Everyone knows that the library is where you can find books to take out, but did you know that your local library has so much more to offer? Our Crème de la Crème team provides ways to take advantage of all the incredible offerings at your local Alpharetta library.

The Wide World of the Digital Library

A stack of books against a pink background in Alpharetta, GA

Books by Book Catalog is licensed with CC BY 2.0

The library has a wide variety of digital content available for all ages. There’s free access to e-books, audiobooks, online research, and learning tools. The library also provides access to the Hoopla app, through which you can check out books, listen to audiobooks, and watch movies and other media.

Overdrive and Libby provide access to e-books and audiobooks, which you can read or listen to through your web browser or on the Libby app. Freegal is available for free music streaming and music downloads, and for educational videos, you can check out Universal Class. Mango Languages is also available for library patrons wanting to learn a new language.

Paper.co is designed for grades K-12 and offers unlimited access to academic support on-demand. If you like arts and crafts, there’s an excellent resource called Creative Bug, which features arts and crafts video workshops where you can learn to knit, paint, sew, crochet, screenprint, and more.

To stream thousands of movies and documentaries on any device, check out Kanopy. For the best resource for downloadable books for kids in grades K-12, you can use eRead Kids. Oxford African American Studies Center is a premium online resource for students and serious researchers, offering access to over 20,000 articles from top scholars in the field.

For Literature Lovers

Kids will find lists of new books on the shelves at the Fulton County Library System and featured staff lists. The knowledgeable staff has organized lists such as Picture Books That Inspire Kids to Explore the Outdoors, Fly Like a Bird, Tea Party, My Favorite Read-Aloud Picture Books for 2022, and the Most Popular Picture Books of 2022. Students can look for new books based on picture books, easy readers, chapter books, nonfiction, and graphic novels.

You can also search for award-winning books from their website, including the 2022 Newbery and Caldecott Award Winners and Honor Books or the 2021 Youth Media Award Winners. Children of all ages are sure to find a book that interests them. On the library’s kids’ page and the Alpharetta homepage, you’ll find a link to Beanstack for reading reflections. Beanstack requires an individual, family, or class login to help young readers discover great books, track their reading, and earn badges from Beanstack.

Homework Help

Not only does your local library offer your child the space to spread out with their homework, but it also has various tools for homework help. World Book Encyclopedia for Kids is available on the Fulton County Library System Kids page, along with Paper.co, Access Video for Kids, and Infobase. Additional online sources include PebbleGo, GALILEO, Mango Languages, eRead Kids, and Kanopy.

Partnership Passes

The Fulton County Library System has partnered with various community attractions to let you and your children explore the metro area. Fulco Passes include the following options:

  • Zoo Atlanta. The Zoo Atlanta DVD is available for checkout for up to seven days, and when you return the DVD, you get a Zoo Pass for three admissions, free of charge.
  • Center for Puppetry Arts. You can check out a pass to the Center for Puppetry Arts, featuring free admission for up to four people or 25% off one all-inclusive ticket.
  • Chattahoochee Nature Center. A Chattahoochee Nature Center Pass includes free general admission for four people, available once per year per household.
  • Emory Michael C. Carlos Museum. Free admission for four to six people is provided with a pass to the Emory Michael C. Carlos Museum.

Other community partnerships include William Breman Jewish Museum, Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, Go Fish Education Center, Museum of Arts and Sciences, and Georgia Aquarium. Your local library helps you get out to explore the world around you.

Streaming Storytime Services

There’s an array of streamed storytime programming to enjoy from the comfort of your home. Youth librarians, library staff, and special guests read special books to children of all ages. This special storytime also includes crafts and songs. For a special storytime, especially for elementary-aged kids, tune in to Imagination Station every Thursday at 2 p.m. EST. You can also watch past storytimes anytime by viewing the Imagination Station archives. The library also offers Streaming Storytime Resources to help bring your reading time at home with your children to new levels.

Features at Your Alpharetta Library

Now let’s delve into some of the on-site resources available at your local Alpharetta library. The library provides free public computers, Wi-Fi, and internet access for library card holders. One of the benefits offered is access to take classes on library computers through LinkedIn Learning, a platform with 16,000+ online courses in seven languages. Expert instructors teach all courses with real-world experience, adding new lessons weekly. The library also offers GED test preparation and testing. Georgia Library Service provides services for the Blind and Print Disabled, offering books and magazines in audio, braille, or other adapted formats.

Your local Alpharetta library is home to classes, workshops, and special events. Here are some fun and educational times you can have at the library:

  • English as a second language class for non-native speakers learning English.
  • Get your stretch on with Ashtanga Yoga.
  • Spill the Tea, which includes tea tastings, and learning about all things tea.

If you have a child 5 and younger, stop by for an in-person storytime with stories, rhymes, songs, and dancing. If you’re a crafter, join a session of the Alpharetta Crafts Club, where participants each bring a project to work on while socializing and sharing tips. If you have a talent you want to share or wish to listen to others perform, head to open mike night, where poets, comedians, musicians, and storytellers will each get time to perform their art.

There’s so much in store for you at the Alpharetta Public Library. Our Crème de la Crème of Alpharetta team invites you to stop in and join in all the fun and learning at 10 Park Plaza in Alpharetta. Library hours are Monday and Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.