Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
🏢 Northland Library Cooperative · Alpena, Michigan
Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
Named for the Vermont-born lumberman who founded Alpena in 1855, the George N. Fletcher Public Library anchors downtown on Thunder Bay with a world-class Great Lakes maritime archive, a third-floor MakerLab open to ages 5 and up, and free access to 80+ Michigan eLibrary databases.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | 9am–7pm |
| Saturday | 9am–4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 211 N. 1st Avenue, Alpena, MI 49707
Phone: (989) 356-6188
Website: alpenalibrary.org
Plus Code: 86QR3H69+WH (Alpena, MI)
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📖 About Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
The Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library has served northeastern Michigan since 1967, when it was established as an independent county library separate from the Alpena Public Schools. It moved to its current 20,000-square-foot downtown building at 211 N. 1st Avenue in 1974, funded by county and township monies, Federal Revenue Sharing funds, and a $100,000 Jesse Besser Fund grant; a comprehensive 1997 renovation brought electrical upgrades and internet-connected computers. The library is named for George N. Fletcher (born December 13, 1813 in Ludlow, Vermont), who in 1855 purchased 450 acres at the mouth of the Thunder Bay River, built the city's first sawmill in 1858, and later established the Fletcher Paper Company in 1886 — making him the dominant figure in Alpena's industrial founding. Today the library is a member of the Northland Library Cooperative and houses the Thunder Bay Research Collection: a searchable database of some 14,000 nineteenth-century Great Lakes vessels, digitized with a $234,000 Library of Michigan grant.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Thunder Bay Research Collection — the C. Patrick Labadie archive digitized with a $234,000 Library of Michigan grant, covering ~14,000 nineteenth-century Great Lakes vessels with photographs, ownership records, and historical timelines
- George R. and Edith Angell Cook Special Collections with 4,500+ digitized items: photographs, oral histories, newspapers back to 1871 (Alpena Argus, Alpena Evening News), and indigenous history resources
- Third-floor MakerLab open to ages 5+: 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC and vinyl cutters, Oculus VR headsets, Arduino/Raspberry Pi, sewing machine, robots, and a free Memory Lab for digitizing family photos and audio
- Open Mon–Fri until 7 PM, one of few northern Michigan libraries with five-day evening hours
- Free access to 80+ Michigan eLibrary (MeL) databases plus Kanopy streaming and Libby/OverDrive for all cardholders
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Alpena cardholders can stream, download, and research free through Michigan's shared digital collections:
📚 Services
- MakerLab (3rd floor): 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC cutters, vinyl cutters, VR headsets, Arduino/Raspberry Pi, soldering, sewing machine, robots
- Memory Lab: free digitization of personal photos, audio, and video for Alpena County residents
- Special Collections research assistance (ext. 17; specialcollections@alpenalibrary.org)
- Great Lakes Maritime Database — searchable online at alpenalibrary.org
- In-library Ancestry Library Edition and Fold3 access
- Meeting room rental
- Library of Things lending collection
- MeLCat interlibrary loan (400+ Michigan libraries)
- Mango Languages for self-paced language learning
- Public computers, printing, fax, and copying
🎸 Programs
- R.E.A.D. Adult Literacy program
- Computer classes for adults
- MakerLab open lab sessions (Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday mornings — confirm current times)
- MakerLab partnership with Alpena Family Partnership homeschool program
- LEGO Club (bi-weekly)
- Children's and teen book clubs
- Author talks and fall author event series
📍 Nearby Libraries in Northern Michigan
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was George N. Fletcher, and what role did he play in founding Alpena?
George N. Fletcher (born December 13, 1813, in Ludlow, Vermont) was the co-founder of Alpena. In 1855 he and partner James Lockwood purchased 450 acres at the mouth of the Thunder Bay River; Fletcher built the city's first sawmill in 1858 and later established the Fletcher Paper Company in 1886, making him the dominant force in Alpena's industrial growth for half a century. The county library was named in his honor when it became an independent public institution in 1967.
What makes the Special Collections so significant for Great Lakes research?
The library holds the Thunder Bay Research Collection — the life's work of maritime historian C. Patrick Labadie, donated to Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2003. A $234,000 Library of Michigan digitization grant transformed it into a searchable database of approximately 14,000 nineteenth-century Great Lakes vessels, with photographs, ownership records, and historical timelines. The George R. and Edith Angell Cook Special Collections adds oral histories, newspapers back to 1871, and materials on indigenous history, among them the Carl Henry diaries and two Lake Huron Life-Saving Station logbooks.
Can I use the MakerLab if I'm not enrolled in a class?
Yes. The MakerLab on the third floor is open to anyone aged 5 and older. Structured open-lab sessions run on scheduled days (Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday mornings per recent programming — verify current times at alpenalibrary.org or call (989) 356-6188). Staff can assist with 3D printers, laser cutters, VR headsets, and other equipment. The Memory Lab — for scanning photos and digitizing audio or video — is free for Alpena County residents.
Does the Special Collections Department keep the same hours as the rest of the library?
No — the Special Collections has its own shorter schedule: Monday–Friday 9:00 am–5:30 pm and Saturday 9:00 am–3:00 pm, closing earlier than the general building hours (weekdays until 7:00 pm, Saturday until 4:00 pm). For research appointments or questions, contact specialcollections@alpenalibrary.org or call (989) 356-6188, ext. 17.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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