Some of FOTAL's accomplishments for 2009

We thank our membership and the community for their support both through monetary gifts and through book donations for our sales. These gifts enable the Friends to accomplish the following goals. How many hours do volunteers donate for FOTAL? For 2008, 44 volunteers donated a total of 6,608 hours. The top three recipients who have donated the most hours from the total library system are FOTAL volunteers, with those three alone donating over 4,000 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.

  1. Donations of hundreds of books to school libraries in Alpharetta and other areas.
  2. Donations of books to a Foster Care program in Roswell
  3. Donations of large print books to area nursing home centers
  4. 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
  5. Several boxes of books given to South Fulton Library for their book sale since they were low on donations
  6. 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 for the book sales but were 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
  7. Crabapple Crossing Elementary School holds a yearly book drive and then donates those books to FOTAL to sell
  8. 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 she then delivers them to the library
  9. Paperbacks are taken to Northside Hospital for the patients and their families to use
  10. Twenty boxes of books given to a disadvantaged school in Rome, GA
  11. Many boxes of new and nearly new children's books given to a public school for children with severe emotional/behavioral and learning disorders
  12. Several boxes of nearly new children's books have been given to a Head Start program at a school for their new student/parent library shelves
  13. Decoration items given for the interior of the library to enhance its appeal to the citizens
  14. Provision of reusable book bags to cut down on the use of plastic bags at the book sales and thus promote recycling
  15. Purchase of flowers/plants for the outside library flower pots which are maintained by the Alpharetta Garden Club
  16. Five birdhouses and bird feeders crafted by a FOTAL volunteer placed at the library in the Wildlife Habitat garden
  17. Thousands of books recycled throughout the community via the monthly book sales
  18. $350 donation to the Atlanta Fulton Library System Foundation
  19. Bookcases given to Habitat for Humanity homes
  20. Three Scholarships given yearly to area high school Seniors
  21. FOTAL volunteers supply books, postage, supplies such as snacks, calling cards, writing paper, pens, etc. and then mail these items to soldiers via the Books for Soldiers program
  22. 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
  23. Sponsorship of a yearly Craft Show at our May book sale that enables artists an opportunity to sell their craft/art items
  24. Hundreds of hours donated by volunteers to sell books online and thus increase the budget
  25. Donation of several books to a prison ministry/GED Program for women
  26. Donation of 15 boxes of Art related books to a local Art Council program
  27. Donations given to the Fulton County Juvenile Justice Center
  28. FOTAL had three locations in and around Alpharetta where shelves are supplied almost weekly with hardback and paperback books for citizens to purchase. Shelves are at the Alpharetta City Hall, Jittery Joe's, a coffee shop in Crabapple and at Jack of Trades, a gift/antique store in the Birmingham Community; and
  29. FOTAL's 2009 budget allowed the Friends to purchase materials, pay for children's programs, buy books, tapes and DVDs and any other items the librarians need to keep our library one of the best in the system as evidenced by its circulation numbers. Despite being only a 10,000 square foot library and competing with regional 25,000 square foot libraries, it is 4th. and/or 5th. in circulation numbers each month

How many hours do volunteers donate for FOTAL?

For 2009, volunteers donated a total of 6473 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.