On January 18, 1897, the New Orleans Public Library opened its doors for the first time. Fast forward to 2022. The New Orleans Public Library now operates a 15-location system with a collection of more than 466,000 items and enriches the community with access to free services and resources that its founders could likely have never imagined.
Nestled under the live oaks of St. Bernard Avenue sits Nora Navra Memorial Library, where it has been serving the historic 7th Ward neighborhood for more than 60 years.
In 1902, the New Orleans Public Library received a $250,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie to build four new Library locations, including one Uptown, known then as the Napoleon Library. More than a century later, that little Library is still serving its community today, but under a different name: the Children’s Resource Center Library.
Deep in the Bywater neighborhood, nestled between the Mississippi River and St. Claude Avenue, sits Alvar Library. Built in 1940 and often noted for its Art Deco details and Works Progress Administration roots, this tiny one-room Library stands out in history for another reason: a dedicated community that refuses to give up on it.