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POULAN, GA -- One room, 400 square feet, 103 years old and only open Thursday afternoons, The Poulan Library is the smallest and one of the oldest libraries in the state of Georgia.

It is on both the State and National Historic Registers and stands today the same way it did when it was built in 1908, without a bathroom or telephone.  Despite its small size, the library is a major part of the community. 

Helen Narred has been the librarian for the last ten years where she follows a long list of librarians.  Nancy McPhaul, the previous librarian, is said to be the first person to use a bookmobile to deliver books in the entire state of Georgia. 

But it’s not just the people and building that has history.  The Poulan Library is filled with books dating back to the 1800s.  The was a first edition Bible and a copy of The Lincoln Library of Essential Information which was the dictionary before Merriam-Webster’s was created.

The library is only open on Thursday afternoons from 3:00-5:00 but Narred says if anyone ever needs something she doesn’t mind stopping by to unlock the doors.

"Whatever day they need me to come, I do,” said Narred.

People can check books out for two weeks.  If you’re late, Narred will call you or pay you a personal visit since she knows just about everyone who stops in.   But no library card is needed.  All check-outs are recorded in a spiral notebook. 

"I put their name and the date they check the book out and the titles authors and when they bring them back I just mark through them,” said Narred.