Can't see this email? Click here to view this message in browser window.
A Newsletter from Your Friends at the Calcasieu Parish Public Library!
November, 2025
A New Beginning for the Epps Memorial Library!
After years of operating from temporary locations, including the Donald Ray Stevens Community Center, the Epps Memorial Library finally returned to its original home at 1320 North Simmons Street.
The newly renovated library boasts modern technology upgrades and meeting rooms available for public reservation, offering expanded services and a refreshed experience for the community.
"This reopening represents more than just the return of a building—it’s the revival of a cherished community space where learning, connection, and personal growth can thrive once again." - Shone Guillory-Jones, Branch Manager of Epps Memorial Library
Library Hours are:
Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Recommended Reads!
Check out what our staff are reading!
What do librarians read when they're not at work?
Check out our CPPL Reads newsletter, where you can check out staff recommendations, view it in the catalog, and place a hold for pickup!
CPPLReads is a monthly book recommendation newsletter aimed at Gens X, Y, and Z. It publishes on the 2nd Wednesday of every month.
Each month you'll find: Two book reviews by library staff, the Books with Buzz section with a list of trending titles. For book clubs, we include a highlighted reading guide to spark discussion.
Please note: While the book reviews are done by library staff members, all other title suggestions/recommendations are sourced through our Readers' Advisory resources.
This month, our featured online resource is: Fold3
With Fold3, users can explore military records, yearbooks, photos, publications, and personal documents honoring the men and women who served—plus special sections featuring war stories and memorial walls.
How to Access:
Required: Users will need their library card number if they access Fold3 outside of a library branch.
What’s Offered: Military records, official publications, historic documents, and memorials
Try It Out!
Service Records: Fold3’s homepage allows you to easily browse documents by country and specific conflicts. Maybe your grandfather served in Korea. Just click on the Korean War thumbnail and type his name in the search box. You’ll get search results with any specific records that are available, including files from Veterans Affairs with both enlistment and release dates.
Military Yearbooks: Military yearbooks take you beyond traditional research sources and offer a look at a service member’s time in training. Use the search box on Fold3’s home page and type in “military yearbooks.” Click on the publication result at the top then go to Browse.
Type Louisiana in the Filter box at the top or scroll down and click on the state name.
Click on Fort Polk in the city list.
Click on U.S. Army Training Center.
You can now browse digitized yearbooks from 1962 to 1975.
Memorials: Fold3 allows family members and descendants the opportunity to memorialize individual service members. Hover over the Featured menu at the top and click on Honor Wall to view available memorials. You can also visit the US Vietnam Wall or U.S.S. Arizona Memorial pages to zoom in on the monument and click on a name to learn more about that person.
