North Caddo Branch Library

Library Hours

Monday-Wednesday 9am-8pm

Thursday-Saturday 9am-6pm

Closed Sunday

History

The predecessor of the North Caddo Branch was the Vivian Branch Library, founded in 1930 by the Caddo Parish Police Jury. The Vivian Branch was originally located in an upstairs room over the Ritz movie theater on West Front Street. It later moved to the old City Hall. In June 1939, the branch moved to a room specifically planned for it in the new City Hall building.  In 1968 a Caddo Parish bond issue was passed to provide $150,000 for the construction of three new parish libraries. In January 1971, the Library Board heard requests for a new library in north Caddo Parish, which would serve as a resource center for the part-time branches in the area. The Library Board decided on Vivian as the site and it was approved by the police jury in October 1972. The site was at 414 North Pine Street. A building of 2,900 square feet was constructed on the site. Architects for the building were Walker & Walker. The grand opening ceremony for the building was December 12, 1974.

During the 1992-93 planning process, the Library Board heard the requests of Vivian citizens to relocate the library to the old Vivian Elementary School building, which had been vacated by the School Board. The two-story brick building from the 1920’s was a local landmark and was designed by Architect Edward F. Neild. The library acquired the building through a purchase/exchange with the Caddo Parish School Board that involved three properties. The library donated the old Broadmoor, Lakeside/Wallette, and North Caddo buildings to the school board in exchange for the Vivian Elementary School building with surrounding land, and the land upon which the new Wallette Branch was built. The architect for the new North Caddo Branch was George A. Jackson, Jr.  The old elementary school was completely gutted and the interior was rebuilt as a two-story, 12,600-square-foot library branch. The branch opened to the public on July 18, 1999.  Total cost was $1,829,807.