Groundbreaking For New East Roswell Library!

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System will break ground on the new East Roswell Library Thursday, August 1 at 11:00 a.m. and we would love to see you there!

The new 15,000-square-foot library for East Roswell is part of Phase I of the LibraryBuilding Program that is currently underway. The library will be located at 2301 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell. 

Those attending the event are asked to park in the front parking lot of East Roswell Park, located at 9000 Fouts Road, Roswell, and a shuttle will take attendees from this location to the ceremony; there is no parking available at the site.
 

For more information or to R.S.V.P. please call 404-730-1972 or email  laura.wright@fultoncountyga.gov. We look forward to meeting and greeting the future patrons of the East Roswell Library!

 

KHAFRAEngineering Consultants, in association with Holzheimer Bolek MeehanArchitects, have contracted with Fulton County to provide design and engineering services for the new library. Ajax Building Corporation is contracted to provide construction management services on this project, andHeery/Russell is the program management team.

The grand opening of the East Roswell Library is expected in the 3^rd quarter of 2014.

 

In November 2008, Fulton County voters overwhelmingly passed the Library Bond Referendum. The plan will greatly enhance all of the county’s libraries and includes:

• 8 New Branch Libraries: Alpharetta, East Roswell, Milton, Northwest Atlanta, Palmetto, Southeast Atlanta, Stewart-Lakewood and Wolf Creek.

• Two expansion projects: Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History and the South Fulton Library.

Green building design and sustainability are priorities for these library building projects, and the Library System expects to achieve LEED Silver on all of the Phase I projects. Each library will reflect the culture and interests of its community. Please join us for this exciting event and be sure to check the progress of the Library Building Program on our website! 

Muslim Journeys Theme: American Stories

Muslims have been a part of the history of America since colonial times. American Muslims, like other religious minorities, have shaped and reshaped their own societies and that of the country as a whole.

Reprinted with permission from Azizah Magazine and WOW Publishing Inc.

The community of Muslims throughout American history is so diverse it could not be represented by a single set of books. The five books made available to the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System through the National Endowment for the Humanities Muslim Journeys grant provide a framework for approaching the stories of American Muslims with an eye toward their diversity and their involvement in the larger story of America itself.

Prince Among Slaves by Terry Alford: Abd al-Rahman Ibrahima (1762–1829) was one of tens of thousands of West African Muslims who found himself sold into slavery in antebellum America. Unlike so many others, however, his story was not lost. Alford’s account explains the effect of the transatlantic slave trade on Islamic movements in West Africa, an angle we are not much familiar with in the West.

Prince Among Slaves (PBS documentary): Unity Productions Foundation, an educational non-profit with an interest in interfaith understanding, created a documentary based upon the book of the same name. Attend a screening of this film at the Central Library on July 17 at 2:00 p.m. The film will be followed by a discussion led by Georgia State University scholar Dr.Rashid Naim. 

The Columbia Sourcebook of Muslims in the United States, edited by Edward E. Curtis IV: Focuses on the waves of Muslim immigration to the United States who arrived voluntarily between the 1880s and 1910s from Eastern Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East plus the  turn to Islam among some African Americans in the twentieth century. Includes primary source material from pioneer Mary Juma, missionaries such as Mohammed Alexander Russell Webb and Pir Inayat Khan, and community-builders like Noble Drew Ali of the Moorish Science Temple, Elijah Muhammad, W.D. Muhammad and Malcolm X.

Acts of Faith by Eboo Patel: The American Muslim population exploded after the Immigration Act of 1965 abolished national quotas. Patel’s family, members of a Muslim religious minority from the Indian state of Gujurat, was part of this wave. His autobiographical account of growing up in the United States as a member of a minority within a minority opens a window into his struggle for identity and his growth into the interfaith activist he is today.

A Quiet Revolution: The Veil’s Resurgence, From the Middle East to America by Leila Ahmed: Few aspects of Muslim culture are as poorly understood in the West as the concept of veiling for women. Ahmed explains the many meanings of veiling for Muslim women from the activists of the 20^th century who threw off the veil, to the activists of today who embrace it.

The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman’s Journey to Love and Islam by G. Willow Wilson: Intense, penetrating and entertaining account by an American woman who converted to Islam, married and lived in Egypt. She provides us with valuable insights on everything from Sufism and the meaning of faith to how one buys chicken in the market. 

Muslim Journeys Theme: Pathways Of Faith

Muslims today make up the second-largest religious community in the world. From Senegal to Indonesia, Muslims share certain fundamental principles and practices, but express their religious beliefs in a wide variety of ways. Readings for this theme explore the basic tenets and requirements of Islam and the relationship between the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They also take a look at the divergent paths followed by the Sunni and Shia communities and the mystical routes to spiritual fulfillment known as Sufism.

The Muslim Journeys Bookshelf given to the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System includes books selected to breathe life into Western understanding about Muslims throughout the world. We invite all of our patrons to check out this rich collection of materials at the Central Library!

The Children of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, Islam by Francis E. Peters: How do scripture and tradition relate to one another? What does “worship of God” mean in each of the three faiths? How does it compare across the three faiths, and how is it different within each of them? This seminal work, recently updated, compares and contrasts these three great faiths.

Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan A. C. Brown: Learn the facts of the Prophet Muhammad’s life from this short, readable book. It also helps Westerners understand how early Muslims themselves gathered this information for those who would come after them, and to understand the special place the Prophet occupies for Muslims.

The Story of the Qur’an: Its History and Place in Muslim Life by Ingrid Mattson: Many Westerners find the Qur’an bewildering. This well-written book explains how the Qur’an was revealed and recorded, and places it in Muslim culture through history. Written by a Western Muslim scholar, it illuminates the Qur’an for non-Muslims while conveying how Muslims view their sacred text.

Koran By Heart: One Chance to Remember: Qur’anic recitation is an art and is carried out in many ways, varying from spiritually satisfying basic rhythmic recitations to advanced types of chanting that can be very moving. This 80-minute long HBO production chronicles one year at the world’s oldest and most prestigious Qur’an-reciting contest in Cairo. Follow 110 young people from over 70 countries as they come together for this event to compete and learn from one another.

The Art of Hajj by Venetia Porter: Illuminated manuscripts, wall paintings and photographs, calligraphy, textiles, scientific instruments, decorative tiles, maps, ceramics, metalwork, and powerful works by contemporary artists, are complemented with explanatory narrative and quotes from the Qur’an and traditional literary sources to demonstrate this exciting “pillar of Islam”.

Rumi: Poet and Mystic, edited and translated by Reynold A. Nicholson: Jalalu’l-Din Rumi (1207-73) was one of the great Persian mystical poets. Through this collection of lovely translations, the reader is introduced to Sufism, a mystical side of Islam. The poems describe Rumi’s longing for and experience of the divine. He believed that in the great mystery of existence we are all united, a revelation that has made him one of the most popular poets in the world.

Government Documents At Your Library!

Did you know that the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is a Federal Government Depository? It's the oldest one in the state of Georgia and the only one located in a public (rather than an academic) library. It is housed in the Ivan Allen, Jr. Reference Department (IAD) on the 2nd floor of the Central Library.

Because so many government publications nowadays are found only in a digital format, IAD maintains a set of webpages with links to publications and websites useful to the general public. You can access these pages from the drop-down menu under the "Books and Materials" tab at the top of our homepage under "Government Information," and also from the IAD portion of the Central Library’s website (see the IAD link above.)

Periodically we post a short listing of some of the newer publications received. Check under "New Documents Received" from the U.S. Government Information list. Right now this includes: an article about the first Black physician in the U.S. Army, the website for The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's (NOAA's) hurricane outlook for 2013, how to look up federal legislative information, a web portal to information on women's heart health, plus links for the latest on the budget and economic recovery.

There is a wealth of important and useful information contained in these pages, and we invite all of our patrons to spend some time with all that can be found here! To contact the Ivan Allen, Jr. Reference Department call 404.730.1900.

Muslim Journeys Theme: Points Of View

We always see the countries of the Islamic world in the news, but our knowledge of them is often so poor that the news can be hard to understand. How do people live their lives in Islamabad, Fez, Cairo, or Tehran? What are their experiences and histories? Through the titles in the Muslim Journeys theme “Points of View,” readers will encounter individual experiences that help make news events three-dimensional. Some are memoirs and some are novels, but all represent great storytelling.

The Muslim Journeys Bookshelf given to the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System includes books selected to breathe life into Western understanding about Muslims throughout the world. We invite all of our patrons to check out this rich collection of materials at the Central Library!

In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar:     A coming-of-age story set in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, told through the eyes of a 9-year-old boy in the year 1969. It puts a human face on the events following from the toppling of the Libyan monarchy by a young officer named Muammar Qaddafi.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi:     Entertaining autobiographical graphic novel that covers the overthrow of the Shah of Iran, the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini, and the Iran-Iraq War. Whether having a conversation with God or with her dear grandmother, the author’s girlhood self illuminates this tumultuous time in Iran for us - from the inside. Patrons should also check the catalog for the film adaptation of Persepolis and  the sequel to the book, Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return.

House of Stone by Anthony Shadid:     More than 100,000 inhabitants of the land that would later become Lebanon left their towns and villages to immigrate to the United States around 1900. The author’s family ended up in Oklahoma, and after pursuing a career in journalism, the author set out to return to the ancestral village in Lebanon and rebuild his grandfather’s stone house. The result is an amazing tale that is both funny and bittersweet.

Broken Verses by Kamila Shamsie:     A young woman begins to receive letters written in the private code of her missing mother and her mother’s lover, a famous poet who was supposed to have been murdered years before. This young woman sets out to decode the letters, hoping to learn the fate of her activist mother. In the meantime the reader is swept along on a tour of Karachi, Pakistan, during the tumultuous 70s and 80s.

Dreams of Trespass by Fatima Mernissi:     Autobiography about growing up in the 1940s in a Moroccan “domestic harem” that illustrates a vanishing tradition of communal life in the Islamic world. The “harem” provided both sanctuary and limitations. It hemmed its residents in but also made them care about one another and pay attention to each another in ways unfamiliar to most Westerners.

Dig Into Reading At Your Library!

The days are growing longer, the temperature is rising and around Atlanta it’s time to begin making plans for summer adventures for the whole family. Why not begin at your library? From babies and children to teens and adults, everyone is invited to participate in the many exciting summer reading activities at your branch of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System! The program runs from June 1 - August 1, 2013, so events are already underway!

This year's theme for children is Dig Into Reading, perfect for encouraging young readers to expand their knowledge of subjects such as archaeology, geology, gardening, and much more. For our teen readers the theme is Beneath The Surface. Delve deeper into your imagination and explore other worlds through books! Both children and teen readers will be eligible for prizes, coupons, certificates, and a grand prize drawing after completing the program. This year's grand prize is a Kindle Fire, so you don't want to miss out on your chance to win! And there's something for the adults as well. Displays, book lists and programs for adult library users highlight the 2013 theme of Groundbreaking Reads, so you're sure to find something for the whole family this summer at your library. For more information about our summer reading program visit our website or call your local librarian.

You can check our Events Calendar for weekly programs and activities at your local branch, or read the full version of Access, our publication of events, to see what your branch has in store for you this summer. Looking for books on your summer reading lists? Well, check the catalog and start placing your holds today!

And as always, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates and other literary tidbits all summer long!

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System would like to invite you to the Groundbreaking Event for your new Wolf Creek Library!

Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 11:00 a.m.

We are asking attendees to please park at the Wolf Creek Public Safety Training Center.
3025 Merk Road, College Park, GA

A shuttle will take you from this location to the ceremony.

Please RSVP by Monday, May 27 to: 404-730-1972 or laura.wright@fultoncountyga.gov

All are welcome! We hope to see you there!

And for more information on all of the new libraries that are a part of our Library Building Program, be sure to check out the "Your New Libraries - News and Updates" link on our homepage! The Library System is engaged in a $275 million building program, funded by a library bond referendum approved by Fulton County voters in 2008. Updates will be added to this page as the program progresses through the next couple of years, so check back often!