Georgia Public Library Service news, Vol. 12, no. 1 (Aug. 2014)

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

volume 12, issue 1 I August 2014

GPLS receives $249,895 IMLS grant to bolster

early learning activities at public libraries

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the
primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums, has awarded Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) a $249,895 National Leadership Grant to develop a customized early literacy program within libraries to reach parents of young children.
"We are so pleased that GPLS has been selected as a recipient of this grant to help fund our B4 (Birth-to-4) Early Literacy program," said State Librarian Julie Walker. "Public libraries in Georgia are in a unique position to provide statewide programming to help parents and caregivers foster every child's healthy intellectual development. This new effort will help ensure that public libraries continue their key role in creating a more educated Georgia."
Walker noted that GPLS's work dovetails perfectly with the top IMLS strategic goal for FY2015, which is "Placing the learner at the center by supporting engaging learning experiences that prepare people to be full participants in their local communities and our global society."

IMLS Director Susan H. Hildreth said, "Too many children are starting school without the academic and social skills they need for success. Libraries and museums are effective, but often overlooked, resources in our nation's effort to turn around a crisis in early learning, exposing children to reading and powerful learning experiences in the critical early years and keeping them learning through the summer months.
"With these awards, IMLS is taking action to create new opportunities for children, especially those in the lowest socioeconomic status who are the least likely to be able to participate in library and museum programming."
Georgia's IMLS grant period is Aug. 1, 2014, through July 31, 2015. As part of the state's B4 Early Literacy program, youth librarians in Georgia pilot libraries will provide a learning environment using one of two programs, PRIME TIME Family Reading Time or Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR), to educate parents and caregivers in the importance of early literacy.
See Grant, page 2

Tom Brooks/Cobb County Public Library System

Summer readers
see stars in Cobb
Eight days after his appearance at
the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman visited the Cobb County Public Library July 23, further inspiring nearly 100 local summer reading program stars from the third through fifth grades who earned tickets to the event by reading.

Freeman's arrival at the Cobb County Public Library is greeted with cheers and applause.

Freeman and SUBWAY Restaurants spokesman Jared Fogle talked with some of the county's top Home
See Freeman, page 5

Staff

Grant
Continued from page 1
"Language and literacy development in the early childhood years is demonstrably linked to children's academic success throughout their lives," Walker said. "The acquisition of literacy and pre-reading skills in the years from birth through age 4 provides the essential foundation upon which all subsequent education is built."

Monitoring and evaluation of the Georgia B4 program will determine the benefits of providing the customized program for parents of very young children. The evaluation will also demonstrate whether PRIME TIME or ECRR works better in Georgia and which should be continued statewide after the pilot program ends. The evaluation will examine the core curriculum for library staff and a database-driven website to determine if these aspects enhanced the success of the PRIME TIME or ECRR library programs in creating a successful customized program.
"We have been working toward this statewide early literacy project for many months," said Elaine Black, director of youth services, "and we are thrilled to receive this National Leadership Grant to help bring it to fruition. We are most looking forward to partnering with public libraries to continue creating positive early learning experiences for Georgia's youngest children and their families."
Georgia's grant will be supplemented by $103,449 in in-kind matching funds from state and local sources. It is one of three new IMLS awards in support of projects aimed to engage libraries and museums as key partners in comprehensive early learning strategies. The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and the BUILD Initiative, which supports state leaders in the development of

Keeping kids happy and healthy
Georgia's public libraries, Bright from the Start: Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), the Georgia Department of Education (DOE), and Georgia's Campaign for Grade-Level Reading joined forces to offer the Summer Food Service Program in 20 Georgia counties. The partnership matched local sponsors to provide meals and/or healthy snacks to children ages 18 and younger at their local public libraries. The program's kickoff event took place at the Tallapoosa Public Library on June 19. From left are Tina Farmer, grants program consultant for DOE; Rashida Shoemaker, school program account manager for the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association; Robin Bailey, Southeast regional administrator for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service; Danah Craft, executive director of the Georgia Food Bank Association; Tallapoosa Mayor William "Pete" Bridges; Haralson County Public Schools Superintendent Brett Stanton; and Roni Tewksbury, director of the West Georgia Regional Library System.

comprehensive early childhood systems, received the other awards.
In addition to receiving its own grant, Georgia will play an important part in the BUILD Initiative's project, serving as one of its five pilot states. That project, which received an IMLS grant for $314,884, aims to create deliberate and mutually beneficial connections between the efforts of museums and libraries and those of early childhood systems' builders to support the growth and development of children from birth to age 8, with an emphasis on children from birth to age 5. The partnership will build relationships across the fields/ sectors and embed connections in ways that can be replicated and sustained. Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington will be the other pilot states.
These new IMLS investments follow up on recommendations

made in "Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners," a 2013 IMLS policy report that called upon policymakers, schools, funders and parents to make full use of these vital, existing community resources.
While IMLS continues to make investments at the project level, including more than $6 million awarded in individual projects in libraries and museums in FY 2012 and 2013, the latest investments are intended to make an impact at the systems level, creating stronger relationships among libraries, museums and state-level early education providers, and to develop tools to speed the adoption of evidencebased practice throughout the library and museum communities.
For information about IMLS, visit www.imls.gov. For more about BUILD, visit www.buildinitiative.org. I

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Georgia Public Library Service News August 2014

Staff Staff

Veatch says goodbye after 40 years of library leadership

Following almost 13 years of
nationally recognized leadership, State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch retired on June 30.
"Georgia's libraries owe Dr. Veatch a debt of gratitude for his dedication and service," said Julie Walker, his successor in the role. "His passion and enthusiasm for libraries, and his willingness to embark on new and innovative projects, led or contributed to many of the successes enjoyed by GPLS and by public libraries throughout the state. The marks of his leadership and advocacy are indelible in the state's library community."
Veatch came to the state in

2001, following stints as director of the Alabama Public Library Service, director of the Irving Public Library System in Texas and director of the High Plains Regional Library System in Greeley, Colo.
Among the many highlights of his Georgia tenure is the revived Capital Outlay Grant program of providing new and expanded public library facilities.
Fifty-eight new or substantially renovated library facilities were completed with state capital bond funds during Veatch's tenure. In addition, he led the effort to initiate the program of major repair and renovation matching grants that have

Veatch
helped to so far upgrade more than 200 library buildings around the state.
As an enhancement of the PINES network, GPLS developed the Evergreen open-source software under Veatch's leadership. In addition to the 275 PINES public library facilities in Georgia, more than 1,000 libraries around the world now use Evergreen for their online catalog and circulation system.

GPLS also planned and implemented a complete re-engineering and upgrade of the essential broadband network for all public libraries, increasing speed from 3 to 20+ megabytes per facility. "This was accomplished with no additional state or local funding," Walker noted.

GPLS staff members paid tribute to Veatch at a celebration in his honor on June 5. Front row, from left: Vanessa Meadows, Julie Walker, Veatch, Maggie Marshall and Darin Givens. Second row: Elizabeth McKinney, Bin Lin, Dawn Dale, Elaine Black, Diana Very, Pat Herndon, Beverly Williams and Diane Simms. Third row: Pamela Arrington, Elaine Hardy, Terran McCanna, Dustin Landrum, Chris Sharp, Peggy Chambliss and Tamika Strong. Back row: Nathan Rall, Daniel Zeiger, Andrew Crane and Marlene Stephens.

Veatch also undertook a major

rebuilding program for the Georgia

Libraries for Accessible Statewide

Services (GLASS) network of Talking

Book centers, enhancing and stream-

lining this vital program for all of

Georgia's residents with print

impairments.

See Veatch, page 5

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August 2014 Georgia Public Library Service News

PINES network to add GLASS patron profiles

Beginning Sept. 1, PINES will add a patron profile for the
Georgia Libraries for Accessible Statewide Services (GLASS) network. By allowing eligible PINES materials to be circulated to GLASS patrons via the national freematter-by-mail service, the move will save money, build greater awareness of GLASS and help GLASS provide better service for its patrons.
PINES is Georgia's public library automation and lending network of more than 275 libraries and affiliated service outlets in almost 140 counties. GLASS is the regional network of libraries for Georgians with print impairments, providing qualified residents with access to the free national library program of talking books and materials in braille.
"We have been looking at ways to make sure that our customers take full advantage of all public library services," explained Pat Herndon, director of GLASS. "Because many visually impaired or physically impaired readers rely on GLASS as their main library, we wanted to do a better job of ensuring that they aren't missing out on resources that may be available to them from the 275 PINES libraries around the state."

tracks, audiobooks, sound recordings and other audiovisual content."
The committee has also endorsed placing a talking book machine at every PINES facility as part of an overall plan to place at least one machine at every public library in the state, McKinney said. "This would allow enrolled GLASS users to be able to visit their closest library to receive a replacement machine when their current machine is broken."
PINES accounts will not be created for GLASS users without their consent, but GLASS patrons who currently have a PINES card will be contacted to ask if they want their profile updated. Plans call for GLASS certification eventually to be accepted as a form of ID for issuance of PINES cards, with GLASS staff updating PINES records when changes in patrons' addresses or phone numbers occur. For additional information about the PINES and GLASS services, including enrollment details, visit www.georgialibraries.org. I

Courtesy of Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

PINES and GLASS are programs of Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) that are partially supported by funds from the Library Services and Technology Act through the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

"As part of GPLS, the GLASS network is a PINES network library and, as such, can help facilitate loans of large-print books and other adapted materials to our customers, providing a fuller range of assistance to our customers," Herndon said. "As added benefits to both networks, GLASS staff will be better able to promote PINES, and PINES library staff will become more familiar with GLASS and be better able to promote our resources to eligible readers in their respective communities."

All items for PINES patrons with a GLASS profile will be routed to GLASS, where the items will be mailed using the free mail service. When patrons are finished with their items, they mail them back to GLASS, which then forwards the items back to the owning library.
"At a July 2 meeting, the PINES Executive Committee unanimously and enthusiastically approved our proposal for how to roll out the GLASS patron profile, including the lending plan for all types of material qualified to ship as free matter," said PINES Director Elizabeth McKinney. "These include large-print books, DVDs with descriptive

AMLAS has talent!
The Atlanta Metro Library for Accessible Services (AMLAS), part of Georgia's GLASS network of Talking Book libraries, held its first talent show at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library Auditorium on May 29. The event featured performances by employees, patrons and friends, including (from left) Vanessa Meadows, AMLAS assistant manager; Ricky Corey, Atlanta-based drummer and keyboardist; and Garrick Scott, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia, who served as the event's master of ceremonies.

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Georgia Public Library Service News August 2014

Tom Brooks/Cobb County Public Library System

Freeman
Continued from page 1 Run Readers program participants about the importance of exercising their minds -- and bodies -- this summer. The two took turns reading Dan Gutman's "Casey Back at Bat" to the tomahawking young baseball fans; answered questions about reading, baseball and exercise; then played word games with them and gave away Braves-related prizes to the winners.

Co-sponsored by the Braves, SUBWAY and GPLS, the Home Run Readers program promotes literacy among Georgia's youth, rewarding students in grades K-12 throughout the state of Georgia with free Braves tickets and SUBWAY Fresh Fit For KidsTM Meals for reading books throughout the summer months.
"It's easy in the summer months to sit around and play video games," said Fogle. "That was one of the contributing factors to my significant weight gain as a youth. I'm proud to collaborate with Freddie and the Braves to help spread the word about the importance of exercise, both mental and physical."
State Librarian Julie Walker and Cobb County Public Library System Director Helen Poyer opened the program by welcoming the youngsters, press, local elected officials and other invited guests, then introducing the stars. "GPLS is delighted to partner with the Braves and SUBWAY to offer this exciting reading program at all of Georgia's public libraries," Walker said to the crowd. "Healthy eating, great books and baseball are the perfect ingredients for a wonderful summer for kids of all ages. We are pleased to participate in a program that encourages a love of reading, because we know that love will last a lifetime."

Freeman and Fogle met with library staff before the event. From left: David Baker, director of communications and strategic partnerships for GPLS; Julia Huprich, digital library services and communications manager for Cobb County Public Library System; Fogle; Freeman; Walker; Poyer; Dr. Houston Davis, chief academic officer and executive vice chancellor of the University System of Georgia; and Dr. Jackie McMorris, director of public services for Cobb County.
Fogle and Freeman were joined at the event by Braves mascot Homer, the Tomahawk Team cheerleading squad and Braves radio announcer Ben Ingram, who served as master of ceremonies. "It was pure joy to see the look of awe on the faces of the young people, as Freddie and Jared entered the room," Poyer said afterward. "They will remember this day for a very long time."
Young Georgians can sign up for the 2014 edition of Home Run Readers through Aug. 24. Reward tickets can be redeemed up to one week in advance for any of the following games: Aug. 17, versus the Oakland Athletics; Sept. 2, versus the Philadelphia Phillies; and Sept. 23, versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. Program rules, a list of suggested titles, registration information and redemption forms are available online at www.braves.com/reading. I

Veatch

Continued from page 3 "Lamar quickly became one of
my greatest allies, and I count him as a very good friend," said Carolyn Fuller, director of the Henry County Library System and past president of both the Georgia Library Association and the Georgia Council for Public Libraries. "He worked well with legislators, library boards and the Board of Regents, and he was a strong supporter of library directors who needed help and guidance.
"He was never too busy to listen

to us and always gave good advice. When he encountered trying situations, he handled them effectively and efficiently. During his time at GPLS, he was well-respected nationally and represented Georgia well."
Veatch's national profile reached a peak in 2012-2013, when he was elected by his peers to serve as president of COSLA, the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies.
Library staff, system directors, GPLS staff and friends paid tribute to

his 40-year career at retirement celebrations in Warner Robins in May and in Atlanta in June.
"I have been incredibly touched by the support and friendship of people throughout the Georgia library community," Veatch said. "They are truly the best and most collegial professionals with which I have had the pleasure of working during my entire career. I'm very appreciative of the warmth and affection they have sent my way during my time as state librarian." I

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August 2014 Georgia Public Library Service News

Courtesy of Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

NEWS IN BRIEF

On July 1, the three libraries in Burke County moved to the Evansbased Greater Clarks Hills Regional Library System from the former East Central Georgia Regional Library System. The latter system, which serves a population of almost 300,000 through its six branches and Talking Book center, has been renamed the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System.
Janice Arcuria, assistant director of youth services at the Clayton County Library System, retired July 31. Co-workers, Friends and family members honored her contributions to the system and to the county's youth at a retirement party July 26.
Laura Ann Mann joined the Muscogee County Library Foundation in June and will serve as its first fulltime executive director. The four Muscogee County libraries are part of the Columbus-based Chattahoochee Valley Libraries system.
Waycross-based Okefenokee

Regional Library

System welcomed

two new employ-

ees in June.

Kathleen

McClure will

serve as systems

librarian, provid-

ing technology

McClure

support and

computer

instruction for

staff and patrons.

Teretha Scott

joined the system

as its new adult

services librarian,

arranging and

overseeing adult

services program-

Scott

ming for all

facilities in the five-county region.

The Henry County Library System has received a $3,000 grant from Central Georgia EMC to purchase e-readers to help support the advanced placement and honors reading programs in high schools.

In partnership with South Georgia State College, the Satilla Regional Library has developed a new dual public/academic library internship. The first intern is Caitlin Cox, a master's degree candidate at the University of Alabama. I

Courtesy of DeSoto Trail Regional Library

Giving thanks
Georgia's first lady, Sandra Deal (right), visited seven branches of the Athens Regional and Atlanta-Fulton Public Library systems the week of July 21 to read to children and thank library staff for their service to Georgia residents. Branch Manager James Taylor (left) and Children's Librarian Eileen Slough welcome Deal to AFPL's Buckhead Branch on July 23.
Butterfly effect
Welcoming visitors to the June opening of the DeSoto Trail Regional Library's new butterfly garden are (from left) Lisa Rigsby, library director; Patsy Stripling, Camilla Garden Club vice president and butterfly garden coordinator; and Eddie Williamson, of Camilla Pro-Am Tennis Club, one of the garden's funders.

Courtesy of Athens Regional Library System

Karen Hankala

Hailey Ellis/South Georgia State College

Preserving heritage

The Athens-Clarke County Library's Heritage Room has received a grant from the Athens chapter of the Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board to facilitate management of archival collections. The $2,946 grant will go toward cataloging, processing and the proper storage of archival collections using ArchivesSpace, a collections management tool that includes public search functions.From left are Heritage Room Librarian Angela Stanley, Watson Brown Foundation Junior Board member Jackson Keene and T.R.R. Cobb House Education Coordinator Terrell Austin.

Caitlin Cox (seated) with (from left) Mark Cole, director of the Satilla Regional Library; Dr. Robert Page, vice president for academic Affairs; and Jacqueline Vickers, director of libraries for South Georgia State College.

Snake eyes
Denise Fuqua (left), a staff member at the Okefenokee Regional Library System's Waycross-Ware County Public Library, holds Peaches the albino python. Reptile wrangler Ken Panse of Douglasville (right) was the featured attraction at one of the library's science-oriented summer reading programs.

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Georgia Public Library Service News August 2014

Courtesy of Sequoyah Regional Library System

Woodstock wingding
More than 80 guests -- including Mayor Donnie Henriques, current and former employees of the Sequoyah Regional Library System, board members, Friends and patrons -- celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Library on June 8. The two-hour event featured a reception; readings and book signings by local authors, including children's author Carmen Deedy (above); a skit by the local Elm Street Players troupe; and activities for children. The program also included a ribbon-cutting and rededication of the Elizabeth D. Johnston Special Collections Room. The Johnston family's gifts to the library include land donation for the site of two buildings, including the current property, which opened in 2004.

Satilla Regional Library receives $25,000 USDA rural development grant
On June 30, U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-12th District) of
Athens visited the Satilla Regional Library System to help commemorate a $25,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Facilities Grant that will help improve tech services and Wi-Fi access at the system's central library.
"This project will have direct and beneficial impact for rural citizens who depend on the library for a variety of public services, such as Internet access," said Quinton Robinson, state director for USDA Rural Development Georgia.
"The Douglas-Coffee County Public Library project will combine $20,500 from the local library authority with the $25,000 USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grant to install infrastructure to boost public wireless access, purchase a wireless projector system, and replace the computers used to provide library services.
"These upgrades will assure essential community services such as Wi-Fi and computer access to government services, distance education, employment skills and more."
USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Programs provide loans, grants and loan guarantees for essential community facilities in rural areas, explained Library Director Mark Cole. He noted that additional computers will be purchased to help the system's efforts to offer computer skills classes and that gaps in the library's book collection will also be addressed. I

Courtesy of Luke Roberts/The Douglas Enterprise Courtesy of Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

In on the ground floor
The groundbreaking event for Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System's new 25,000-square-foot Milton Library was held on May 29. From left are Bob Ellis, Fulton County commissionerelect; Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta); Stephanie Moody, chair of the library's board of trustees; Curtis Wilson,director of program management for H.J. Russell & Company; Fulton County Commissioners Liz Hausmann and Robb Pitts; Robert Baird, vice president of Turner Construction; and Matt Kunz, Milton City Council member and president of the Milton Friends of the Library.

From left: Trustees Matt Baker, Angela White, Cynthia Strickland-Lewis and Betty Royal; Cole; USDA Regional Manager Ricky Sweat; Robinson; Barrow; and trustees Janice Preston, Ken Cannon and Maria Brown.
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August 2014 Georgia Public Library Service News

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

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE
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Julia Simpson

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

Julie Walker, state librarian David Baker, editor Dustin Landrum, assistant

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

This magic moment
Atlanta magician Ken Scott demonstrates how to balance a spoon on your nose for Auburn Public Library patron Nancy Glasscock. Scott's performance, featuring his popular Crankenstein character, was one of many summer reading events presented this summer by the Winder-based Piedmont Regional Library System. "It was great!" said Branch Manager Julia Simpson. "The kids absolutely went crazy over Ken's performance. When he magically had Crankenstein fly from under a cape out over the audience, they screamed with laughter and surprise."