Rossville Public Library
🏢 Cherokee Regional Library System · Rossville, Georgia
Rossville Public Library
The Rossville Public Library traces its roots to a 1942 WPA effort in City Hall and today anchors the town named for Cherokee Chief John Ross — whose National Historic Landmark house stands just blocks away — serving as Walker County's northernmost library minutes from the Tennessee state line.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 10am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 504 McFarland Avenue, Rossville, GA 30741
Phone: (706) 866-1368
Website: chrl.org
Plus Code: 866PXPH6+J3 (Rossville, GA)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Rossville Public Library
The Rossville Public Library at 504 McFarland Avenue has served the Walker County community since its founding in January 1944, when the city opened a reading room in the front offices of Rossville City Hall with about 1,000 books and Mrs. June Miller as its first librarian. The library's origins go back to 1942, when it was organized as a Works Progress Administration project during World War II. Later that year Rossville joined the newly formed Cherokee Regional Library System — becoming its first Walker County branch — and the relationship between Rossville and the neighboring LaFayette branch gave birth to what became Georgia's second regional library system. After several moves over the decades, the library settled into its current home on McFarland Avenue in May 1987 with more than 35,000 items in circulation. The city itself carries deep Cherokee heritage: Rossville is named for Chief John Ross, who maintained his home here before the Trail of Tears, and the John Ross House at 200 East Lake Avenue — designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973 — stands minutes from the library. Today Rossville sits at the foot of Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, functioning as a close-in suburb of Chattanooga; the library connects this urban-edge community to the full PINES statewide network of 300+ Georgia libraries.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded in 1944 as the first Walker County branch of Cherokee Regional Library System — Georgia's second regional library system
- Town named for Cherokee Chief John Ross; the John Ross House National Historic Landmark is minutes from the library
- Current McFarland Avenue location opened May 1987 with 35,000+ circulating items
- Bordered by Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain; minutes from the Tennessee state line and Chattanooga
- Open until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for after-work visits
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Cherokee Regional cardholders get 24/7 access to Georgia's statewide and consortium digital collections:
📚 Services
- Public computers, printing and free Wi-Fi
- PINES statewide library card — check out from 300+ Georgia libraries
- Interlibrary loan through the Cherokee Regional Library System
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
- 24/7 digital access via Palace Project, GALILEO and Libby
🎸 Programs
- Summer reading programs for children, teens and adults
- Friends of the Library volunteer and advocacy group
- Youth programming and storytimes
- Community events on Facebook and Instagram
📍 Nearby Libraries in Northwest Georgia
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the connection between Rossville and Cherokee Chief John Ross?
The city of Rossville is named for John Ross (Tsan-Usdi), the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation who maintained his home in this area before the forced removal of the Cherokee people on the Trail of Tears. The John Ross House — a log structure at 200 East Lake Avenue dating to around 1797 — was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and is located just minutes from the Rossville Public Library. Cherokee Regional Library System branches, including Rossville, hold local history and Cherokee genealogy materials for researchers.
How old is the Rossville Public Library, and how did it start?
The library was organized in 1942 as a Works Progress Administration project and opened to the public in January 1944 inside the front offices of Rossville City Hall, with about 1,000 books and Mrs. June Miller as its first librarian. It then joined the newly formed Cherokee Regional Library System — becoming its first Walker County branch — and has served the community ever since. The library moved to its current home on McFarland Avenue in May 1987.
What are the Rossville Public Library's current hours?
The library is open Monday, Wednesday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. It is closed on Fridays and Sundays.
Can Rossville library cardholders borrow from other Georgia libraries?
Yes. A Cherokee Regional Library card is a PINES card, which links 281 libraries in 140 Georgia counties. You can borrow items from — and return them to — any of roughly 300 participating libraries statewide at no charge. The PINES catalog at gapines.org lets you search the combined collection and request items from other branches for pickup in Rossville.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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