The Calcasieu Parish Public Library has announced that the Southwest Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Library, located at 411 Pujo St. in downtown Lake Charles, reopened to the public.

The library had been closed for repairs and renovations. New features include furniture, fixtures, paint, shelving, new technology, and more.

Once a shelf in the main branch of the library, the genealogy collection moved to its own book cart, then to its own room, and finally, to the Carnegie Memorial Library building.

The library now has a collection size of over 12,000 items. The library’s collection, much of which can be accessed remotely, includes:

Books

Periodicals

Microfilm

Compiled family records

An obituary index

Records on most of the American states

Limited information on British genealogy

Cemetery and church records

Parish courthouse records

Military records

Parish histories

Land records

There are also online databases available for viewing including include the Maude Reid Scrapbook Index, the 1895-1896 Lake Charles City Directory, Ancestry Library Edition, local newspapers such as the American Press and the Southwest Daily News, Fold3 Library Edition, and HeritageQuest.