April 15, 2026
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When you walk into the grocery store and buy a banana, you might not think about Tulane University, Lil Wayne, Honduran immigrants, or New Orleans’ cruise terminal. But you should.
Nix Library: Going 'Above & Beyond' for Almost a Century
Almost a century ago, James, Ralph, and John Nix donated their family’s lot at the corner of Willow Street and Carrollton Avenue to the City of New Orleans in order to build a library in memory of their parents.
On December 1, 1930, Nix Library opened its doors for use by the public.
For the next nine decades, the tiny one-room building has been a vital part of the Carrollton neighborhood, providing Library users with a wide collection of books, music, movies, services, programs, and so much more.
At Nix’s helm sits Damian Lambert, who has managed the Library for a total of 12 years.
“The Nix community is truly wonderful. We’re a small library, which really lets us get to know our users and connect with them in a way you wouldn’t be able to in a bigger, more modern space,” Lambert said. “Many of our users have been coming here since they were children, have brought their children here, and then even their grandchildren, too. It’s wonderful to know there are places that exist that can be used and enjoyed for decades on end, and I am honored to be a part of that legacy.”
Max Rea has been on Lambert’s team for the past three years, and his work has stuck out in the mind of longtime Nix Library user Pat Percle.
“The people are so friendly and so helpful,” Percle said. “One time, when I wasn’t feeling well, I had a book waiting for me here, but I couldn’t come and get it. So, Max used his lunch break to come and bring it to me. It was so kind and thoughtful. He went above and beyond just to make sure I had something to read while I was sick.”
As an avid reader and mystery book lover, Percle said the Library has been a lifesaver during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I love having a physical book, I don’t use the computer to read books. So, when the Library opened back up after being closed for a few weeks when the pandemic first hit, I was so excited and relieved,” Percle said.
Percle has been living in the Carrollton neighborhood for more than 40 years, and she has been regularly going to Nix Library that whole time. She used to love bringing her children with her when they were young and still enjoys walking to the Library now, which she said she does at least twice a week.
For Rea, that community connection is one of the best parts of the job.
“I really love working at Nix. It’s a beautiful, old building that Carrollton folks have been enjoying for generations,” Rea said. “Nix is a one-room library, so you get a really personal experience with the patrons. Everybody knows everybody over here, but we somehow also seem to welcome new people all the time as well.”
For example, Leo Ney has been coming to Nix Library for more than a decade, and when his daughter Allison was born, he knew he wanted to pass that tradition on to her, too. Allison has been visiting the Library her whole life, attending storytimes when she was just a baby and since growing up in front of the Nix staff’s eyes.
By coming to Nix Library from such a young age, Allison formed a deep love of reading, books, and the Library, her father said.
“There is a saying, ‘it takes a village to raise a child,’ and that is certainly true in here,” Ney said. “Everyone on the Library staff has helped with raising Allison.”
Whether they’re gathering resources, hosting events, providing access to technology, or even just providing a craft for Allison to do during quarantine, Ney said he can always count on the Nix Library staff.
“We completely trust the staff to maintain a beautiful, safe environment for everyone,” he said. “Nix Library is a very special place to me and my family, and I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for their tireless efforts to help our community during the best of times, and even the worst of times, and the wonderful times to look forward to ahead.”
As for Allison, her thoughts on Nix are simple, but sweet:
“I love it here,” she said, clutching a Take & Make Craft Kit that Rea had just handed her. “We have a lot of fun.”
Allison isn’t the only neighborhood kid to have grown up at Nix. A few decades earlier, Melissa Strong would tag along on her mother’s errands with the promise of stopping at the Library to pick out a book. When Strong moved back to New Orleans, she was thrilled to return to her childhood Library.
“I moved back a long time ago, and I was excited to come back to Nix and revisit those memories,” Strong said. “I started coming here kind of obsessively maybe five years ago, and I don’t see myself ever stopping.”
Conveniently located near her catering business, Nix Library is a regular stop for Strong, as well as for her son and husband.
“It’s one of the libraries I went to as a kid, so I think it’s pretty sweet to be able to take my family here. And everyone who works here is so wonderful, it always feels so nice to come by,” she said.
Though Nix Library is particularly dear to her heart, Strong said she loves all libraries and what they stand for.
“The Library is the preeminent example of our tax dollars put to good use. I love the Library because it is for everyone,” Strong said.
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