The library is named for Albert Carlton (1927-1992). Albert, a member of a Florida pioneer family, was in the cattle and citrus business. He and his wife, Dr. Barbara Castleberry Carlton, visited Cashiers from Wauchula, Florida in 1960 while seeking refuge from Hurricane Donna and have been seasonal residents ever since. Dr. Barbara ran a family medicine practice, practicing first out of their home before building an office in Wauchula and practicing seven years at the Hardee Memorial Hospital.
After Albert's passing, Dr. Barbara donated 124 acres of land for the library as a tribute to Albert's love of reading and Cashiers. In 2007, she was awarded the Benefactor's Award by the North Carolina Public Library Directors Association for her contributions to public library services.
This Nearly Was Mine, Dr. Barbara Castleberry Carlton's 2010 memoir, written with Barbara Oehlbeck, presents nine generations of the family of Albert Carlton.
