The Richland Parish Library celebrated a century of service April 15 with a centennial exhibition highlighting its history and impact on the community.
Established April 15, 1926, the Richland Parish Library was the first parish library in Louisiana. Community members, library officials and guests gathered in Rayville to reflect on the milestone and look ahead to the future.
State Librarian Meg Placke attended the event and praised the library’s legacy.
“We were honored to participate in Richland Parish Library’s 100th anniversary celebration in Rayville,” Placke said. “Congratulations on this very special historical milestone and thanks to the library staff and leadership for your daily service to the community. Here’s to the next 100 years.”
Library Director Amanda Stewart thanked those who attended the celebration and reflected on the institution’s history.
“Thank you to everyone who came to our Centennial Exhibition,” Stewart said. “It was a fantastic reflection on the last 100 years of service that we have been able to provide, and we are excited for the next century of service to our community.”
Stewart said the library’s mission continues to evolve while remaining rooted in service.
“The library has seen its ups and downs over the past century, but we are ready for the challenge of an ever-changing library environment,” she said. “We are up to the task.”
She also emphasized the importance of expanding services to meet the needs of the community.
“We look forward to adding new services, adding more programs, and adding more outreach services to the communities we serve,” Stewart said. “We serve people from birth to death.”
The program also included presentations on the parish’s early history and the development of the library system.
Library Board President Mary Brunson spoke about the early days of Richland Parish, describing it as an alligator-infested swamp populated by bears and mosquitoes before it developed into a settled community. She recounted stories of early surveyors from Monroe who became lost in the swamp for three days and eventually emerged in Oak Ridge while attempting to chart a road between Monroe and Vicksburg. That route later became U.S. Highway 80, with the railroad eventually running alongside it.
Rhymes Memorial Library Director Dellie Hicks presented a history of the library and its growth over the past century.
Library board member Wyatt Lobrano, who served as master of ceremonies, emphasized the library’s continuing role in the community.
“The library isn’t just our past,” Lobrano said. “It’s our future.”
