Library History

The Wells Branch Community Library District was formed August 8, 1998, after months of hard work by Wells Branch residents to collect the signatures required to put the creation of a library district on the ballot. The library opened to the public a few weeks later, on September 12, 1998—out of a closet in the Wells Branch Methodist Church. Open just a few days a week, the library was made up entirely of donations from the community and nearby libraries and was run by volunteers.

Needing more space to grow, the library opened in its own space in Bratton Square on February 20, 1999. It was here that the library first made computers available to the public and launched some of the programs that continue today, like summer reading and our Polar Express Pajamarama. An expanding collection—including audiobooks and a growing collection of movies, first on VHS and later DVDs—meant that the library needed more space than its 2,700 square feet in Bratton Square.

On February 1, 2003, ground was broken on the library’s current building on Wells Port Drive. After months of construction, the doors to our new home opened on December 8. Our collection has grown to fill our 16,000 square foot space, with more than 55,000 items on the shelf and thousands more available digitally. Our hours have expanded, too, with the library open seven days a week to serve Wells Branch residents. With concerts, special programs, book clubs, and early literacy activities, the library is as popular as ever, with more than 110,000 visits in 2017.

Want to help us continue to grow? Consider volunteering your time at the library, attending a library program, or simply shopping locally—a portion of the sales tax collected from businesses in Wells Branch funds library materials and services.