Fairhope Public Library
🏢 Baldwin County Library System · FAIRHOPE, Alabama
Fairhope Public Library
Founded in 1900 from a single personal collection, Fairhope Public Library has grown into a 39,000-square-foot civic anchor in one of Alabama's most storied communities — with a brand-new second-floor Teen & MakerSpace that opened in 2025.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9 AM – 8 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM – 8 PM |
| Wednesday | 1 PM – 6 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM – 8 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM – 5 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM – 3 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 501 FAIRHOPE AVENUE, FAIRHOPE, AL 36532
Phone: +1 251-928-7483
Website: fairhopelibrary.org
Plus Code: 862JG3FX+6J (FAIRHOPE, AL)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Fairhope Public Library
The Fairhope Public Library traces its roots to 1900, when Marie Howland — the library's first head librarian — opened her personal book collection to the public from her cottage among the pines. Community members quickly formalized the effort, and the library moved through three additional homes before settling at its current 39,000-square-foot, $6.3-million facility on Fairhope Avenue in 2007. A Gold Level designation from the Alabama Library Association in 2015 recognized its high standards, and a second-story expansion completed in 2025 added dedicated Teen Services and a MakerSpace Studio. The library is part of the Baldwin County Library System, sharing the TLC consortium catalog that connects patrons to holdings across the county.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Established 1900 — one of Alabama's oldest continuously operating public libraries
- 39,000 sq ft building opened 2007; second-floor Teen & MakerSpace added 2025
- Four adult book clubs (mystery, historical fiction, fiction & friends, Convergence) meeting weekly
- Free notary service by appointment (Tue, Thu & Fri; appointment required)
- Ancestry.com Library Edition, Newspapers.com & local Fairhope Courier Digital Archive on-site
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Your free Fairhope library card unlocks a wide suite of online databases, eBooks, and streaming services — available 24/7 from any device.
📚 Services
- Free notary service (by appointment — Tue, Thu & Fri)
- Study rooms & meeting rooms (reservable)
- Computer lab & free Wi-Fi
- Printing, copying & scanning
- Test proctoring (Mon–Fri, $25/2 hrs)
- Curbside pickup
- Interlibrary loan (Baldwin County system)
- MakerSpace Studio (STEAM activities, 2nd floor)
- Homework Alabama tutoring kiosk
🎸 Programs
- Story Time (infants through pre-K, multiple weekly sessions)
- Teen Services — dedicated 2nd-floor teen space
- Four adult book clubs meeting weekly
- Ikebana floral design & craft workshops
- Mahjong open play sessions
- Estate planning & community education seminars
- Summer Reading Program
📍 Nearby Libraries in Baldwin County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fairhope Public Library offer notary services, and do I need an appointment?
Yes — free notary service is available on Tuesdays and Fridays at 9:30 am and 10:00 am, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm. Appointments are required; call 251-928-7483 or email adminasst@fairhopelibrary.org.
What is the Fairhope Public Library's MakerSpace, and who can use it?
The MakerSpace Studio — part of the new second-floor expansion that opened in 2025 — focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). It is open to library cardholders of all ages. Check the library's website for current equipment and scheduled programming.
Can I access historical Fairhope newspapers through the library?
Yes. The library provides access to the Fairhope Courier Digital Newspaper Archive and the Fairhope Single Tax Corporation Archives, both available on-site. Newspapers.com (covering historical papers from the 1700s onward) and the Fairhope Library Digital History Collection are also available to cardholders.
How do I get a library card, and can I borrow books from other Baldwin County branches?
Bring a photo ID and proof of current address to any branch. Your card gives you access to all holdings in the Baldwin County consortium catalog at baldwin.tlcdelivers.com, so you can request items from any participating branch and pick them up in Fairhope for a $5 interlibrary loan fee.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services 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.
📚 This library has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms by state.
🖨 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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