MISSION STATEMENT

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.

Some of FOTAL's accomplishments for 2010

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 goals listed below. How many hours do volunteers donate for FOTAL? For 2010, 34 volunteers donated a total of 5,919 hours. The top four recipients who have donated the most hours from the total library system are FOTAL volunteers, with those four 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. Regular ongoing donations of books to a Foster Care program in Roswell
3. Donations of large print books to the North Park Senior Center's library
4. Donations of large print books to area nursing home centers
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. 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
8. Paperbacks are taken to Northside Hospital for the patients and their families to use
9. Twenty boxes of books given to a disadvantaged school in Rome, GA
10. Many boxes of new and nearly new children's books given to a public school for children with severe emotional/behavioral and learning disorders
11. Three FOTAL volunteers drove two cars full of children’s books and brand new teacher's materials to Tennessee. An organization then delivered those items to an Appalachian community in Kentucky, an area where many children do not have even one book
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. Thousands of books recycled throughout the community via the monthly book sales
17. $350 donation to the Atlanta Fulton Library System Foundation
18. Three Scholarships given yearly to area high school Seniors
19. Scholarships given to students in the Lanier Tech program who are working to earn their GED certificate
20. 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
21. Donation of $350 given to the Books for Soldiers volunteer program
22. Set up of a refreshment booth at book sales for the past several years by various area Girl Scout Troop with all proceeds given to the Girl Scouts to promte their projects
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 books given to the Fulton County Juvenile Justice Center
26. FOTAL volunteers routinely keep two carts filled with books for sale in the lobby of the Alpharetta Library
27. Each week one of volunteers takes books to an Aids Clinic on Ponce de Leon Ave. in Atlanta and operated by Grady Hospital for circulation among the patients and their families who are there for treatments
28. FOTAL's 2010 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 busiest 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, the Alpharetta Library is 4th. and/or 5th. in circulation, depending on the month. Although operated by a limited number of staff members due to several vacancies, the library continues to be one of the busiest in the 34 library system. We are proud to support the library and the community.

How many hours do volunteers donate for FOTAL?

For 2010, volunteers donated a total of 5919 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.

FOTAL accomplishments for 2009

NEWS

As of October 2011, FOTAL has adopted Alpharetta Elementary. We are giving them $10,000 to use for whatever they need. Principal Maroney had requested $2000 for a writing program to improve the writing skills of his students.

Alpharetta Library Reading Program a Hit with Parents and Children, article on the Lapsit program published January 19 2011 in the Alpharetta-Milton Patch.

Alpharetta Library Volunteers Honored in April, 2009

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.