A newsletter for friends and employees of Georgia's public libraries

volume 10, issue 2 I October 2012

Staff

GPLS organizes
multiple sessions
for development
of strategic plan
Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS)
is taking the initial steps to coordinate development of a strategic plan for the future of the state's public libraries and the increasing number of services they are called on to provide.
"Georgia's current budget crunch makes this an excellent time to us to assess, formulate and articulate the future needs for library services across the state," said Dr. Lamar Veatch, state librarian. "We encourage library directors, trustees and Friends groups to attend or send their representatives to one of the seven important planning sessions we have scheduled in the upcoming weeks."
The University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government is facilitating these sessions. The first was scheduled to take place Sept. 27 at the Columbia County Library in Evans. Upcoming sessions will be Oct. 2 from 5-7 p.m. at the State Offices South at Tift College in Forsyth; Oct. 11 from 6-8 p.m. at the Spout Springs branch library in Hall County; Oct. 18 from 5-7 p.m. at the Cartersville Main Street Library; Oct. 25 from 5-7 p.m. at the Leesburg Library; Nov. 1 from 6-8 p.m. at the Blackshear Memorial
See Plan, page 4

Davis, Walker, Williams and Hammond wave goodbye to the viewing audience in the last shot of filming for the "Wednesday's Child" segment.

Atlanta's FOX 5 films segment at AMLAS

On Aug. 29, the Atlanta Metro
Library for Accessible Services (AMLAS) was transformed into a setting for part of a late-September newscast.
Amanda Davis, the Emmy award-winning co-anchor for toprated FOX 5 News on Atlanta's WAGA-TV, came to AMLAS to film a segment of her popular "Wednesday's Child" series, the goal of which is to find permanent homes for many of Georgia's foster children.

Mac Foundation, WAGA and the Georgia Department of Human Resources.
The episode spotlights Breydion "Brey" Walker, a child with visual and physical limitations, who currently lives with foster parents in Augusta while he seeks a permanent home and family. Walker, his foster mom Betty Hammond, Davis and the "Wednesday's Child" crew arrived at noon and spent two hours filming the segment in the AMLAS lobby and children's area.

Davis launched the on-air project in 1997 as "A Place to Call Home." Three years later, it changed names and became part of a public-private partnership between the Freddie

"I was anxious about being on television, but the filming went wonderfully," said AMLAS manager Beverly Williams, who toured
See AMLAS, page 4

Staff

Elbert County Library becomes crucial link for jobs, state services
Mounting budget cuts continue to be one of the most
critical issues faced by libraries and other governmentfunded agencies.

In June, Elbert County not only lost much-needed dollars for its libraries, it completely lost its local Department of Labor (DOL) Career Center. With the closing of that facility, many of the county's citizens were left without a direct line to the state's employment listings, job tips, information about regulations, state forms and DOL staff members familiar with all of it.

With an estimated population of 20,000 and a 13.3 percent unemployment rate, the unemployed members of the community needed this help more than ever and, in spite of its own budget cuts resulting in Wednesday closures, the local library stepped in to help. "It seemed only appropriate that we ramp up our services to provide at least part of the much-needed assistance for area employers and the workforce," said Anne Grace, director of the Elbert County Public Library.

Grace and her staff continue to face the problems of the unemployed head-on. Every Monday, Thursday and Friday, library staff actively provide aid to job seekers by assisting them in filing unemployment claims, writing and preparing resumes, training them on computers and helping with preparations for Georgia's Work Ready Test.

Grace

Some services still must be handled directly by the DOL, however, and for that the library works closely with the Career Center offices located in Athens and Toccoa. The library provides meeting space every Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. so that a DOL representative can set up a makeshift office and meet with citizens at the library.

The success of the library's efforts is apparent, with 75 to 125 people coming in to meet with the DOL representative during each visit. "Can you say `no more parking spaces'?" quipped Grace.

"All of us here are learning quickly how to help with online unemployment forms and other Department of

From left: Janie Conley, Council on Aging trainee at the Elbert County Public Library; Sarah Byrum of the Department of Labor's Athens Career Center; and Janet Burroughs, the library system's assistant director, welcome and provide help for the community's unemployed citizens.
Labor tasks," she said. "We were already helping folks with job searches, resumes and computer training, so it was logical for us to step up and provide these muchneeded services here where they are most needed."
Based on new state research as part of a national report, Elbert County's situation is indicative of how many Georgia public libraries have become leading resources for workforce and economic development. More and more, they are the crucial link to most essential electronic government (e-government) services.
According to the latest statewide data from Diana Very, director of LSTA, Statistics and Research for GPLS, virtually every public library in Georgia provides resources and assistance to job seekers, and all are used for access to e-government services including unemployment, health care and tax information.
The American Library Association's Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and released in June, shows that public libraries represent a new prototype of resources supporting digital literacy, including job search strategies, computer training, and research assistance for small businesses.
"Our public libraries continue to serve an essential role in communities. Technology investment has transformed libraries into digital hubs for the community,
See Elbert, page 7

2
Georgia Public Library Service News October 2012

Richmond Hill high schooler wins reading sweepstakes

When 16-year-old Richmond Hill High School student
Savannah Beecher saw the opportunity to enter a chance to win a contribution to her college savings at her local library, she jumped at the opportunity. On Sept. 5, Beecher was awarded a $5,529 contribution to her Path2College 529 Plan as the winner of the 2012 "Think BIG! Save for College!" Summer Reading Program Sweepstakes.
The contest is a partnership between Georgia Public Library Service and Georgia's Path2College 529 Plan, and it was open to Georgia children 16 and younger who participated in this year's Summer Reading Program.

More than 3,600 Georgia children entered the "Think BIG! Save for College!" sweepstakes this year.
"We are excited to be awarding Savannah money toward her college savings today! Hopefully, thousands of Georgia children will continue to have brighter futures after participating in this program," said Mitch Seabaugh, director of the Path2College 529 Plan. "Not only did they strengthen their educational foundation by reading all summer, we hope that many families were encouraged to begin planning for their children's future by starting a college savings plan."

Seabaugh said the sweepstakes is not only a great

"The cost of college is rising each year, and having a opportunity for Georgia families, it's an easy way for

529 savings plan is a

people to help their

Courtesy Path2College 529 Plan

great way for us to save

library as well.

money for tuition and

other expenses," said

The Athens-Clarke

Shawn Beecher,

County Library, part of

Savannah's mother.

the Athens Regional

"Our family was

Library System (ARLS),

absolutely thrilled about

had the greatest number

winning such a large

of sweepstakes entries,

prize! This will help

and the DeKalb County

Savannah achieve her

Public Library had the

dream of majoring in

greatest percentage of

business/accounting in

registered users entered

college."

into the sweepstakes.

The contest awarded

Beecher, a junior at

each system $1,529 for

Richmond Hill High

their respective children's

School, plays both

and young adult

school and club soccer,

programs.

and she is a straight-A

student, having taken all offered honors and AP

From left: Seabaugh presents a ceremonial check to Savannah and Shawn Beecher, joined by Barker.

"We at ARLS are most appreciative, and

classes. In addition to

we plan to use the award

Beecher being awarded money toward her college

to help develop a wonderful collection of books to

savings, the Richmond Hill Public Library, where she

support next summer's reading theme," said Director

entered the sweepstakes, was awarded $1,529 for use in Kathryn Ames.

supporting its children's and young adult programs.

When the Richmond Hill Friends of the Library group found out about the win, they added another $471 to round up the materials prize to $2,000.
"We are so excited," said Kate Barker, library manager at Richmond Hill. "I know Savannah will put her money to good use, and we hope to use the library's winnings to focus on purchases that will assist teens and young adults in making career and education choices."

"Credit goes to our youth services librarians, who did such a great job of getting the word out to our young patrons," said Alison Weissinger, DeKalb County library director. "We plan to spend our prize money to buy new juvenile materials for our collection."
"Libraries across the state work tirelessly to encourage families to read together and to help children have fun with reading," said Dr. Lamar Veatch, state
See Sweepstakes, page 4

3
October 2012 Georgia Public Library Service News

Georgia Literary Plan

Festival heads for Jekyll Island
The 2012 Georgia Literary Festival
will be held Nov. 9-10 at the new Jekyll Island Convention Center. The event will feature a full day of free author programs, with additional special events Friday and Saturday at the nearby Jekyll Island Club Hotel. The festival is sponsored by the Georgia Center for the Book with funding from the Georgia Humanities Council and local sponsors.
More than 30 authors are scheduled to appear at the 14th annual festival, including Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, environmentalist and writer Janisse Ray, popular Atlanta-based author Mary Kay Andrews, bestselling thriller writer Steve Berry, and nationally renowned Georgia chefs Nathalie Dupree, Hugh Acheson and Damon Lee Fowler.
For a schedule of events, visit www.georgiacenterforthebook.org. I
Sweepstakes
Continued from page 3 librarian. "We know this is vital to their future success in life, and it is wonderful to see our libraries honored and rewarded for their commitment and hard work to encourage families to participate in the Summer Reading Program."
This is the third year Georgia's Path2College 529 Plan has partnered with GPLS to offer the Summer Reading Program Sweepstakes. The Path2College 529 Plan has awarded more than $16,500 to Georgia children for their college savings and nearly $14,000 to Georgia libraries through the sweepstakes. I

Continued from page 1 Library in Pierce County; and Nov. 8 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the GPLS offices in Atlanta.

The meeting

in Forsyth was

specifically

scheduled to take

advantage of the

Georgia Council

of Media

Organizations'

annual

conference, which begins in

Walker

Macon the following day, because so

many potential participants will

already be in that area.

"GPLS is not limiting the numbers of overall attendees or participants per library system," said Julie Walker, deputy state librarian. "We realize that every system is unique, and many work with

AMLAS
Continued from page 1 Walker, Hammond and Davis through the facility and introduced them to the array of services provided by Georgia's talking book libraries.
"It was a very moving experience to meet this little boy and to see how much enjoyed the talking book player and the interactive walls in our play area," Williams said. "I think Miss Davis enjoyed it, too, and the segment will be a good opportunity for many television viewers to get to know a little bit about us and our services."
AMLAS is one of nine member Talking Book Centers that are part of the Georgia Library for Accessible Statewide Services (GLASS) network. GLASS member libraries provide

multiple boards. We want all trustees and Friends groups that have ideas to contribute to send a representative who can bring those ideas to the table."
"Once all sessions have been completed, GPLS will incorporate this input with its recent LSTA five-year planning document and synthesize a larger, broader document that will help guide local library systems with their own strategic planning documents," explained Alan Harkness, assistant state librarian for Library Development.
"We see the resulting strategic plan being inclusive of both public library and GPLS activities and aspirations," Veatch said, noting that the Regents Public Library Advisory Committee will serve as a key advisory partner for the planning meetings and for the interpretation of data that each provides. I
books and magazines in Braille and audio formats, digital players to listen to books in audio formats, Internet access to downloadable digital talking books and magazines and personalized reader advisory services for patrons of all ages. All materials are provided at no cost to qualified individuals. Any Georgia resident who has a print disability that prevents them from reading standard printed materials due to a visual, physical or reading impairment can sign up for the free service through any of the state's 400 public libraries.
For more details about AMLAS and Georgia's Talking Book services, visit http://georgialibraries.org/glass. For additional information about the Wednesday's Child program, visit www.wednesdayschildga.org. I

4
Georgia Public Library Service News October 2012

GPLS employees have high profile at COMO conference

The 24th annual GaCOMO (Council of Media
Organizations) Conference will be held jointly this year with SELA, the Southeastern Library Association. "Macon It Happen @ Your Library: GaCOMO & SELA" is scheduled for Oct. 3-5 at the Macon Centreplex and the Macon Marriott City Center.
The conference is a cooperative venture of members from Georgia Association for Instructional Technology, the Georgia Library Association, the Georgia Library Media Association and SELA. Keynote speakers are bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson and Siva Vaidhyanathan from the University of Virginia's Department of Media Studies and School of Law.
Georgia Public Library Service will again be among the most visible organizations at this year's conference.
Deputy State Librarian Julie Walker will co-present with David Singleton, director of libraries for the Charlotte Mecklenburg (N.C.) Library, the session entitled "Open Source Your Library"; Director of Continuing Education Jay Turner will present "Video Streaming and Web Conferencing on a Shoestring"; and Director of

Information Technology Emily Almond will lead "IT Project Management for Libraries -- What Works? What Really, Really Doesn't?"
Also, PINES Helpdesk Manager Dawn Dale will lead the session "Computer -- $2,000.00, Three Hardback Books -- $100.00, Your Library Card -- Priceless!"; and PINES Bibliographic Projects and Metadata Manager Elaine Hardy will join a panel of participating catalogers to discuss "Cataloging and Coffee at the Mansion: Creating an Online Catalog at Georgia's Governor's Mansion."
Director of LSTA, Statistics and Research Diana Very is serving as coordinator of the event's three poster sessions, while Director of Youth Services Elaine Black helped coordinate the pre-conference event "Best Practices for Youth Services Programming at Your Library," which includes the session "Early Literacy: Let's READ! Repeat, Engage!" and the annual "Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers and Teens and Technology" presentation and discussion.
GPLS will also host a booth on the exhibit floor at the conference. I

Jan Heiser

Libraries, Voices for Georgia's Children celebrate Pre-K Week
GPLS and public libraries across the state have
partnered with Voices for Georgia's Children to celebrate Oct. 1-5 as Georgia Pre-K Week.

The event will honor the 20th anniversary of Georgia's Pre-K Program, which is supported by lottery funds and administered by Bright From the Start: Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning. During the week, representatives from 12 public libraries will accompany state legislators as they read a story to a pre-K class in their respective districts.

Scheduled to participate in the event are Sen. Jesse Stone (R-Waynesboro), Sen. John Bulloch (ROchlocknee), Sen. Tim Golden (R-Valdosta), Rep. Amy Carter (R-Valdosta), Rep. James "Bubber" Epps (R-Dry Branch), Rep. Chad Nimmber (RBlackshear), Rep. Dustin Hightower (R-Carrollton), Rep. Greg Morris (R-Vidalia), Rep. Jan Tankersley (R-Brooklet), Rep. Jason Shaw (R-Lakeland), Rep. Nikki Randall (D-Menlo) and Rep. Winfred Dukes (D-Albany). I

Jack Heiser, 2, of Townsend, enjoyed arts and crafts -- as well as reading -- this summer at the Three Rivers Regional Library System's Ida Hinton Public Library in Darien.

5
October 2012 Georgia Public Library Service News

NEWS IN BRIEF



Staff

Darlene Price has been named director of the Augusta-based East Central Georgia Regional Library System. She most recently served as administrative librarian for U.S. Air Force Civil Service at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. A native of Washington, Ga., Price has more than 28 years of library experience and holds a master of library science degree from North Carolina Central University in Durham.
Three library systems have named interim directors: Jimmy
Con artists
Barbara White (left), library associate at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, and Julia Huprich, digital services librarian and public services coordinator for the Cobb County Public Library System, were among the volunteers who staffed the Georgia Public Libraries table at the 26th annual Dragon*Con, held each Labor Day weekend in Atlanta. More than 52,000 people attended this year's event, billed as the world's largest multimedia, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and film. Richard Sanders, director of the Hart County Library, coordinated the display table on behalf of the state's public libraries.

Bass at the Coweta County Public Library, Mary Antoine at the Dougherty County Library System and Jennifer Durham at the Statesboro Regional Library System.
Charlynn Seidel is the new manager of the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries' Marion County branch in Buena Vista.

The board of the M.E. Roden Memorial Library in Hawkinsville, part of the Eastman-based Ocmulgee Regional Library System, has honored former librarian Dot Baker by naming the facility's conference room "The Dot Baker Room." Baker retired July 31, following 41 years of service. I

Justin Nobles has been promoted to branch manager of the Paulding County Public Library, part of the West Georgia Regional Library system, in Dallas.
FOGL announces fall workshop
Friends of Georgia Libraries (FOGL)
will hold its annual fall workshop, "Beyond the Books," from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the Fayetteville County Public Library in Fayetteville.
Among the issues facing libraries and Friends organizations that attendees will discuss are new technologies, funding and the use of social media to engage people and grow a library community.
The event's luncheon speaker will be author Tina Whittle, whose just-published "Darker Than Any Shadow" is the second book in her successful Tai Randolph mystery series.
Fees are $20 for FOGL members and $30 for nonmembers. A boxed lunch is included. Registration deadline is Oct. 12.
Additional information and registration forms are available at www.georgia-friends.org. I

In memoriam

Ashley Moore, director of

the Dougherty County Library

System, suffered a fatal heart

attack on

Sept. 17.

She was 36

years old.

"Ashley

was a

tireless

worker and

lived the

work of the

library,"

Moore

said library

board Chairman Guy Craft. In

honor of Moore and her

accomplishments, purple

wreaths were prominently

placed in all of the system's

branches. Moore joined the

system in 2008 as assistant

director and became its director

in April 2011. She previously

worked for the Gwinnett

County Public Library and the

Peach Public Libraries in Fort

Valley.

Marie Anderson, a trustee for the Peach Public Libraries passed away on Aug. 3. The Thomas Public Library in Fort Valley and the Byron Public Library honored her 20 years of service to the system and to the community on Aug. 7.

6
Georgia Public Library Service News October 2012

Delilah Brantley

Eastman teens' craft workshop raises awareness of unemployment
Heather Hutton, founder of the
Will Work for Empty Wallets art project, visited the Ocmulgee Regional Library System's Dodge County Library in September to hold a workshop for teens.
According to Library Assistant Delilah Brantley, 35 teens participated in the event, which enabled them to craft new wallets or library card holders.
The goal of Will Work for Empty Wallets is to raise awareness of the hardships of unemployment by collecting 3,000 empty wallets and sculpting them into a 11-by-20-foot replica of the American flag. It is sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit community service arts organization based in New York.

Sixteen-year-old Autumn English of Eastman displays her hand-crafted library card holder.
The Georgia exhibit is scheduled to open on Nov. 12 at the Peacock Gallery in Cochran.
It will then travel to various sites within the University System of Georgia and beyond. For more information about the project and where to see it, visit the Will Work for Empty Wallets Facebook page. I

Elbert
Continued from page 2 featuring free Internet access, computer training and, increasingly, a leadership role in workforce and economic development," said State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch.
"The slower-than-expected economic recovery and lingering unemployment are part of our daily lives. Yet this research confirms what we see daily: Library usage is increasing, and patrons depend on the dynamic resources at libraries to simplify access to e-government, battle unemployment and support community growth."
Every library in the state is facing challenges, operating with whittled down or minimal staff and reduced services, but they remain ever present and ever devoted to the public they serve. "Someone has to step up and do it, so we are getting it done as best we can," said Grace, "and we feel that we are making a difference." I

Jackie Pate

Atlanta Hawks schedule four public library nights at Philips
The Atlanta Hawks and Georgia's public libraries
concluded their eighth successful Check-It-Out Reading Challenge on Aug. 20. The program enables participating children to earn free tickets to a game during the 201213 regular season.

The four "Georgia Public Libraries Nights" at Philips Arena will take place Nov. 2 against the Houston Rockets, Nov. 30 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dec. 26 against the Detroit Pistons and Jan. 21 versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Registered families will receive detailed information via email from checkitout.reading@hawks.com.
Employees of the state's public libraries and their friends and families will also receive discounted admission for any "Georgia Public Libraries Night." Contact Amy Janus at amy.janus@hawks.com for more information. I

Happy hours
Whitesburg Public Library Branch Manager Ruth Fuller congratulates the community on its record number of hours spent reading in this year's Summer Reading Program. A total of 318 patrons read a cumulative 6,460 hours -- more than double the library's original goal. The 76 children who each completed 12 or more hours of reading received prizes of popular children's books and stuffed animals depicting the books' characters. The packages were prepared and donated by Linda and Bob Kay of Atlanta and Carol Hill of Whitesburg. "This is a fantastic testament to the use of small libraries in Georgia," said Roni Tewksbury, director of the West Georgia Regional Library system. Tewksbury also thanked the local organizations and volunteers that helped to make the summer such a success.

7
October 2012 Georgia Public Library Service News

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE
PAID ATLANTA, GA PERMIT NO. 213

CONTACT US
Georgia Public Library Service 1800 Century Place, Suite 150 Atlanta, GA 30345-4304 404.235.7200 404.235.7201 fax www.georgialibraries.org
Lamar Veatch, state librarian
David Baker, editor
Georgia Public Library Service News (ISSN 1546-511X) is published bimonthly by the Georgia Public Library Service, the state agency that supports public libraries and works with them to improve the quality and variety of library services available to Georgia citizens of all ages. This publication is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Georgia Public Library Service under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. Information presented in this newsletter will be provided in alternative formats on request. For more information about Georgia's libraries and literary events, or to post an event, visit our online calendar at www.georgialibraries.org

Having a ball on the Mall
Elaine Black, GPLS's director of Youth Services, welcomed
thousands of readers to the Georgia table in the Pavilion of the States at the 12th annual National
Book Festival on Sept. 22. Organized by the Library of Congress, with honorary co-chairs President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, the festival was held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. More than 125 authors, illustrators and poets participated in the two-day event, which drew approximately 200,000 people. For those who were unable to attend, author presentation webcasts are available online at www.loc.gov/bookfest.

Staff

1800 Century Place, Suite 150 Atlanta, GA 30345-4304
A Unit of the University System of Georgia