In the 40 years of operation, the Alpharetta Branch Library has grown tremendously in patron use. It has one of the highest circulation counts in the county library system despite its small size.

The first mobile library services in Alpharetta were provided in a station wagon! In 1962, the Alpharetta Library Council was formed to begin a campaign to bring a library facility to the small town of Alpharetta. Additional organizations, including the Alpharetta Women’s Club, joined the mayor and the city council in working toward this goal. The City of Alpharetta provided utilities and rent-free space in the municipal building (currently the court house) and the Atlanta Library provided materials, equipment and initial staffing.

By 1977, the collection had grown to approximately 10,000 volumes and Leona Bolch was named branch manager. She is in that same position today. Ms. Bolch recalls: “Alpharetta was still a small town and the surrounding area was made up of farms. Many patrons rode their horses to the library and tied them to a tree while they selected books.”

Early in 1986, because of renovations to the municipal building, the branch was moved to a nearby shopping center to await the construction of a new facility. In the Fall of 1989, the new facility was opened, very much due to the generosity of a local couple, Mr. and Mrs. Louie E. Jones. In his will, Mr. Jones specified that the proceeds from the sale of his home on Brook St. be used to purchase property for a library. Due to this generous donation, the library is named the Alpharetta/Louie E. Jones and Gertrude C. Jones Memorial Library. The building was dedicated on October 14, 1989.

Mission Statement

To build a partnership between the library and the community to advocate for quality library service for patrons of the Alpharetta Branch of the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System.

Officers

President: Ben Statham
Vice President: Doug Davisson
Secretary/Treasurer: Linda Statham
Directors at Large: Kathleen Smith and Barbara Mitchell

Committee Chairs

Book Sales: Kathleen Smith and Ben Statham
Membership: Barbara Mitchell
Programs and Publicity: Jo and Doug Davisson
Newsletter: Kathleen Smith
Social: Barbara Mitchell
Acquisitions: Kathleen Smith

Board Members

Judie Borden
Doug Davisson
Jo Davisson
Gerrie Fornek
Jane Harp
Barbara Mitchell
Barbara Selwyn
Kathleen Smith
Ben Statham
Linda Statham

News

Alpharetta Library Volunteers Honored. Alpharetta Branch Library volunteer Ben Statham has been named the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System's Volunteer of the Year for the ninth straight year. Some people say they ought to get a new category for the tireless Statham, or he should get a life. Seriously though, Statham, a charter member of the Friends of the Alpharetta Library, has been an incredible asset to the library for almost a decade. Library Board of Trustees member Stephanie Moody said there are hundreds of volunteers who make an invaluable contribution to the library system, but she did note that Statham is volunteer's volunteer.Alpharetta and Roswell Revue News, 2008, May 15. Read the article and view photos here.

Alpharetta Library: You've got to have friends, article in the Alpharetta and Roswell Revue & News, January 30, 2008. The Alpharetta Library is like The Little Engine That Could. It keeps on huffing and puffing to meet the needs of nearly 65,000 residents in Milton and Alpharetta, but the small 10,000-square-foot branch could not do it alone. No, the library has to have friends. And fortunately, friends are what North Fulton's smallest branch does have. As in, Friends of the Library, a national organization with a chapter in every North Fulton library. Read the full story and view picture here.

Library's gift one for the birds. The Alpharetta Library recently received a gift "for the birds" from Alpharetta resident Val Areias which will bring a bit more natural beauty to the library grounds. He built and installed two bluebird houses for the library. Areias has three more ready to install. Already the birds are eating seeds in "Ben's Bistro" and living in "George's Condo," named after members of the Friends of the Alpharetta Library volunteers, Ben Statham and George Gamble. Read the full story and view picture here.

Ben Statham, President of the Friends of the Alpharetta Library, was the recipent, May 15, 2006, of the Daily Point of Light Award for his volunteer work.

Some of FOTAL’s accomplishments for 2007

Donations of hundreds of books to three school libraries in Alpharetta – Connected High School, Amana Charter School and Milton High School.
Donation of books to Cogburn Middle School.
Donations of books to a Foster Care program in Roswell.
Donations of books to area nursing home centers.
Donations of many books that are actually donated for the book sale but are needed by the Alpharetta Library so these books are then placed onto the shelves for check-out thus saving the citizens thousands of dollars by not having to purchase these same books at a high rate of money.
Paperbacks taken to Northside Hospital for the patients and their families to use.
Ten boxes of books given to a disadvantaged school in Rome, GA.
Decoration items given for the interior of the library to enhance its appeal to the citizens.
Provision of reusable book bags to cut down on the use of plastic bags at the book sales and thus promoting recycling.
Water fountain provided for the Wildlife Habitat at the library.
Purchase of flowers/plants for the outside library flower pots which are refilled twice a year by the Alpharetta Garden Club.
Thousands of books recycled throughout the community via the monthly book sales.
Donation to the Atlanta Fulton Library System Foundation.
Bookshelves given to City of Milton Fire/Police Dept. in the Birmingham Community.
Provision of bookcases given to five Habitat for Humanity homes.
$500 donation given to Alpharetta First Methodist Church to support their literacy program.
Gifts of three $350 scholarships given yearly to high school Seniors – 2 for the Ralph Anderson Memorial Scholarships to Milton Seniors and the one for the Robert Fulton Scholarship to a home-schooled or private school Senior.
FOTAL volunteers supply books, postage, supplies such as snacks, writing paper, pens, etc. and then mails these items to soldiers via the Books for Soldiers program.
For several years, an Alpharetta area Girl Scout Troop has been setting up a refreshment booth at each book sale. They make their own refreshments and use any money collected to give to an International Girl Scout fund.
Sponsorship of a yearly Craft Show at our May book sale that enables local artists an opportunity to sell their craft/art items.

Address and Contact Information

The Alpharetta Library is located at 238 Canton Street, Alpharetta, GA 30004 (Google map link). The phone number is 770-740-2425.

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