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History

History

The Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library was established in 1917 and incorporated in 1941. The original building where the library now stands was built in 1964. There was an addition for the Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped and Arkansas Genealogy Room in 1978; an addition which changed the Cherry Street entrance and added space in 1988; an addition which added space and remodeled interior space in 1998; and the Children's Library addition and interior remodeling in 2000.

New Branches and Remodeling

The library was receiving only one mill in property tax until 1994 when the voters approved a one-mill increase. This increase enabled the library to either build or remodel three branch libraries in Caraway, Lake City, and Monette. The branch libraries are all open at least 25 hours a week and the main library is open 7 days a week.

Main Library Expansion

The Main Library was expanded by 11,000 square feet and features a new research area, a more spacious area for the Arkansas and Genealogy collection, and a new Children's Library featuring the Friends of the Library Family Activity Center. Also added was the Haworth Room and an expanded browsing area that features current bestsellers, newspapers, and magazines.

Cooperation

The Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library and its branches have celebrated more than 40 years of cooperation with the Poinsett County Libraries. Together, both library systems are known as the Crowley Ridge Regional Library. If a patron has a library card issued by any library in the Crowley Ridge Regional Libraries it may be used at any of the following libraries.

Local Library Support

The library is supported by a local property tax. In any given year the local property tax generates 85% to 90% of the library's budget. State aid to public libraries and other small sources of income make up the balance.

Available Volumes

Patrons have access to over 145,000 print volumes and over 13,776 books on tape, DVDs, cassettes, videos and compact discs from the nine libraries in the Crowley Ridge Regional Library System.