48,490 square feet over four floors
Opened: 2020
The River Center Branch Library was constructed on the site of the original 1980 branch. The River Center Branch Library was awarded the AIA-BR Rose Award and was selected as one of American Libraries’ Design Showcase Libraries.
East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council District: District 10Architectural Firm: WHLC Architecture | Schwartz/Silver (2020)
The library contains a dedicated floor for Children’s Services, a Teen Room, the Electronic Arts Teen Technology Lab, maker space, digital media studio, a large meeting room, rooftop terrace, three conference rooms, and a variety of collaborative study/work rooms.
The River Center Branch Library houses the Foundation Center Grants Collection with classes and assistance in grants research offered by appointment.The Foundation Center Cooperating Collection consists of publications and supplementary materials providing information on private, community and corporate foundations. Access to Foundation Directory Online, Grants to Individuals Online and iWave is available. The collection includes directories, periodicals, and annual reports. Guides to government funding are also available for searching. Grant seekers can use this collection at the River Center Branch. To research for funding opportunities or to train on use of the online directories, schedule an appointment with the Grants Librarian at (225) 389-4964.
Free wireless Internet access is available at this branch.
The new River Center Branch Library is situated next to Bernardo de Galvez Plaza which holds 2 bronze sculptures by the late Frank Hayden. The two sculptures are (1) a large relief which incorporates the words “What mortal or God comes here in his rage, to trouble the gentle peace of my happy banks” and (2) a giant bust of Oliver Pollock.
In the greater River Center Plaza area there are also four works by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović: (1) Migrating People—”A relief of human figures in proper right profile, in repeating and overlapping form;” (2) Woman Playing the Cello; (3) Woman Playing the Violin; and (4) Pieta—”a stylized figure of the Virgin Mary.”
The library will be closed on the following days:
The Library will close at 6:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day and on New Year’s Eve.
