About Us

About Us

About the E.G. Fisher Public Library

E.G. Fisher Public Library’s Mission

The E.G. Fisher Public Library builds community, offering all people in McMinn County a full range of resources needed to live, learn, govern, and work.

The library is a dependable source of reliable information and of challenging ideas that enlighten and enrich.  The library offers materials in many formats that enhance leisure time and expand our knowledge of our world.  The library encourages the love of reading and the joy of learning and offers the assistance people need to find, evaluate, and use electronic and print information resources that help us live successful and rewarding lives. 

Our Manager Team

Rebeckah Coleman

Library Director

Nina Centeno

Circulation Manager

Meleena Livesay

Program Director

Cyndi Scott

Assistant Circulation Manager

E.G. Fisher Public Library

Location

1289 Ingleside Avenue Athens, Tn, 37303

Library Hours

Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday

9:30AM – 8:00PM

Wednesday & Friday

9:30AM – 5:30PM

Saturday

9:30AM – 5PM

Closed

Sundays & First Wednesday of the Month

Contact

(423) 745-7782

Resources

Discover Essential Resources in Athens, TN

Your Guide to Community and Library Services

Explore a comprehensive collection of resources and services available in Athens, TN, from community organizations to library offerings, all designed to support your educational and personal growth.

Community Organizations & Resources

  • Athens Chamber of Commerce
  • Athens City Hall
  • Athens City Schools
  • Athens County Schools
  • Athens Housing Authority
  • Athens Parks & Recreation
  • McMinn County Dept. of Children’s Services
  • McMinn County Dept. of Human Services
  • McMinn County Dept. Economic Development Authority
  • McMinn County Health Dept.
  • McMinn Senior Center
  • McMinn County Veteran Services
  • Athens-McMinn Family YMCA
  • Athens Head Start
  • Coordinated Charities
  • United Way of McMinn and Meigs Counties
  • Grace and Mercy Ministries
  • Love Thy Neighbor Project
  • Nourish One Child
  • SETHRA
  • Wesley Memorial Food Pantry
  • McMinn County Veteran Serives
  • Table Graces
  • Good Faith Clinic
  • CASA McMinn & Meigs
  • Athens Utilities Board
  • Isaiah 117 House
  • Women at the Well
  • the H.O.P.E. Center
  • American Job Center of Athens
  • Adult Education (Athens)
  • McMinn County Education Foundation
  • UT Extension Office – McMinn
  • Star Regional Medical Center – Athens
  • Full Circle Medical Center for Women
  • Shower Bus

Tennessee Electronic Library

Homework Help

Find encyclopedia and journal articles on all kinds of topics to help with school projects.

Test Prep

Prepare for academic and occupational exams like ACT, SAT, AP, EMT, HiSET, CLEP, NCLEX, and more.

Career Tools

Explore new careers, build a resume, and improve workplace skills.

Genealogy

Locate census and vital records to research family history.

Newspapers

Discover hundred of newspapers, including the Tennessean (1812 – today).

Language Learning

Uncover 100+ languages, including English.

Legal Assistance Resources

Find Legal Help in Athens, TN

Legal Aid of East Tennessee

Legal Aid of East Tennessee provides essential free legal assistance to low-income individuals and families.

Tennessee Legal Assistance Hotline

Call the Tennessee Legal Assistance Hotline for immediate legal advice and referrals to local attorneys who can help with your case.

McMinn County Juvenile Services

McMinn County Juvenile Services’ mission is to provide preventive and rehabilitative services to juveniles and families in need.

Southeast Tennessee Legal Services

Southeast Tennessee Legal Services is dedicated to providing accessible legal assistance and guidance to individuals and families in our community.

McMinn County Library Board

E.G. Fisher Public Library is governed by the McMinn County Library Board. Members of the McMinn County Library Board are appointed to serve by the Athens City Council and the McMinn County Commission. The McMinn County Library Board meets six times each year. All board meetings are open to the public . Meetings are held in the Community Room of E.G. Fisher Public Library, 1289 Ingleside Ave. Athens, TN.

 

 

The next McMinn County Library Board meeting is Monday, November 25, 2024, 6:00pm

 

Regularly scheduled future meetings:

 

Monday, January 27, 2025, 6:00pm

Monday, March 24, 2025, 6:00pm

 

 

 

Meeting Minutes & Agendas

 

September 2024 AgendaDownload

 

July 2024 MinutesDownload

 

July 2024 AgendaDownload

 

May 2024 MinutesDownload

 

May 2024 AgendaDownload

 

March 2024 MinutesDownload

 

March 2024 AgendaDownload

 

February 2024 MinutesDownload

 

February 2024 AgendaDownload

 

December 2023 MinutesDownload

 

December 2023 AgendaDownload

 

September 2023 MinutesDownload

 

September 2023 AgendaDownload

 

August 28 2023 MinutesDownload

 

August 28 Called Meeting AgendaDownload

 

August 15 2023 MinutesDownload


Library Policies and ByLaws

All E.G. Fisher Public Library Policies are approved by the McMinn County Library Board.

 

 

Community’s Book Recommendations

Books

Community’s Book Recs

Take a look at the different books our community has recommended!

 

 

 

 

Five Days at Memorial 

Sheri Fink

Non-Fiction

Eight Ways to Keep the Devil from Under Your Feet

Joyce Meyer

Non-Fiction

Where are the Coins?/ ¿Dónde están las monedas?

Joan Garringa Bacardi

Non- Fiction

Educating the Wholehearted Child

Clay and Sally Clarkson

Non-Fiction

Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness

Sharon Salzburg

Nonfiction

The Book of Enoch

Translated by R.H. Charles

Religion

The Book of Giants

Joseph B. Lumpkin

Mythology

Greenlights

Matthew McConaughey

Memoir

A People’s History of the United States

Howard Zinn

History

The Race

Robin Rekittke

PRC

Swallows and Amazons

Arthur Ransome 

Classics

 

The Count of Monte Cristo

Alexandre Dumas

Classics

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Jules Verne

Classics

A Hole New World

PopularMMOs

Graphic Novel

Guts

Raina Telgemeier

Graphic Novel

Dog Man and Cat Kid

Dav Pilkey

Graphic Novel

The Baby Sitters Club Series

Ann M. Martin

Graphic Novel

Claudia and the Bad Joke

Ann M. Martin

Graphic Novel

Flood-A-Gedden! (Agent 9)

James Burkes

Graphic Novel

Working Cotton

Sherley Anne WIlliams

Picture Book

Tokyo Ghoul

Sui Ishida

Manga

My Hero Academia, Vol. 1

Kohei Horikoshi

Manga

Naruto, Vol. 37

Masashi Kishimoto

Manga

Shanghai Girls

Lisa See

Historical Fiction

Sweet Home Alaska

Carole Estby Dagg

Historical Fiction

I Survived!

Lauren Tarshis

Historical Fiction

Fawkes

Nadine Brandes

Historical Fiction

A Tent for the Sun

Mary Ray

Historical Fiction

 

A Thousand Ships

Natalie Haynes

Historical Fiction

City of Girls

Elizabeth Gilbert

Historical Fiction

Beyond the Bright Sea

Lauren Wolk

Historical Fiction

The Clue of the Hissing Serpent

Franklin W. Dixon

Mystery

The Thirty Nine Clues

Rick Riordan

Mystery

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

Donald J. Sobol

Mystery

Spy School

Stuart Gibbs

Mystery

Suspect

Robert Crais

Mystery

7 Days of Peter Crumb

Jonny Glynn

Horror

Christine

Stephen King

Horror

Float

Laura Martin

Fantasy

The Magic Half

Annie Barrows

Fantasy

The Trials of Apollo

Rick Riordan

Fantasy

Kingdom’s Edge

Chuck Black

Fantasy

Oddity

Eli Brown

Fantasy

The Alloy of Law 

Brandon Sanderson

Fantasy

The Dark Witch

Nora Roberts

Fantasy

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

J.K. Rowling

Fantasy

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

J.K. Rowling

Fantasy

The Chronicles of Narnia

C.S. Lewis

Fantasy

The Night Angel Trilogy

Brent Weeks

Fantasy

The Green Ember 

S.D. Smith

Fantasy

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief 

Rick Riordan

Fantasy

Wings of Fire

Tui T. Sutherland

Fantasy

Redwall

Brian Jacques

Fantasy

The Witches

Roald Dahl

Fantasy

Will Wilder

Raymond Arroyo

Fantasy

Where the Woods End 

Charlotte Salter

Fantasy

Dark Lover

J.R. Ward

Fantasy

Raising Dragons

Bryan Davis

Fantasy

 The Serpent and the Wings of Night

Carrisa Broadbent

Fantasy

Divergent 

Veronica Roth

Sci-Fi

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

Sci-Fi

The Maze Runner

James Dashner

Sci-Fi

Hank the Cowdog

John R. Erickson

Fiction

The Little Prince

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Fiction

The Boxcar Children

Gertrude Chandler Warner

Fiction

The Oath

Frank Peretti

Fiction

¡Qué Nervios! El Primer Día de Escuela

Julie Danneburg

Fiction

My Side of the Mountain

Jean Craighead George

Fiction

Puppy Academy

Gill Lewis

Fiction

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Fiction

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot

Jeff Kinney

Fiction

Adultling Life Skills for Young Adults: Beyond Basics

Jaqui Meyer

Non-Fiction

Join Our Book Ratng Community

Fill out a book recommendation slip at the front desk !

Library Information

Library Information

Checkout Limit

Checkouts are limited to 20 items total with a maximum of 5 DVDs, audionbooks, and magazines.

Public Computers

The library is pleased to offer computers for the public. We will be happy to assist you as time permits. You must present your library card or a valid ID.

Curbside Service

Please reserve items no later than one business day prior to pick-up. Once in the parking lot, call 423-745-7782 for curbside service.

Credit/Debit Card Payments

A $0.50 service fee will be added to all card transactions. Minimum credit or debit transaction is $1.00 not counting the service fee.

Item Holds

You may place an item on hold from our collection. Patrons receive three free holds, additional holds cost $1.00 per item per day. Please place all holds at least one business day prior to expected pick-up. You may also now place a hold on an item through our Online Catalog.

Printing & Fax Charges

We have a coin-operated copier for the public to use. Costs of printing and copying are $0.25 for black and white per page and $0.50 for color per page. We offer fax services as well. It is $1.00 per page to send a fax and $1.00 per page to receive a fax. Our fax number is 423-745-1763. 

 

 

 

Board Room Reservations

Our board room is free for groups of 12 and under. Reservations may be made no more than TWO WEEKS in advance. No food or drinks are permitted in the board room. Care must be taken to leave the Board Room clean when the meeting is over. IMPORTANT: A protective cover must be used on the table if any crafts ( cutting, pasting, etc.) take place.

Community Room Reservations

The community room is available to be rented out. The room seats 50 – 75+.
 
$20 deposit required to reserve space (counts toward full payment). All payments, including deposit, are non-refundable.
Rates for general public use :
0 – 2 Hours ———-$40
2 – 4 Hours ———-$ 50
4 – 6 Hours ———-$ 70
6+ Hours ———-$ 90
Use of Zenith flat screen TV and Google Box $25

 

 

–The community room is also available for ongoing non-profit (501-C3) organizations*—
Rates for ongoing groups**:
One free reservation per month with subsequent rentals at 50% discount
0-2 Hours —– $20
2-4 Hours —– $25
4-6 Hours —– $35
6+ Hours —– $45
Use of Zenith flat screen TV and Google Box —– $25
*May require documentation of an organization’s non-profit (501-C3) status at time of scheduling.
** Use of kitchen included in costs

 

General Rules for the Community Room:

1. Meeting rooms may be reserved by individuals, businesses, government agencies, and non-profits for private or public events.
2. Sales may not be conducted on the premises without prior approval from the Library Director.
3. Tobacco products may not be consumed inside the library or within 25 feet of entrances and exits. Alcoholic beverages may not be consumed on the Library premises.
4. Flammable materials are prohibited (i.e. candles, incense, light strips, etc.)
5. Reservations are not allowed outside of library operating hours.
6. All reservations must end 30 minutes before the library’s closing time. Groups should complete clean up and exit the room by this time. Groups should notify the front desk when leaving the room.
7. All payments for meeting rooms are non-refundable.
8. Each organization is responsible for setting up and putting away chairs and tables. (There are approximately 50 chairs and 12 tables).
9. Food and beverages are allowed in the community room. Avoid staining drinks i.e. Red Kool-Aid and other red drinks. No food or beverages are allowed in the Board Room.
10. Leave meeting room clean, free of trash in the condition it is found: trash picked up, spills cleaned up.
11. Coffee pot, microwave, refrigerator, and stove are available in the kitchen for Community Room rentals. Dishes and party supplies are not provided. Surfaces and equipment should be left clean.
12. All audio-visual needs should be planned for at least 7 days prior to the event and specified as part of the rental agreement. The primary contact person will be shown how to use the equipment. Any damages will be the responsibility of the lessee.
13. Meetings of large groups which may disturb or interfere with the general use of the library will not be booked.
14. No governmental agencies (local, state, or federal) shall be charged unless they are charging an admittance fee.
15. Individuals renting or attending events in meeting rooms are subject to E.G> Fisher Public Library’s Code of Conduct. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in temporary bans from meeting room use.
16. Any usage of library space must be made within the context of local, state, or federal laws or regulations. Access may not be denied on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, or physical or mental disability.
17. Patrons renting meeting spaces are responsible for ensuring the maximum room capacity is observed.
18. Library programs and meetings have first priority for room reservations.

Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM

Wednesday, Friday: 9:30 AM -5:30 PM

Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Closed Sundays and first Wednesday of the Month

Address

1289 Ingleside Avenue Athens, TN 37303

Hours

(423) 745-7782