Programmes & Activities


National Reading Competition

National Reading Competition

The National Reading Competition is an annual event which is undertaken by all parish libr...

Story Hour

Story Hour

The Library offers weekly stories for young children. This is an exciting programme that i...

SJPL Post 3

SJPL Post 3

The Trucky Transportation Company was created a couple of decades ago, founded by two best...

SJPL Post 2

SJPL Post 2

When I tried running your code as-is I also “got an error.” That type of super...

Overview


The public library service in St. James was established in 1948 (public library – 1944 – 1948) by the late Mrs. R. Leyson Ewen (then Mrs. Joan Crum- Ewing) and a small group of members of the Young Women’s Christian Association (Y.W.C.A.) led by Dr. Sylvia Lowe. The ladies made the decision to collect second-hand books with which to start a library for the public of Montego Bay. A donation of one hundred and fifty (150) books was given to the library by the Y. W. C. A, and within a short period a stock of five hundred (500) books was collected and repaired by the group. The Child Welfare Association made a room available, rent free in its building at 43 Church Street and the Y.W.C.A. again assisted with the loan of furniture. The opening of the St. James Parish Library took place on June 1, 1944, and Y.W.C.A. members served as voluntary librarians. The library remained at the Child Welfare Association building for nine (9) years. The founders of the library played a pivotal role in the library’s development.   READ MORE…

Branch Libraries Opening Hours


The St. James Parish Library has 8 branches located all over the parish, offering varying programmes and services. Please see below a list of all branch libraries.

Parish Library

Megre Bay Road Montego Bay St. James (876) 952-5185-6  (876) 940-5694

Monday – Thursday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Anchovy

Anchovy P.O. St. James (876) 956-4078

Monday – Thursday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Cambridge

Cambridge P.O. St. James (876) 912-2452

Monday – Thursday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Chatham

Chatham P.A. St. James (876) 605-2131 /876 520-3924

Monday – Thursday
11:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
11:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
Closed

Hopeton

Hopeton P.O. St. James (876) 940-1760

Monday – Thursday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
Closed

Maroon Town

Maroon Town P.O. St. James (876) 912-5224

Monday – Thursday
11:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
11:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
Closed

Mt. Salem

Montego Bay St. James (876) 979-1473

Monday – Thursday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Somerton

Somerton P.O. St. James (876) 912-7944

Monday – Thursday
11:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
11:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
Closed

Springfield

Spring Field P.O. St. James (876) 850-3944

Monday – Thursday
11:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
11:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday
Closed