FRIENDS OF THE
ROSWELL
LIBRARY
Roswell, GA
ROSWELL REGIONAL LIBRARY
A branch of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System
QUICK FACTS
The Roswell Regional Library is located at 115 Norcross Street, near the Cultural Arts Center and Roswell City Hall. Parking for the Library is behind the building, just off Josephine Skinner Drive. The phone number is (770) 640-3075.
LIBRARY HOURS
PROGRAMS
The Friends of the Roswell Library co-sponsor a wide variety or programs for adults, teens, and children. For detailed information about library programs, please click here. Be sure the check out the special programs for summertime!
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROSWELL LIBRARY
The Roswell Regional Library began in 1946 when deposits of library books were brought from the Carnegie Atlanta Public Library in downtown Atlanta once a week. At that time the books were kept in a small room at what was then Roswell Elementary School on Mimosa Boulevard (currently home of Independence High School and the Teaching Museum North).
Until a permanent home was found in 1965, the library moved twice more: to a room in the old Roswell City Hall and in 1955, into one of the "apartments in the bricks" on Sloan Street. Even though the collection remained a "deposit" collection (meaning it continued to borrow books from the main Atlanta branch), patronage grew as the community grew.
In 1965 longtime Roswell resident Mrs. Arthur William Smith renovated a 100 year old grain warehouse on Atlanta Street (Alpharetta Highway) and donated it to Fulton County for use as the Arthur William Smith Memorial Library. At that time it became a full- fledged library branch with its own budget and its own collection of books.
As the city of Roswell began to grow, the library building began to deteriorate. A new building was desperately needed. In 1981 the library moved into the Roswell Mall where it was located for eight years. During its stay in the Roswell Mall, the city of Roswell began an explosion of growth that continues to this day. New residents from every state and every corner of the globe were moving in, and an even larger building and collection were needed to serve the needs of the community.
In October, 1985, Fulton County residents approved a bond referendum for the building of fourteen new libraries, including one for the city of Roswell. On land partially donated by the City of Roswell, a new library was constructed at the corner of Forrest Street and Norcross Street. Open on July 17, 1989, the Roswell Regional Library occupies a 20,000 square foot building and currently holds a collection of just over 125,000 volumes. The Roswell Library is currently the second busiest library in the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System.
Free web design provided as a courtesy to the Friends of the Roswell Library. Site development information, click here.