Slidell Library Expansion Planned; New Lacombe Branch Set

Library System Says Robert Boulevard Renovation And Addition Are Paired With A Replacement Branch Planned For Lacombe

St. Tammany Parish Library officials are moving forward with long-planned capital projects that would expand and renovate the Slidell Branch on Robert Boulevard while also replacing the much smaller Lacombe branch with a new building nearby.

Library planning documents show the Slidell project is expected to include an addition of about 4,000 to 6,000 square feet, along with interior renovations to the existing branch. Library officials have said possible new spaces could include study rooms, a dedicated storytime room and a maker space, though final designs and construction details remain subject to the architectural process.

For Lacombe, the library system has identified a replacement branch in the range of 6,000 to 7,000 square feet on a site near U.S. 190 that backs up to the Tammany Trace. Library records say the current Lacombe branch, opened in 1993, is about 1,600 square feet and no longer meets community needs, including demand for meeting and study space.

Library officials began gathering public feedback on both projects through community input meetings held in July 2025. The library later said preliminary designs for the Lacombe replacement were presented to the public and to the Library Board of Control during a December board meeting, with the project still in the planning phase.

St. Tammany Parish Library’s board previously set aside money for architectural and design work tied to both projects. Board materials from late 2024 said the Slidell project also must address roof issues at the Robert Boulevard branch, which library officials described as a major part of the work. In separate capital planning documents, the system listed estimated project costs of about $2.96 million for the Slidell expansion and renovation and about $3.1 million for the Lacombe small-branch replacement, not including all later design or construction adjustments.

The projects were also tied to the library millage continuation approved by St. Tammany Parish voters on March 29, 2025. After that vote, the library said future improvements supported by the renewed millage include the Slidell branch expansion and renovation and a new replacement branch for the Lacombe area.

Why This Matters In Slidell

The Slidell Branch is one of the library system’s busiest locations, and library board records say it serves a large share of parish cardholders, circulation and computer use. A larger, renovated branch could add more room for children’s programming, quiet study and technology-based learning for families in Slidell and surrounding communities.

For East St. Tammany residents, the projects also point to continued public investment on the parish’s eastern side, with the Lacombe replacement expected to improve access for nearby neighborhoods and schools while the Slidell work would update one of the area’s main public library facilities.