Highlights

The Lafayette Parish Council will vote Tuesday on a 99-year lease agreement at $1 per year to bring a library to the north side
The push for a northside library has been ongoing for years, with previous attempts under both the Guillory and Boulet administrations
LCG spent nearly $340,000 on land at Shadow Bluff Drive before accessibility concerns led officials to the Holy Rosary Institute location
A library on the north side would provide critical computer and internet access to students in a socio-economically challenged, high-population area
Construction would likely not begin until sometime in 2026 at the earliest, but the community has high hopes for the project's impact

Lafayette Parish Council to Decide Future of North Side Library at Historic Holy Rosary Site

The Lafayette Parish Council votes Tuesday on agreements to build a north side library at Holy Rosary, bringing essential services to a high-need area.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — The north side of Lafayette may be one step closer to finally getting a library.

The Lafayette Parish Council will be considering a resolution this week to approve agreements between Lafayette Consolidated Government and Holy Rosary Land Holdings to lease land near the former Holy Rosary Institute grounds.

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A Northside Library Years in the Making

The push for a library on the northside has been going on for years. Some movement was made with a potential agreement between the Lafayette Parish School System and LCG under the Josh Guillory administration, according to conversations with LPSS officials at the time. However, the plan didn't come to fruition.

Then, under the Boulet administration, LCG spent nearly $340,000 to buy land at 101 Shadow Bluff Drive, which is near Louisiana Avenue, intending to use it for the library. But concerns about accessibility were raised, and the administration looked at property closer to the schools and larger residential areas on the north side.

That led them to the Holy Rosary Institute, and the parish council gave the Boulet administration approval to begin talks about leasing the property. According to The Advocate, the resolution before the council would approve "a cooperative endeavor agreement, ground lease agreement, memorandum of lease agreement and various other agreements between the Parish of Lafayette and Holy Rosary Land Holdings."

The lease agreement would be for 99 years at $1 per year.

Accessibility for North Side Residents

In a high-population, socio-economically challenged region of the parish with a number of schools, a library would bring much-needed services to the residents there.

In particular, computer and internet access would be important for school-aged students who may not have consistent access at home. Building the library near the schools and neighborhoods in the area also provides better access in a community whose families have limited access to rides across town to libraries and other facilities.

It's also an area where schools, at times, have lower performance scores, and access to library services can have a big impact there, as well.

What's Next for Lafayette Parish

The parish council meets on Tuesday to consider this and other items on its agenda. The council is expected to approve the agreements. If they do, next steps include formalizing plans to build the new library.

There is no current expected timeline, but LCG may be able to provide one as early as the end of the year. However, construction would likely not begin until sometime in 2026 at the earliest.

But the community has high hopes for a new library, and it would almost certainly have an impact on student success in the long run.