The East Baton Rouge Parish Library serves as a hub for education, engagement, and empowerment in Baton Rouge. According to Mary Stein, “Our library is a fountain of resources that helps our generation stay connected through digital platforms and in-person visits.”
Visitors can utilize the digital library, online classes, the library’s archive, and conference rooms to take advantage of unique resources that can’t be found anywhere else. In 2024, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library system welcomed a total of 1,758,026 visitors, who collectively circulated 1,373,136 e-items (e-books, audio, video, and magazines).
“Through the library’s resources, people can access the tools they need to build a stronger community that is more empowered"
Mary Stein, Assistant Director, East Baton Rouge Parish Library
A Message of Mentorship
The library provides mentorship training through its Career Center, Small Business Library services, and databases like Udemy, Gale Courses, and its extensive eBook and print collections. Additionally, volunteering opportunities are available to support teens and adults looking to make a difference in their community. To further support mentorship, the library provides meeting room space and has partnered with community mentoring organizations such as Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Father’s On A Mission (F.O.A.M), and Big Buddy.
Hiveclass—A Digital Sports Coach at Your Library
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library offers Hiveclass, a digital platform featuring short-form, instructional videos teaching various sports and activities. Sports instruction covers basketball, soccer, dance, yoga, tennis, and more––with classes accessible via electronic devices in English and Spanish. The series helps kids learn sports by providing skills instruction, drills, and vocabulary. Whether children are new to a sport or seasoned players looking to hone skills, this free online resource offers the tools and tips to help them hit their next home run. As a parent, Mary Stein believes that Hiveclass is a great tool to help parents learn the ins and outs of their children’s sports, while also providing valuable information to support their children’s journey.
“When my kids were first starting out in sports, they didn’t know the correct terminology for their chosen sport––and neither did we. It was up to us as parents to help teach our kids with the necessary terms to help them excel in sports,” she noted. Since classes are offered at no charge, families can utilize Hiveclass as much as they want; all it takes is a library card.
Archives
On the second floor of the Main Library at Goodwood is a special collections room that houses an extensive sports history archive, enabling patrons to delve deep into their city’s rich sports heritage. The collection features hundreds of yearbooks from high schools throughout the Baton Rouge community—a vital resource for alumni performing historical research or organizing class reunions. Additionally, the library preserves physical and digital collections of local newspapers, rare books, maps, and legal documents, which supply valuable perspective on the city’s evolving cultural and political landscapes.
“We are continuously adding to our resources for genealogists to assist in building family trees,” noted Stein. “People regularly contact us from out of state searching for certain yearbooks to help gain historical context and fill gaps in their family connections.” Through these archives, library patrons can develop a deeper understanding of their region’s past, present, and future.
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library is a resource hub for patrons and provides a wealth of knowledge for the entire community. “Looking around at the library, it’s astounding to see all of the clubs, businesses, and organizations in Baton Rouge that are coming together to achieve their goals,” Stein said. “Through the library’s resources, people can access the tools they need to build a stronger community that is more empowered.”
Learn more about this year’s OBOC programming at ReadOneBook.org, and don’t miss the kickoff tailgate on Friday, March 14 from 5 pm–8 pm at the Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Boulevard.
