Gaston Park Branch Library

Address: 1040 S. Third St., 38106
Telephone: (901) 942-0836
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday 12:00 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fri. and Sun - CLOSED

History

The site of the John Gaston home was used to build a community center in 1933. In 1978 the center was refurbished and a Headstart center and a community library were added. The 5,100 sq. ft. Gaston Park Library was built with federal and municipal funds. Its initial design differed from other libraries in the region in that it did not include meeting room space, a staff workroom, or exterior windows.

In 1990, the library was renovated at a cost of $81,000. The collection was enhanced, a new meeting room was added, the shelving was redesigned to provide a more visually appealing atmosphere, and computer workstations were added.

Community

Gaston Park Library’s service area encompasses the residential areas of Crump Ave. and South Parkway, west of Bellevue Blvd., and the industrial area west of Florida Street and east of the Mississippi River. The actual service area is considerably smaller than the established boundaries would indicate because of transportation barriers, railroads and other barriers. There are no middle or secondary schools located in the service area. LeMoyne-Owen College is located within our area also.

Collection

We have an exciting array of materials geared toward providing the information that our customers want and need. Our collection includes:

Computers

Computers for browsing the Internet (including email), accessing information online, or for use with word processing etc. are available for public use. See the Internet Use Policy and the Computer Assistance Policy for more information.

We have 12 computers and an electric typewriter that are free and open to the public. Call and reserve time.

• Internet access available on 10 computers
• Complete word processing capabilities using Microsoft Word
• Spreadsheet and database applications using Excel and Access
• Powerpoint, an extremely powerful presentation tool
• Publisher, designed to meet all your desktop publishing needs
• Encyclopedia Products, including Encarta programs
• CD-ROM products featuring educational games, formal education support products are on 1 designated children’s computer
• Barney and Magic School Bus programs on two computers for children

Meeting Room

Gaston Park provides meeting room space to groups and individuals on an as-needed basis. We are pleased to offer this space to any community group or agency that needs comfortable accommodations for their meetings, workshops or client interactions. Seating is limited to 15 persons. This room is also designated as the Grizzlies Reading and Learning Center and is used as a study room for teens and children.

Programs and Services

Gaston Park is pleased to provide and conduct programs on an outreach basis. Here are a few of the services and programs offered:

• Special displays and collections targeting specific topics
• Job and Career collection including a job postings notebook, resume materials, career assessment materials and numerous titles to aid you in fulfilling your career expectations
• Adult book club meets the 4th Saturday of each month at 3:00 p.m.

For the current schedule of all programs offered by the library, consult InfoDATES, News and Events at Your Memphis Public Libraries.

Items for Sale at Check-Out Desk

The Check-Out Desk at each library has a handy "store" of useful items for sale