Ella Mae Shamblee Branch
🏢 Fort Worth Public Library — Fort Worth, Texas
Ella Mae Shamblee Branch
A Fort Worth Public Library branch on Evans Avenue anchoring the historic African American Southside, home to the library's African American Heritage Collection and named for literacy pioneer Ella Mae Shamblee.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 12 PM – 8 PM |
| Tuesday | 10 AM – 8 PM |
| Wednesday | 10 AM – 8 PM |
| Thursday | 10 AM – 8 PM |
| Friday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM – 6 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 1062 Evans Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104
Phone: (817) 392-5580
Website: fortworthtexas.gov/library
📖 About Ella Mae Shamblee Branch
The Ella Mae Shamblee Branch sits on Evans Avenue in Fort Worth's Near Southeast, a neighborhood that has been a hub of African American commerce, art, and activism since the 1930s. Opened in 2008 near Evans Plaza at the corner of Rosedale and Evans, the branch is named for Ella Mae Gratts Shamblee (1903–1981), who began sharing discarded library books with South Fort Worth neighbors and later drove one of the city's official bookmobiles to widen literacy access. The branch is home to the Fort Worth Library's African American Heritage Collection, the African American Authors Fiction Collection, and the Coretta Scott King Award Book Collection. Alongside these collections, visitors find public computers, children's and teen areas, 3D printing, mobile printing pickup, curbside hold service, and meeting space available for rental.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- Home to the Fort Worth Library's African American Heritage Collection
- Holds the Coretta Scott King Award Book Collection and African American Authors Fiction Collection
- Named for literacy pioneer Ella Mae Shamblee (1903-1981)
- 3D printing, mobile printing pickup, and curbside hold service
- Dedicated children's and teen areas plus rentable meeting space
📱 Free with a Fort Worth Public Library Card
Any Texas resident can get an FWPL card free and unlock:
📍 More Fort Worth Public Library branches
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ella Mae Shamblee?
Ella Mae Gratts Shamblee (1903-1981) was a Fort Worth literacy advocate who began sharing discarded library books with South Fort Worth neighbors and later drove an official Fort Worth Public Library bookmobile to expand access across the city. The branch is named in her honor.
What special collections does the Shamblee Branch hold?
The branch is home to the Fort Worth Library's African American Heritage Collection, the African American Authors Fiction Collection, and the Coretta Scott King Award Book Collection.
What are the Shamblee Branch hours?
The branch opens Monday from noon to 8 pm, Tuesday through Thursday 10 am to 8 pm, and Friday and Saturday 10 am to 6 pm. It is closed on Sunday.
🔨 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 meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.