N.O. Public Library's Children Resource Center
Libraries had always done well by 19th century steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, and he did well by them in return, turning to philanthropy in his later years, with public libraries and educational institutions the most common beneficiaries of his benevolence. In his 1899 book, The Gospel of Wealth, Carnegie said, "A free library occupies the first place, provided the community will accept and maintain it as a public institution, as much a part of the city property as its public schools, and, indeed, an adjunct to these." He was responsible for the building of more than 2,500 libraries worldwide, almost 1,700 of them in the United States, earning him the unofficial title of "the Patron Saint of Libraries." The foundation he created has continued his work for over a century.
Carnegie gifted the city of New Orleans with a grant of over a quarter of a million dollars to build new public libraries. The Algiers Point branch, now named for Cita Dennis Hubbell, opened in 1907, followed soon after by the Napoleon Branch in January 1908 and the grand, copper-domed structure that would serve as the new Main Library opened on St. Charles Avenue on Halloween 1908—a treat for the community.
A trick came later, though, as the stately building, which was inspired by a Grecian temple that honored the god of war, was sold to an insurance company and demolished just 50 years later. The opening of a new Main Library at the Civic Center in October of that year precipitated the closure of the last of the local Carnegie libraries, the Canal Street branch, which had opened in 1911. That building is now home to a yoga studio.
The Napoleon branch was reimagined as the Children's Resource Center Library in 1993 with a collection focused on children's materials. A more radical restructuring of the facility to occur in concert with a structural renovation began with surveys, focus groups, and interviews circa 2019. Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a plan to transform the branch into an early literacy center was put forward in line with the goals outlined in the 10-Year Strategic Plan, implementation of which was scheduled to begin in 2022.
As an early literacy center, the new CRC will no longer have public computers, books, or other materials for adults or teens. As designed by Christine McCourtney, head of Early Literacy Programming for the New Orleans Public Library system, and her team, "the updated space will be focused on the five key principles of early literacy: talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing," explained Jane LeGros, director of Marketing and Communications for the library system. "This space will be designed to encourage parent and child engagement and interaction, specifically for children from birth to age 5, but no one will be turned away."
Library users looking for a more traditional range of library services are directed to visit one of the other branches, the three closest being the Milton H. Latter Memorial Branch on St. Charles Avenue, the Rosa Keller Library and Community Center on Broad Street, and the Main Library downtown.
According to the organization's website, the public should expect an interactive play area designed specifically for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers; a carefully curated collection of materials that supports the needs of early learners and their caregivers as the children develop early literacy and school-readiness skills; an intentional focus on a child's early years of development, learning, and social interactions; and a design that offers early literacy experiences in a nurturing and engaging learning environment.
Following an extended closure for renovations, which began in May 2025, the new Children's Resource Center will be staffed by a team of early literacy specialists when it reopens, while the existing staff members at the branch have all been reassigned since the closure began.
The renovation will encompass the repair and replacement of plaster walls, and the flooring throughout the building will be upgraded to ensure that it meets modern standards for safety and functionality. The restrooms will also be remodeled, a necessity to achieve full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, so as to provide accessibility for all library users. Such modern priorities can sometimes lead to the sacrifice of architectural features. The Napoleon branch had been designated a historic landmark in 1979, but as historic preservation advocate Sandra Stokes reminds us, "It is unfortunate but there are no controls for interior renovations."
Damaged masonry on the outside of the building is being repaired, however, and other exterior renovations are also planned, so in addition to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system undergoing repairs and receiving new ductwork, the building is getting new gutters and downspouts.
Libraries look very different than they did in Carnegie's day, and many of the needs they serve have changed, but the people of New Orleans will be able to judge for themselves whether or not the new Children's Resource Center is best equipped to meet their needs when it reopens, which is tentatively scheduled to happen sometime in the summer of 2026, pending the completion of the renovations.
