Contact the Library

If you have a question or comment for us, you have a number of options for getting in touch:

ASK A QUESTION: Do you need help finding an answer, or need to know how to begin researching a topic? Use this convenient form to e-mail us, or try our new chat reference service, available 2 PM - 7 PM, Monday – Thursday, and 2 PM - 5 PM, Friday. To request books or other materials, please call or visit the library most convenient for you.
QUESTIONS FOR THE HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT: Get quick answers for history/social sciences questions. For in-depth historical or genealogical research, you can either visit the department where staff will get you started on your research, or you can ask for a list of individuals who will do your research for a fee.
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR LIBRARY CARD: Find out how to get a library card, or ask a question about items you have checked out, renewing items, fines, or other matters regarding your account.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE COLLECTION: Recommend a title we don’t own, or tell us other ways we can improve our collection of books and other materials.
TELL US YOUR OPINION: We welcome your compliments, suggestions, and concerns about our programs and services.
WEB SITE FEEDBACK: Send us a question or comment about the library's web site, online catalog, or databases.
ASK FOR E-AUDIO BOOK HELP: Do need help using the E-Audio Book service, or have a question about the service? How to contact us and get help or get answers to questions about the service.
CALL US: You can reach the administrative offices and departments at Central Library as well as all of our branches by telephone.
VISIT US: The Memphis Public Library and Information Center has 19 locations to serve you.

Questions for the History/Social Sciences Department

The staff of the History/Social Sciences Department will answer concise, brief requests for information by mail or electronic mail, but they are unable to conduct historical or genealogical research.

Upon request, staff will provide a list of individuals who conduct research for a fee. The work of these individuals is not endorsed by the Memphis Public Library & Information Center. You are advised to ascertain fees and length of time required before hiring a researcher.

You may use this form to e-mail inquiries to the History/Social Sciences Department, or call (901) 415-2742.

Vital Record Requests: Vital records may be requested from either the Shelby County Archives or Shelby County Health Department. (see “Where To Get Vital Records In Shelby County”)
Options for newspaper research: Commercial Appeal Online Archives In addition to the Newsbank database available at all Memphis Public Library locations (as well as many other libraries), an online archive is available at the Commercial Appeal’s web site. A free registration is required to access the site. The archive contains news stories from June 27, 1990 to the present. You can view citations (headline, date, first few paragraphs) for free, then view and download or print the full text for a fee. Photographs are not included.; Tennessee State Library and Archives View the holdings of Memphis and Shelby County newspapers held by the State Library and Archives.
Options for genealogical research: Cyndi’s List Look-ups and free searches by volunteers; Where to Write for Vital Records National Center for Health Statistics

Questions About Your Library Card

Suggestions for the Collection

The Memphis Public Library & Information Center strives to acquire, 0rganize, make accessible, and actively promote materials and electronic resources which support the informational, educational, cultural, and recreational needs of the community.

Our collection development policy takes into consideration factors such as public demand, current or historical interest, and reading and interest levels. We are committed to providing materials and access to Web and other electronic resources for a very large and diverse public with a wide range of viewpoints.

We are always interested in improving our collections. If you would like to request that the Library purchase or provide access to a particular item or resource, please submit the following form.

Customer Request for Purchase of Library Materials or Access to World Wide Web Resources Form

If the material is purchased or if access is provided, you will be notified as soon as the item is received or the web site is made available.

If you would like to request that the Library reconsider an item or resource, please submit this form.

Customer Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials or World Wide Web Resources Form

You will be notified as soon as a decision is made.

About e-Audio Book Support

Welcome to the Memphis Public Library and Information Center’s E-Audio Books e-mail support service. This page provides information about the E-Audio Book service and support procedures.

If you have checked out an E-Audio Book from the Library's E-Audio Book Service and experienced a problem or have a question please follow these steps:

Visit the comprehensive Help pages at the site for help with many questions.
Please read this information about the service:
- Install Overdrive Media Console BEFORE downloading any e-books. Anything downloaded before Overdrive Media Console is installed may not play and may need to be downloaded again after installing the software for it to play.
- E-books may require from 1 to 16 Compact Disks to burn. Modern computers can burn an hour of e-book audio onto a CD in 5 to 7 minutes. Burning up to 16 CDs for a complete e-book could take around an hour and a half.
- The service works best for those with broadband Internet connections. Those without broadband service may want to choose shorter books to download to avoid tying up their telephone line for a long time.
- This service is for Windows computers only, at this time there is no available service for Apple computers that the library can offer.
- E-books are nonrefundable.
Make sure the Overdrive Media Console software is installed before downloading any E-Audio Books. If an e-book is downloaded before the software is installed, that e-book may not play.
- If you have downloaded an e-book before installing the software, delete the e-book, install the software if not already installed, and then go back to the site.
- Once at the site go to My E-Account, and then choose My Checked Out E-Audio Books. Once you see the list of the books you have checked out, the download button will appear for each. You can download an E-Audio Book as many times as necessary during the lending period.
- When the book is downloaded (after the OverDrive Media Console is installed) the digital rights license is applied that will allow the book to be played from the Overdrive Media Console.
If you still encounter problems please complete the E-Audio Book Assistance Request form here.
If you only want to ask a question about the service, please use the Ask An E-Audio Book Question form here.

Call the Library

Telephone Numbers
Memphis Public Library & Information Center
Central Library
3030 Poplar Avenue, Memphis TN 38111-3527

Central Library - Administrative Offices - Branches

Central Library Departments and Subject Areas
General Information	(901) 415-2700
TDD /TTY Service for the Hearing Impaired	(901) 415-2701
Art	(901) 415-2726
Business/Science	(901) 415-2734
Circulation	(901) 415-2702
Computer Catalog Information	(901) 415-2700
Children's	(901) 415-2739
Directories/Local & Out-of-town	(901) 415-2700
Education	(901) 415-2742
Fiction	(901) 415-2726
Finance & Investing	(901) 415-2734
Genealogy	(901) 415-2742
Government & Law	(901) 415-2742
History	(901) 415-2742
Homemaking/Repairs	(901) 415-2734
Humanities	(901) 415-2726
JobLinc	(901) 415-2719
Languages	(901) 415-2726
Law	(901) 415-2734
LINC Information & Referral	(901) 415-2700
Literature	(901) 415-2726
Magazines/Newspapers	(901) 415-2700
Memphis and Shelby County Room	(901) 415-2742
Music	(901) 415-2726
Nonprofit Resource Center	(901) 415-2734
Popular Library/Best Sellers	(901) 415-2746
Religion	(901) 415-2726
Science/Technology	(901) 415-2734
Small Business Center	(901) 415-2734
Social Sciences	(901) 415-2742
Sports/Recreation	(901) 415-2726
Training Wheels	(901) 415-2739
Travel/Geography	(901) 415-2742
Videos & CD's	(901) 415-2746
Welcome Desk	(901) 415-7579
WYPL Radio FM 89.3	(901) 415-2752
WYPL TV 18	(901) 415-2752
Numbers Not Listed Call	(901) 415-2700

Administrative Offices

Administrative Offices	(901) 415-2749
Adult Services	(901) 415-2854
Business Operations	(901) 415-2872
Collection Development	(901) 415-2708
Deputy Director's Office	(901) 415-2748
Development/Fund-Raising	(901) 415-2841
Director's Office	(901) 415-2748
Facilities Management	(901) 415-2811
Foundation for the Library	(901) 415-2833
Friends of the Library	(901) 415-2840
Human Resources	(901) 415-2863
Library Cards	(901) 415-2702
Library Locations and Hours	(901) 415-2717
Marketing / Public Relations	(901) 415-2841
Overdue Loans / Fine Information	(901) 415-2702
Public Services	(901) 415-8800
Security	(901) 415-2824
Volunteers	(901) 415-2840
Youth Services	(901) 415-2853

Branches

BRANCHES

Click on branch name for map and more information.
Click here for a map showing all library locations

Bartlett	(901) 386-8968
	5884 Stage Road, Bartlett TN 38134
Central	(901) 415-2700
	3030 Poplar Ave. Memphis TN 38111-3527
Cherokee	(901) 743-3655
	3300 Sharpe, Memphis, TN 38111
Cordova	(901) 754-8443
	8457 Trinity Rd., Cordova, TN 38018
Cornelia Crenshaw Memorial Library	(901) 525-1643
	531 Vance Ave. Memphis, TN 38126
Cossitt/Downtown	(901) 526-1712
	33 S. Front, Memphis, TN 38103
East Shelby	(901) 751-7360
	7200 East Shelby Drive, Memphis TN 38125
Frayser	(901) 357-4115
	3712 Argonne, Memphis, TN 38127
Gaston Park	(901) 942-0836
	1040 S. Third, Memphis, TN 38106
Highland	(901) 452-7341
	460 S. Highland, Memphis, TN 38111
Hollywood	(901) 323-6201
	1530 N. Hollywood, Memphis, TN 38108
Infobus (bookmobile)	(901) 233-6587
	3300 Sharpe, Memphis, TN 38111
Levi	(901) 789-3140
	3676 Hwy. 61 South, Memphis, TN 38109
North	(901) 276-6631
	1192 Vollintine, Memphis, TN 38107
Parkway Village	(901) 363-8923
	4655 Knight Arnold, Memphis, TN 38118
Poplar-White Station	(901) 682-1616
	5094 Poplar, Memphis, TN 38117
Raleigh	(901) 386-5333
	3157 Powers, Memphis, TN 38128
Randolph	(901) 452-1068
	3752 Given, Memphis, TN 38122
South	(901) 946-8518
	1929 S. Third, Memphis, TN 38109
Whitehaven	(901) 396-9700
	4122 Barton Drive, Memphis, TN 38116