Ascension Parish Library

Places of Greater Baton Rouge

Years in Business: 64 years

Ascension Parish Library is an award-winning library 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. 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, including a satellite library, and a bookmobile. A sixth branch will be a joint effort between the library and the parish government along Highway 431.

Services Provided

• Programs and Resources • Storytimes • Events
• Adventure Passes • Seed Library • Board Games
• Crafts • Sidewalk Astronomy

How do you make it a point to put families first? Our initiatives and services are tailored to meet the needs of parents and children. We understand the importance of providing families with ways to explore new activities and experiences without breaking the bank. We curated our Library of Things, which offers learning kits, passes to local attractions, games, and ways to try new hobbies, so families can borrow items instead of making costly purchases. We ensure parents have tools to foster a lifelong love for learning through song, play, and storytelling.

What do you enjoy the most about having the library in our area? APL has a transformative role in our community. Libraries are no longer just about books; they have evolved into spaces where people and families come to innovate, read, learn, and create.

What sets us apart is our commitment to inclusivity and community engagement. Our cardholders see the library as a welcoming home away from home and a place for personal connection.

What’s next for the library? The library remodel in Donaldsonville will be completed later this year. It will feature technology to promote creativity and STEAM-based learning through a new recording studio and virtual reality room, a makerspace with digital design software, 3D printing, a laser cutter, a new dedicated space for teens, an expanded children’s area, a historical display telling the story of the City of Don-aldsonville, and a collection centered on the African American experience. A new library is under construction in St. Amant.

Upon completion, residents will enjoy a multipurpose complex, including a new library, a community center, and a point of distribution (POD) for emergencies. The library will feature an audiovisual recording studio, a VR room, and a makerspace with digital design soft-ware, 3D printers, and a laser cutter. There will also be dedicated children’s area and a teen space.