On June 2, 1950, residents welcomed the official start of the local public library with the St. Tammany Parish Library Demonstration, thanks to the Covington Business & Professional Women's Club that got things rolling in 1946 by making a library their annual project.

As a result, in the fall of 1950, a State Library representative and the chair of the women's group presented the project to the St. Tammany Parish Police Jury.

St. Tammany Parish was the 32nd Demonstration Library established in the state, and each was funded for one year. Afterwards, it became the responsibility of the community to provide funding through a property tax millage, and local voters did their part on March 21, 1951, by approving a 10-year library millage.

The library system began with eight branches, two in

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