Roswell Reads History

Information from The History of the Roswell Library and Its Volunteers by Janice Tedford:

In 2005, Ann Siebert, a Roswell, Georgia citizen, called City Hall and expressed interest in Roswell hosting a One City-One Read program. She was referred to Cultural Arts Manager, Morgan Timmis, who contacted Roswell Library Manager Louise (Lu) Conti. Lu asked Friends of Roswell Library members Kayron Bearden and Janice Tedford to set up a meeting and the first Roswell Reads Steering Committee was formed with Ann, Kayron, Janice and Lu, plus Mary Apps, Lisa Pizzuto, Valerie Morrelli and Rosemary Pizzuto.  Using community utility bills, a letter asking citizens to help select a book was sent by the committee. Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam was chosen. Since it was only the first year of Roswell Reads, and the fee to secure the author Homer Hickam was expensive, the committee chose to use a real character from the book, Roy Lee Cooke. 

Since that time, the Friends of the Roswell Library (FORL) has set aside funds for up-and-coming authors, many of whom are nationally known. Lu Conti chaired the Roswell Reads Steering Committee from its inception through 2014; Janice Tedford chaired it in 2015 when the 10th anniversary was celebrated.   

Roswell Reads elects new chairpersons each year and continues to have a full committee ready to lead the year's upcoming events.