Places of Baton Rouge ASCENSION PARISH LIBRARY Years in Business: 64 Years
A scension Parish system that strives to be a community cornerstone and dynamic center for personal development, where residents can nurture a lifelong love of reading, learning, and creativity. Library is an award- winning library Residents of Gonzales and Donaldsonville believed a library system was necessary, so in 1960, approval was granted to establish Ascension Parish Library (APL). Since then, the system has grown to five locations: Gonzales, Donaldsonville, Galvez, and Dutchtown, including a satellite library, the Study Commons at the Wag Center in Donaldsonville, and a bookmobile. A sixth branch, the St. Amant Library & Community Center, will be a joint effort between the library and the parish government along Highway 431 (between Cannon and Bayou Narcisse Roads).
Services provided: •Programs and resources•Storytimes •Monthly events•Adventure Passes •Seed Library•Board games•Crafts, •Sidewalk Astronomy•Makerspaces How do you make it a point to put families first? We put families first by offering free learning kits, attraction passes, and hobby resources through our Library of Things. Our programs support early literacy with engaging storytimes and bilingual meet-ups, while our partnership with Ascension Parish Schools provides students with eCards for ebooks, homework help, and ACT prep. Plus, our summer reading program inspires young readers and prevents summer slide. What do you enjoy the most about having the library in our area? Ascension Parish Library is more than books—it’s a hub for learning, innovation, and community. From career growth to creative pursuits, it offers a welcoming space for all. We take pride
in being a vital part of our community’s journey toward a brighter future.
What’s next for the library? Our newly remodeled Donaldsonville Library includes a recording studio, virtual reality room, makerspaces with 3D printing and a laser cutter, expanded teen and children’s areas, and a historical display of Donaldsonville and the African American experience. The new St. Amant Library & Community Center, a 37,000-square- foot joint project with Ascension Parish Government, is under construction. The 16,495-square-foot library will feature a teaching kitchen where community members can learn culinary skills through hands-on classes and demonstrations, an audiovisual studio, a virtual reality room, woodworking equipment, makerspaces, and dedicated spaces for kids and teens.
For updates, visit myAPL.org under “Construction Updates.”
58 2025 | FACES & PLACES OF GREATER BATON ROUGE
21
FACESANDPLACES.COM | 2025 43
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting