library building. The old Hill Memorial Library lacked the space needed for collections and demonstrations. After months of debate about where the site for the new library should be, it was decided to demolish the old building and construct a new library at the same location. The new building officially opened in November, 1958. •
Essae Martha Culver (1925-1968) • Sallie Farrell (1968-1981) • Thomas Jaques (1981-2005) • Rebecca Hamilton (2005-2022) • Meg Placke (2023-) ==See also==