The Crab Orchard Public Library District began in 1975 as a community reading center located at the Crab Orchard School building. The Reading Center had a rotating collection of 400 books. It was run by volunteers and was open three days a week for two hours each day.
The Library District was established by a referendum on November 8, 1983. In 1985, Lola Morris, who began volunteering at the reading center in 1976 and became the director in 1979, became the paid librarian as the library is now tax supported.
The school district deeded the building where the library was located on school grounds to the library district in 1989.
In 1990, the library district expanded by referendum to include the Eastern 1/3 of Williamson County. Branches were established in Creal Springs and Pittsburg. These branches have since closed, but library service to residents of those communities remains.
The library moved to its present location at 20012 Crab Orchard Road between December 2002 and January 2003 when the school district constructed a new building at the library’s old location.
Lola Morris retired as the library director in 2014. She was followed by Jennifer Sigler, Erin Steinsultz, and Samantha Ralston (the current director).
The library is open six days a week to serve its population of 6,827 district residents. The library’s collection has grown to include a wide variety materials including books, dvds, downloadables, and more, with nearly 12,000 available items in print and over 54,000 available to download.