November 2024

In November 1974, Fort Bend County Libraries officially became a library “system” when it opened its first two branches – the Albert George Branch Library in Needville and the Mamie George Branch Library in Stafford.

With the addition of these two locations to the original Fort Bend County Library, located next to Polly Ryon Hospital (now OakBend Medical Center) in Richmond, the goal of the founders to establish a system of libraries accessible to all residents of Fort Bend County continued to grow.

This November, Fort Bend County Libraries will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Albert George Branch Library (Needville) and the Mamie George Branch Library (Stafford) with Open Houses at each location.

The Mamie George Branch Library (Stafford) will host an Open House celebration on Saturday, November 2, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. In addition to the Open House, the Friends of the Mamie George Branch Library will have their Annual Book Sale on Friday, November 1, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, and on Saturday, November 2, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The Open House at the Albert George Branch Library (Needville) will take place on Saturday, November 9, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The public is invited to enjoy light refreshments, activities, and giveaways. All are welcome to browse through the library’s scrapbooks and share their own memories.

Refreshments for these events are made possible by the Friends of the Library organizations that support each location.

History of the Libraries

The libraries are named in honor of philanthropists Albert and Mamie George in appreciation for their contributions toward the building and growth of the Fort Bend County library system. The Albert George Branch in Needville opened on November 11, 1974, and the Mamie George Branch in Stafford opened a week later on November 18, 1974.

Mrs. Carolyn Conrad was the first librarian for the Albert George Branch in Needville, while Mrs. Elizabeth Smith was the first librarian for the Mamie George Branch in Stafford.

Funding for construction of the two libraries was provided by The George Foundation in Richmond, Texas. The site in Needville was donated by the Needville Chamber of Commerce and the Needville Lion's Club, and the site in Stafford was donated by the Fort Bend Independent School District. Each branch was 4,900 square feet.

Renovation of the Mamie George Branch was completed in 1990. Albert George Branch was renovated and expanded to include a new entrance, public restrooms, and a meeting room in 1997.

In 2000, the small-business center that had been housed at Missouri City Branch since 1996 was moved to Mamie George Branch, which received minor renovations and rearrangement to accommodate the business center.

In the spring of 2015, the Mamie George Branch closed for two months for minor renovations. The most significant change included the addition of a makerspace, an area set aside in the library where patrons can create, edit, and publish special projects, such as digital and electronic art, videography, and much more. The makerspace project began in 2014, when the library received the Amigos Fellowship and Opportunity Award for innovation and development of new library services. The award included a grant to be used for equipment for the makerspace, which was the first of its kind for FBCL. The Mamie George Branch is home to one of the first 3D printers in the library system.