Meridian Public Library
The Meridian Public Library first opened its doors on Saturday, March 29, 1913 in a brand new library made possible by a dedicated group of citizens, Mr. I. Marks, and a Carnegie Foundation grant of $30,000. This impressive structure; now used by the Meridian Museum of Art; served its patrons well until 1964 when then Mayor Henry Burns, the city council and the Meridian Chamber of Commerce came together to spearhead an effort to build a new library. This beautiful new facility was completed and opened to much fanfare on Monday November 13, 1967. In a book she compiled about Meridian's library history, Miss Jeanne Broach described how activity at the new library resembled a street fair. Since that time, the Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library has served the residents of Lauderdale County from that 1967 location, for the past decade over 200,000 visitors annually. The library will be undergoing a facility "facelift" as it prepares for its 100th birthday in 2013.
Mission Statement:
The Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library's mission is to support the educational, informational, and recreational needs of the residents of Lauderdale County through diverse material collections and the services it offers.
Established in 1913, the Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library is located in the historic downtown district of Meridian.
The Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library houses one of the best genealogy (family history) collections to be found in the east-central Mississippi region. It contains a broad collection of genealogy books for most of the Southern states, along with an excellent family history collection. Contact Genealogy staff at: kchatham@meridian.lib.ms.us
Census Information:
All federal census microfilm for the states of Mississippi and Alabama are available for patron in-house use. The library also owns census microfilm for the years 1800-1850 for Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Census index books for some years are also available.
Mississippi Room:
The library's Mississippi Room contains a goldmine of historical information for the scholar and student alike. Included in its holdings are the roster of the Confederacy and many other pertinent Civil War Materials, along with significant historical information on Lauderdale County. Materials housed in the Mississippi Room do not circulate, but may be used in house.
Children's Services:
The Children's Services Department houses an excellent collection of children's fiction and non-fiction literature which support the reading needs of children ranging in age from birth through grade six. Other materials supporting the educational and recreational needs including periodicals, a wide array of audiovisuals, and some toys. Special interest collections include parent/teacher books, home schooling books, toddler and beginning reader books, and popular series collections. Also available is an up-to-date reference collection geared at the younger library patrons.
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