{"id":620,"date":"2025-11-18T13:12:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T19:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cmrlstest.lib.ms.us\/?page_id=620"},"modified":"2026-02-03T11:53:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T17:53:38","slug":"cmrls-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cmrlstest.lib.ms.us\/index.php\/about-us\/cmrls-history\/","title":{"rendered":"CMRLS History"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”CMRLS History” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_align=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text ul_item_indent=”40px” ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”40px” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”||||on||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

System History<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1952, the Boards of Supervisors in Hinds, Rankin, Scott, and Simpson Counties established the Capital Area Regional Library System and agreed to support a cooperative library.\u00a0 In March of 1973, the Capital Area Regional Library System merged with the Jackson Municipal Library System (serving Hinds, Scott, Simpson, and Smith Counties) to form the Jackson Metropolitan Library System.\u00a0 Rankin County joined the system in October 1973, followed by Vicksburg-Warren County in January of 1974.\u00a0 In October 1986, Hinds County decided to become a separate library system and became Jackson-Hinds Library System. At that time, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith County formed the Central Mississippi Regional Library System; and was made up of twenty-one libraries.\u00a0 Headquarters for the system was located in Pearl at the Pearl Public Library until 1996 when it moved to a building on Office Park Drive in Brandon. In 2012, Headquarters\u00a0moved to its present location on Tamberline Street in Brandon.<\/p>\n

The original twenty-two libraries that made up CMRLS were in the following cities:<\/p>\n

Pearl, Brandon, Florence, Cash, Pineville, Puckett, Pelahatchie, Richland, Reservoir, Sandhill, Forest, Morton, Sebastopol, Lake, Magee, Mendenhall, D\u2019Lo, Harrisville, Mize, Polkville, Raleigh, Taylorsville.\u00a0 Cash closed in 1986.\u00a0 Pineville closed in 1987. Flowood opened in 2002 and D\u2019Lo closed in 2010.<\/p>\n

Twenty branches in Rankin (9), Scott (4), Simpson (3), and Smith (4) Counties make up CMRLS at present. They are: G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library (Flowood), Pearl Public Library, Brandon Public Library, Puckett Public Library, Pelahatchie Public Library, Florence Public Library, Northwest Point Reservoir Library, Richland Public Library, and Sandhill Public Library in Rankin County. In Scott County; Forest Public Library, Morton Public Library, Sebastopol Public Library, and Lake Public Library. Magee Public Library, Mendenhall Public Library, and Harrisville Public Library make up Simpson County. In Smith County; R. T. Prince Memorial Library (Mize), Polkville Public Library, Floyd J. Robinson Memorial Library (Raleigh), and Evon A. Ford Library (Taylorsville).<\/p>\n

Board of Trustees:<\/strong><\/p>\n

County Boards of Supervisors choose CMRLS Board of Trustees members; two members from Rankin County, and one each from Scott, Simpson, and Smith counties.\u00a0 Board members serve five-year terms and may serve up to two consecutive terms.<\/p>\n

Directors of CMRLS:<\/strong><\/p>\n