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

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

News

FOTAL Position Paper on Location Choice for New Alpharetta Library. The Friends of the Alpharetta Library have released a position paper concerning the new library site. At our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 31 at the Alpharetta Library representatives of the various sites that fall within these boundaries will be allowed to give an informational presentation of their proposals to the general public. Read more.

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 2007/08

Donations of hundreds of books to three school libraries in Alpharetta - Connected High School, Amana Charter School and Milton High School and Cogburn Middle School.
Donation of 10 boxes of books to the South Fulton Library of the AFLS for their very first book sale.
Donations of books to a Foster Care program in Roswell.
Donations of large print books to area nursing home centers.
Donations of several boxes of books to the Evercare Hospice and Palliative Care Center to be given to their volunteers who work with the critically ill patients on hospice.
Well over 1,000 children's books were processed by FOTAL volunteers and placed onto the shelves of the Alpharetta Library during the past two years. These books were donations given to the Friends but were greatly needed on the library shelves, thus saving the citizens thousands of dollars by not having to purchase these same books at a high rate of money. Labels are typed by FOTAL volunteers so the books can be made shelf-ready to then be placed onto the shelves.
One of the volunteers makes frequent trips to Barnes and Noble to pick up the books that are selected by staff but purchased by FOTAL and then she delivers them to the library.
Paperbacks taken to Northside Hospital for the patients and their families to use.
Twenty boxes of books given to a disadvantaged school in Rome, GA.
Several boxes of new children's books given to a public school for children with severe emotional/behavioral and learning disorders.
Several boes of nearly new children's books have been given to a Head Start program at a school for their new student/parent library shelves.
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.
Birdhouses and bird feeders crafted by a FOTAL volunteer placed at the library in the Wildlife Habitat garden.
Thousands of books recycled throughout the community via the monthly book sales.
$350 donation to the Atlanta Fulton Library System Foundation.
Bookshelves given to City of Milton Fire/Police Dept. in the Birmingham Community.
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 area high school Seniors.
FOTAL volunteers supply books, postage, supplies such as snacks, writing paper, pens, etc. and then mail these items to soldiers via the Books for Soldiers program.
Set up of a refreshment booth at book sales for the past several years by an Alpharetta area Girl Scout Troop with proceeds given 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.
Provision of a home-cooked holiday meal for the workers at the Roswell Recycling Center (the location where we collect part of our donated books from the public).
Hundreds of hours donated by volunteers to sell books on-line and thus increase the budget.
Donation of several books to a
for women.
Donation of 10 boxes of Art related books to a local Art Council program.

How many hours do volunteers donate for FOTAL?

For 2007, 44 volunteers donated a total of 4,809 hours. We are a devoted volunteer organization with a dedicated mission to enhance literary skills, to put books into people's hands and homes and to promote the need for adequate library facilities.

For 2008, not counting December, we have donated 6,127 hours!

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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