Public Gets A Chance To Say What Alpharetta's Future Library Should Be

Voters approved a bond referendum to fund a new library for Alpharetta, and now it's time for you to tell the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System what you want it to be.

On Tuesday at 7 p.m., a public meeting on the new Alpharetta library branch will be held at the .

The library board of trustees will make recommendations to the Fulton Board of Commissioners later this year on site selection for each of the new libraries.

The library system wants to know how local residents plan to use the library. Residents who can't make it to Tuesday night's meeting can take an online survey that asks questions about where resources should be focused, and how patrons plan to use the library.

The library system wants to know how important books, CDs, periodicals, computers and online resources are to its patrons. Is Web access or are reference databases more important? Answers to these and other questions about resources are part of the public input process.

Overall, where would you most like the resources for the new library to be focused?

•  Collections (books, CDs, periodicals)
•  Computers and online resources
•  Staff available to assist patrons
•  Programs for adults, teens and children
•  Clean safe library buildings
•  Self check-out

Which of the following online resources is most important to you?

•  Web access
•  Reference databases
•  Classes or training
•  Streaming music and video
•  E-books, A/V downloads
•  Online games
•  Interactive space on website
•  None of these are important to me

The general timeline the library board anticipates is:

Early 2011–Site selection; Architects/engineers chosen

2011–Design/construction documents

2012–Construction begins

2013–Branch opening