Historical Facts about Buncombe County Public Libraries Compiled by Ann Wright Library Established 1879 Notable Librarians Ann Talbot Erwin was Buncombe County’s first librarian. She started working for the library in 1905 when it was still a subscription library. She had formal library training and oversaw the transition to a free public library in 1919. First Bookmobile The original bookmobile service in Buncombe County was started in June, 1939 through an arrangement with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The first bookmobile was a Chevrolet truck. When the WPA withdrew after a few months, the service was continued through the gift of a new vehicle by R. Lee Ellis of the Asheville Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Important Facts 1879 - The Asheville Library Association was incorporated. 1899 - George Willis Pack donated a building on the main city square to the Asheville Library Association. 1919 - After 40 years as a subscription library, the library opened its doors as a free public library. 1926 - A new library building, designed by architect Edward L. Tilton, replaced the building donated by George W. Pack, occupying the same site on Pack Square. 1931 - Dr. Forster A. Sondley bequeathed his private library of over 30,000 volumes to the city of Asheville. His books became the basis of the Sondley Reference Library. 1939 - The WPA remodeled the Colored Public Library on South Market Street in Asheville. Notable Stories Famous patrons include Thomas Wolfe, Carl Sandburg and Wilma Dykeman. Special Collections The collection’s focus is the history of Asheville and Buncombe County, and to a lesser extent, Western North Carolina. It also includes the Thomas Wolfe Collection and the Six Associates architectural drawings. .