Here in the small northeastern town of Atlanta, Texas, there is a quaint old building that is full of charm and wonderful treasures. It’s the Atlanta Public Library. The library has three stories, the building is historic, and there is inviting art in the children’s section. There have been recent changes to update the services and make the library more appealing to the general public.
Many people overlook their small town libraries, which is indeed a shame. There is much to gain from visiting and making use of what a library has to offer. Much of the services are free, and the ones that cost are offered at such low prices that the prices alone should make them irresistible. One of the services the Atlanta library offers is the copy machine service. The copies are less than the price of a cup of coffee. There is assistance offered to make sure you won’t waste your money on bad copies. Another little known treasure this library offers is the fax service, which is a huge benefit for the people in this area. Faxing at the library is low cost as well, again less than a cup of coffee, at around 25 cents per page. For people on crunched budgets or little to no income, this is a jewel of a deal!
If you want to rent a movie, you can rent whatever is available that people have donated. This is a good reason to donate your movies. It is a great way to reach out and contribute to your community. If you need to unwind after the stress of a job search and can’t afford to go over to the local video rental stores, your library can still help you out with their selection of movies. If your kids like to watch more movies than you can afford, often wanting to see one more than once, renting the movie from the library is free as long as you return it on time. You are even allowed several days to use the movies offered. All that is required is a valid library card.
It may be surprising to some that local area newspapers are offered at the Atlanta Public Library. I know that I like to be kept aware of the news, but I find it unnecessary personally to subscribe to the local papers. For people who have a tight budget and still need to check the ads or stay abreast of the news, they have the convenience of browsing through the papers at the library. If you find that there is a recent article about a friend or loved one that you may have missed, you can check the older additions and perhaps get a copy printed while you’re there!
The library in this small Texas town offers coffee and cappuccino as well. You can’t beat that! Not only do they offer it, for a small cost (after all, the library needs what little income they can generate to provide their wonderful services), they also offer it fresh and with a smile.
This brings me to the service at the library by the wonderful ladies who are employed and the many volunteers who help keep the library going. These ladies have provided caring service and friendly attitudes. The ladies who work the desk are always willing to help the public and are a treasure themselves. If they can’t help, they will do whatever they can to point you in the right direction. They stand on their feet most of the day enduring whatever they must to do their job properly and to the best of their abilities.
There is a genealogical section at the Atlanta Public Library for many who enjoy the history of the area and the history of the families in the area. Along with the genealogical group, there is also a “Friends of the Library” group. The “Friends” offer membership is a bargain at $5 per person. This group is a special part of our public library who hold meetings for suggestions on improvements or volunteer work that needs to be done or even fund raising events to be held.
Let’s not forget the books the library offers. Even if you are a person who enjoys limited reading, there are magazines and short stories, self-improvement books, art books, poetry, information on jobs ideas and reference books, and many more types of books that can be borrowed for the taking. All you require is your valid library card, which is also free. You just have to provide information for contact when you sign up for one. If you can’t read, you can receive information on tutoring. If you are unable to do that, you can always rent their books-on-tape. If they don’t have a book, they can check into whether or not one could be made available.
The library holds great book sales for the public, which allows you to purchase selected books at low prices. It helps generate funds and gives the public a chance at owning a great investment for their own personal home libraries.
There are computers the public can use to access the Internet. With the popularity the Internet has achieved, this is indeed a treasure of a service. This has added public traffic to our library as well, which helps them get needed exposure.
Atlanta library has an awesome addition of artwork on the walls of the basement and along the staircases. Thanks to a local artist, the library has perked up the scenery so that the small children will enjoy the environment. (I enjoy it each time I go even as an adult.) There is a small play section in the basement for the tots.
A few other services the library offers is the tax forms table during tax season, movie night, and their children’s summer programs. If you are new to the area, there is information and guidance to help you get to know what is located in Atlanta. There have even been chances to meet book authors from time-to-time. There are flyers which provide other useful information as you walk through the front door.
The Atlanta Public Library is located near the railroad tracks in downtown Atlanta at 101 West Hiram Street.
