In 1907 Lula Almand of Lithonia began gathering books in a room of her home for neighbors to read and borrow. The Woman’s Club of Lithonia, of which Almand was a member, built a granite clubhouse and library in 1928. This building still stands at 2564 Wiggins Street. The Lithonia library was only accessible to white residents. Learn more about the Woman’s Club and Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area here.
The Lithonia Woman’s Club was also the building that served as the first library.
The Decatur Library was first established in 1925 in the Decatur Bank & Trust Company Building. Later it operated in City Hall. Maud Burrus was one of the women who served as a part time Decatur librarian during that time until 1930 when she became full-time librarian. Before becoming a librarian, she taught Social Sciences at Decatur Junior High School. (Atlanta Journal, April 24, 1960, “She’s been lending books for 30 years”)
Burrus served as librarian for 31 years from 1930 until 1961. She was followed by her assistant, Louise Trotti, then Trotti’s assistant Barbara Loar in 1982. More history is available at dekalblibrary.org.
Maud Burrus had the idea of getting books to more remote parts of DeKalb County with a bookmobile. She began taking books in the back of her car to residents throughout the county.
Louise Trotti was the first supervisor of bookmobile services. There was no bookmobile for Black residents of Lithonia, until a new vehicle was purchased in 1952. The previous 1940 vehicle was reconditioned and used to bring books throughout DeKalb County to Black residents. That bookmobile operated out of the George Washington Carver Library of Herring Street School, a school in the Beacon community. In 1943, the library operated out of a World War II Quonset hut.
Segregation in DeKalb County libraries ended in 1962 when Elizabeth Wilson and her daughter registered for library cards at the Decatur Library. Elizabeth Wilson later became the second woman and first Black mayor of Decatur.
The Decatur Library became Decatur DeKalb Library when it opened on Sycamore Street in 1950. The land was donated to the city by Annie Scott Cooper as a memorial to her father George Washington Scott, founder of Agnes Scott College and to her husband Thomas L. Cooper who served on the Board of Directors of the library. The name of the library was changed to Maud M. Burrus Library in 1962 after Burrus retired.
The Redan Trotti Library at 1569 Wellborn Road in Lithonia is named in memory of Louise Trotti. A May 1991 article in the DeKalb News Sun newspaper announced the upcoming open house and grand opening. (DeKalb History Center archives)
