Welcome to the Pea Ridge Community Library
The idea of a library for Pea Ridge and the surrounding area began on June 1, 1974 when a group of ladies began a small library in the Mount Vernon Presbyterian church basement with books that had been generously donated by local citizens.
At the CIty Council meeting on June 13, 1974, a request was made to house the books that had been donated on shelves in the council meeting room. The request was turned down but Mayor Jack Musteen gave $500.00 and the City Council matched that amount. These monies were the starting funds to buy the old Bank of Pea Ridge building in historic downtown Pea Ridge.
People responded so generously that less than one year later the Pea Ridge Community Library held its open house on May 18, 1975.
The library has grown and changed through the years and in 2009 celebrated 35 years of providing services to the town of Pea RIdge and the surrounding community.
The library currently houses over 12,000 volumes. Books by local authors, books on local history and legends and a children's room are available at the library. A computer is available for public use. We also have new and used books and current magazines for sale.
We are small and friendly and strive to provide the latest releases for our patrons. Stop by and check us out!
2011 Book Sale
The Pea Ridge Community Library will hold a book sale on Saturday, October 8th, 2011 at the future home of the library on South Curtis Ave. - across the parking lot from Collier Drug Store. Sale will run from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. The community has generously donated books to the library - fiction, non-fiction - we have a little of everything.
Be sure to stop in on your way from The Mule Jump!
Book Review
The Templar Conspiracy by Paul Christopher, 2011
The Templars are one of several mysterious groups that have been profiled over the last few years. Paul Christopher writes another fascinating thriller about this medieval religious order that has grown into a modern-day underground conspiracy. The Pope is assassinated during Christmas Mass at the Vatican. Retired Army Ranger John Holliday and his niece, Peggy Blackstock, are drawn into the intrigue by a member of the Vatican Secret Police, who has his own agenda. When an attempt to kills them fails, the two travel on two continents to figure out why His Holiness was killed, and who the next target is. Attempts continue as the two determine that a “Crusader” intends to be the next President of the United States. I don’t want to give too much away – this was a good read. Some thrillers can’t keep my interest for long, but it was hard to put this one down. I actually had to go out and find a few more of Christopher’s books – you’ll find them in the library soon!
Kristi Towe
Deadly Intent by Kylie Brandt, 2010
This book is the fourth in the Mindhunters series. A friend brought me this, and I loaned it to two others before donating it to the library. One of those friends found the fifth book, and number 6 is due out this fall. This is a really cool suspense romance series – it’s all tied together via the agency Raiker Forensics, which works with the FBI and local law enforcement agencies to solve crimes. Forensic linguist Macy Reid is brought in on the second kidnapping of a child in Colorado. Macy is considered an expert not only on the patterns and nuances of communication, but also on abduction, having been kidnapped herself as a child. Her partner, investigator Kellan Burke, is constantly baiting her, but the two work to determine how an 11-year old was kidnapped from her bedroom in a secure home. They’re racing against time to save the girl, as Macy’s analysis concludes the kidnapper probably will kill her as soon as he receives the ransom. Is this kidnapping connected to the kidnapping two years ago? Macy has to face some of the ghosts from her past and deal with her attraction to Kellan while racing the clock. Again, this is an author I’m keeping an eye out for!
Kristi Towe