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

volume 11, issue 4 I February 2015

Staff

Libraries continue to blend traditional, electronic services
For Georgia's public libraries, 2014 was a year of height-
ened transition. With operating and materials budgets again stuck at levels well below those of the prior decade, library systems and staff were forced to be more creative than ever in their quest to provide the blend of electronic resources and traditional services that residents demand and depend on.

Georgians used the nearly 8,500 computer workstations now available at public libraries almost 13.2 million times in 2014. That's an impressive increase of 1.7 percent for a year in which open hours were reduced by 2.7 percent, to an average of less than 5.5 hours per day per facility. In addition, almost 5 million users -- another alltime high -- took advantage of public library wireless networks to access the Internet with their own computers and electronic devices during 2014.

With little money for new materials, however, circulation of books and audiovisual materials dropped last year to 39 million, down about 6 percent from 2013.
"It's likely that circulation will continue to drop as our collections age," said Christian Kruse, director of
See Libraries, page 2

Key to the city
Kathryn Ames (right), director of Athens Regional Library System, received the key to the city and a framed proclamation declaring "Kathryn S. Ames Day in Athens-Clarke County" from Mayor Nancy Denson on Jan. 10. The honor recognized Ames' 42 years of service to the library system and 29 years as its director. Although she officially retired Dec. 31, she is continuing to work part time through February.

Governor's FY2016 budget includes funds for Villa Rica library

On Jan. 17, Gov. Nathan Deal
proposed a $45 billion budget plan for the 2016 fiscal year that focuses on education, including additional support for Georgia's schools above what they are promised under current state funding formulas.
Included in the governor's proposal was one public library capital project that would appropri-

ate $1,500,000 for a new, 15,000square-foot Villa Rica Public Library to serve residents in Carroll and Douglas counties.
"The West Georgia Regional Library (WGRL) system received a partial grant of $500,000 in FY2015 with assurances the remaining $1,500,000 would be awarded in FY2016," explained State Librarian

Julie Walker. "It has been the practice of this administration to allow members of the General Assembly to select capital projects for inclusion, so the lack of additional library-related facilities is not unexpected."
The current 5,000-square-foot library in Villa Rica was built in 1992
See Budget, page 11

Libraries
Continued from page 1
Savannah-based Live Oak Public Libraries. "We are not able to keep up with demand as well as we did a decade ago. Our materials budgets are flat, at best, while item costs have gone up. More of our money is being spent on e-collections, which are significantly more expensive than print collections. Because of this, I believe we will see more decreases in circulation in the future, as more and more systems won't be able to buy as many new items."

"Unfortu-

nately, when

money gets tight,

it's often the

nonfiction

collection that

suffers most,"

noted Wendy

Cornelisen,

assistant state

Cornelisen

librarian for

library innovation and collaboration.

"The rapid pace of scientific and

medical breakthroughs means that

10- and even 5-year-old books can

be woefully out of date. When a

patron uses a library book, we want

it to be as accurate as possible.

Libraries are a trusted source of

information, and it's hard to main-

tain that trust

when we offer as

current, books

that still list Pluto

as a planet."

In spite of

these and other

struggles,

Walker

however, the bright spots for

public libraries often outshone the

dim in 2014, said State Librarian

Julie Walker.

"Although we've seen a slight reduction in library hours again this

year," she said, "it is gratifying to observe that Georgians of all ages continue to enjoy library programs and services, from traditional story times to innovative electronic and downloadable resources, and even makerspaces with 3-D printing in many locations. Communities around Georgia continue to value and support their public libraries, and we are optimistic that their support is increasing and will continue to grow."
As evidence, she said that, while allowing for a reduction in PINES cards due to routine maintenance that marked as inactive all patrons with no activity on their account for three years, the total number of library cardholders across the state rose this year by about 65,000 to 4,164,735, an increase of 1.6 percent.
One of GPLS's most important accomplishments of the year, Walker cited, was a statewide computer network upgrade. "This will help ensure that the public libraries in every community will continue to serve as consistent and reliable places where every resident can take advantage of free, readily available public computing and Internet access," she said. "This is critically important in today's techno-centered environment, because in many Georgia counties, the public library is the only provider of free public Internet. Broadband is not yet available in many residential areas of our state, and public libraries fill that void, playing a vital role in the educational and economic development goals of residents."
"The backbone of every library's offerings is now broadband," agreed Emily Almond, director of information technology for GPLS. "Without adequate connectivity, not even the most basic public service is possible. With high-speed connections,

however, libraries are resource centers capable of providing almost limitless opportunities for education and innovation.

"From those libraries in the

largest metro systems to the smallest

and most remote branches in rural

Georgia, every library in the state

increased its

broadband speed

by at least 10

times their prior

connectivity.

Many libraries

now have up to

25 times the

broadband they

Almond

had this time last year. And the

increase in budget was nominal, due

to one-time installation costs."

There was no increase in the annual budget for this service, Walker noted, which is allowing libraries' electronic services to soar.

Circulation of e-books last year was up 39.9 percent to almost 1 million. Loans of other downloadable audiovisual materials experienced a similar rise to 430,000, an increase of 33.8 percent.

"These now-annual double-digit bumps are strong indicators that libraries are strengthening their delivery of online services to patrons, moderately reducing the need for some residents to pay in-person visits," said Walker. "As more Georgians learn of the availability of electronic resources at their libraries, we anticipate even greater demand for these products."

When libraries offer programs on-site, however, Walker said, "Georgians still turn out in force."

The state's public libraries offered 67,489 programs for youth and
See Libraries, page 6

2
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2015

Stacey Leonhardt/Chestatee Regional Library System

Savings enable GPLS to award

STEM grants, meet IMLS goals

As a result of savings in Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding for 2014, GPLS has been able to award a total of $865,812 in LSTA STEM grants -- up to $20,000 for each of Georgia's participating public library systems.
"Because one of IMLS's 2014 goals was to support STEM projects -- those related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- and because materials funds have been so scarce in the last several years, we wanted to designate these funds for grants that would enable libraries to purchase materials specifically for projects that support that IMLS goal," said State Librarian Julie Walker. "Libraries have indicated the need to update and strengthen their collections in these areas, particularly since schools are placing a greater emphasis on these important subjects."
STEM is an interdisciplinary and applied approach that is coupled with hands-on, problem-based learning across the four intertwined fields, which are essential for students' educational success.
"Expanding these collections at public libraries will enhance highquality, accessible STEM education for all students requiring integrated connections across both formal and informal education systems," Walker said.
"When today's kindergartners enter the workforce, they'll have jobs that haven't been invented yet," noted Wendy Cornelisen, assistant state librarian for library innovation and collaboration. "They'll need to keep learning throughout their

careers to keep up with ever-changing technology.

"Libraries have always been a place that sparks imagination and creativity. Now there are different tools and resources, beyond books, that students and parents can use to create a love of learning that will last a lifetime."

Just like their namesakes, Georgia's STEM grant recipients already are bearing fruit. Northwest Georgia Regional Library allocated money for books supporting STEMrelated studies at all branches, and its Dalton-Whitfield Library began a collaborative weekly program with Dalton State University called "Sensational Science."

South Georgia Regional Library worked with Valdosta State University's chemistry department to conduct science experiments for students on the front lawn, while the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Library partnered with the county's public schools and held "Lights on Afterschool" events featuring handson science demonstrations.
The Dawsonville-based Chestatee Regional Library System is using its STEM funds to aim for the stars, as well as for many earthbound goals. "We have purchased numerous interactive items such as telescopes, microscopes, solar robots, LEGO kits, iPads, hand-held GPS systems, flash cards, electricity and magnetic kits, electronic snap circuits, gyroscopes and binoculars," explained Director Claudia Gibson. "Many of these items will be available for checkout by the patrons, providing supplemental and continuous learning for all ages.

The Dawson County Library's new 3D printer has proved a popular addition to the array of learning opportunities offered there.
"There will be opportunity for discovery, adventure and creativity for both children and adults. This fits perfectly into the goal of public libraries to serve as community learning spaces. Our community will benefit by increasing technical knowledge, strengthening independent learning skills, and building a foundation for the pursuit of higher education STEM opportunities and jobs."
With its STEM grant, Brunswickbased Marshes of Glynn Libraries is concentrating on a robotics program.
"Robotics are a fun and entertaining way for libraries to present
See STEM, page 5

3
February 2015 Georgia Public Library Service News

Libraries to help parents develop `B4' reading skills

With the imminent launch of
Georgia Public Library Service's new "B4" initiative, public libraries across the state are gearing up to help families get an earlier-than-ever start toward the healthy intellectual development of their children.
The multitiered B4 early literacy program is different from many past programs in that it focuses on how families can learn to be involved in children's development from birth through age 4. It also will provide them with the necessary tools to track each child's progress.
The program and its various components are made possible by a 2014 National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that GPLS received this past July, explained Youth Services Director Elaine Black.
Long-term plans for the early literacy initiative began in earnest at that time, she said, noting that study after study has proved that language skills and communication behaviors start well before children are able to speak, and 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.
"One of B4's major components will be the piloting of two family engagement programs -- Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) and PRIME TIME Preschool -- in 11 communities across the state," Black said. "Dr. Denise Davila from the University of Georgia College of Education's Department of Language and Literacy Education will evaluate both programs to help inform libraries of the best practices in family engagement programming and assist them in determining which program may

Maryellen Aiken

work best in their specific communities in future years.
"Both ECRR and PRIME TIME have shown the potential to transform families' lives," she continued. "By helping to reinforce the role of family as first and best teacher in child development, these programs will help families ensure that their
Marshes of Glynn Libraries patron Shaquita Butler, with son K'Lein Warren, was one of more than 60 parents in attendance at the Every Child Ready to Read program conducted at Glynn County Head Start in November.
children are ready to read by the time they begin kindergarten."
Library systems participating in the ECRR pilot program are the Catoosa County Library System, the DeKalb County Public Library, Marshes of Glynn Libraries, the Newton County Library System, the Northwest Georgia Regional Library and the West Georgia Regional Library System. PRIME TIME Preschool pilot participants are the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries, the Cherokee Regional Library, the Okefenokee Regional Library System, Peach Public Libraries and the Piedmont Regional Library System.

As the outcomes of the 2015 pilot programs are laying the groundwork for following years, the most visible initial element of B4, "1,000 Books B4 Kindergarten," will be spreading statewide this spring, having launched at a handful of test systems in the fall. Sandra Deal, the first lady of Georgia, joined nearly 200 children and family members for the first of the program's kickoff events Oct. 8 at the AugustaRichmond County Library.
"The IMLS grant allowed us to print several thousand starter logs for the 1,000 Books program, and those have been distributed to every public library system in the state," said Black. "We also plan to unveil an online component for the program to coincide with the launch of this year's Summer Reading Program."
Concurrent with its PRIME TIME Preschool pilot, the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries will begin its 1,000 Books program in conjunction with Read Across America Day, held each year on Dr. Seuss' birthday. "As we gear up for that March 2 kickoff, we have been informing our patrons about this exciting statewide program," explained Sarah Spence, children's department head for the system. "Although the thought of reading 1,000 books at first seems unreachable to many families, we love seeing their eyes light up when we tell them that if they read just three books a day to their child, it will actually take them less than three years to do that!"
As part of its B4 endeavors, West Georgia Regional Library created a Children's Services Council that has set objectives to increase programming for youth as well as for parents and caregivers. "We plan to partner
See B4, page 5

4
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2015

Amanda Taylor

STEM
Continued from page 3 STEM programs that will entice local students to take part in library happenings," said Director Geri Mullis.

"Using the 14 LEGO Mindstorms robotics kits that we purchased with STEM grant funds, we plan to partner with the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA) this summer to launch a robotics club for teens and tweens."

Dr. German Vargas, chair of the CCGA Department of Mathematics, and Karen Larrick, the library system's programming coordinator, already have been busy planning the club, which will meet for a total of 15 or 16 hours over the course of a two-month period. The library system also plans to hire students in CCGA's Math and Engineering Club to provide one-onone assistance with each group of participants.

Larrick (left) and Vargas
"These student coaches will bring a skill and knowledge level to the program that the library staff alone cannot provide," Larrick said."The college students will be

able to take on the role of mentors to the teens and set examples of how reading and doing well in school can help younger students achieve their life goals." I

B4
Continued from page 4 with such agencies as the Ferst Foundation in Carroll and Haralson counties, the Imagination Library in Douglas County, local school systems, Georgia Head Start centers, day-care facilities, hospitals and Georgia Division of Family and Children Services offices," said Director Roni Tewksbury.
"Marshes of Glynn Libraries will conduct programs for families in traditional library outreach sites throughout Glynn County as well as one very untraditional location," said Karen Larrick, the system's programming coordinator. "We plan to conduct 14 programs at the Glynn County Detention Center in February," she said. "We hope that when the inmates there return to their homes, they will have acquired new skills that will help them prepare their young children for school."
"With B4, GPLS plans to work toward IMLS's number

one strategic goal of `placing the learner at the center' and supporting engaging experiences in libraries and museums that prepare Georgia residents to be stronger
participants in their local communities and our global society," concluded State Librarian Julie Walker. "Teaching families the importance of their
children's education -- starting at the youngest ages -- will help many families break the cycle of poverty by allowing children from those homes to start school ready to learn."
Additional information on all B4-related programs will be available online at www.georgialibraries.org. GPLS is also hosting a Georgia B4 Pinterest board to highlight the accomplishments of residents and public library staff throughout the grant period and will be promoting the B4 initiative at this year's Children's Day at the Capitol event, sponsored by Voices for Georgia's Children, on March 4. I

5
February 2015 Georgia Public Library Service News

Courtesy Governor's Mansion/Alyssa Botts

Libraries
Continued from page 2 adults in 2014 -- 5.5 percent more than in 2013. Attendance rose higher still -- to 1,876,992, an increase of 7.6 percent. "Libraries continue to be safe, reliable, well-loved community hubs that play vital roles in the cultural and educational life of Georgians," Walker said.

Promoting the gift of literacy
Friends of Georgia Libraries, GPLS and local Friends' groups from around the state submitted literacy-related ornaments with names or symbols representing their respective organizations for the Georgia Governor's Mansion 2014 Christmas Celebration, "With a Servant's Heart." First lady Sandra Deal invited volunteer organizations throughout the state to participate in the event, and the decorated trees were a focal point of the mansion's holiday display during its annual Christmas tours in December.

Another statistical highlight of 2014 was an increase, from 3.9 million to nearly 4.7 million, in the number of GALILEO searches performed at public libraries. That 20 percent increase is particularly appropriate as GALILEO prepares to celebrate its 20th birthday in September of this year.
"GALILEO's new discovery layers, its integration with PINES and the changes to the list of databases offered -- particularly the additions of NoveList Select and LearningExpress -- have been popular moves," said Merryll Penson, executive director of library services of the Office of Information and Instructional Technology for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Courtesy Atlanta Hawks

Check out these prizes!
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Atlanta Hawks' Check-It-Out-Reading Challenge (CIORC) at Georgia's public libraries, the team held a random drawing and awarded prizefilled drawstring "swag bags" to the children of 10 participating families. Nyalah (age 9), Nalani (age 6) and Sha'ir Rolle (age 4) of Atlanta were among the winners who received their bags at a Hawks game last fall. More than 4,500 individuals signed up for last year's program. The Hawks set a franchise-record for consecutive wins in January and are on pace to set a season record for victories. The longest-running reading program operated by any National Basketball Association team, the CIORC will begin its 11th year in May.

"Public libraries continue to be essential at every level of education throughout the state," said Walker. "They deliver valuable support for children and parents by providing preschool and preliteracy programs such as B4 [See article, page 4] and key resources for K-12 and higher education. They also deliver increasingly important services needed by adults who are returning to school and who are retraining to pursue new career paths. When today's jobs require online applications, many Georgians must use public libraries to pursue those opportunities, as well as to sign up for insurance and retirement benefits.
"I'm proud to see our public libraries being recognized as statewide leaders in technology and educational support, as strong contributors to localized workforce development, and as civic and cultural hubs in communities large and small." I

6
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2015

First accessible library services conference set

GPLS and its Georgia Libraries for
Accessible Statewide Services (GLASS) network have announced plans for the state's first Accessible Library Services Conference, to be held March 23-25 at the Lake Blackshear Resort in Cordele.
"With the restructuring taking place within the GLASS network and the changes for patrons as a result of the new digital talking book audio players and downloadable audio, the conference comes at the perfect time," said Pat Herndon, GLASS director. "Our event will offer lectures, opportunities to see assistive technology options and even lighthearted demonstrations of how sometimes technology gets us where, or at least close to where, we want to be.
"We're hoping to strike the perfect balance between presentations, discussions and hands-on learning experiences. We want our speakers and presenters to spark ideas that librarians will take back to their communities and put to good use there."
The event's keynote speaker will be Brian Charlson, president of the American Council of the Blind's (ACB) Library Users of America division. A nationally recognized expert in increasing access to technology for people who are blind and visually impaired, Charlson also serves as director of technology for the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Mass., and has chaired ACB's Information Access Committee for eight years.
Also presenting sessions will be: I Judith Dixon, consumer relations
officer for the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped;

I Jim Downs, program manager for the Georgia Instructional Materials Center;
I Kay McGill, program manager for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency's Project Independence initiative;
I Ellen Rolader, outreach coordinator for Georgia Relay, a free public service that enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled to communicate with anyone using a standard phone;
I Liz Persaud, training, outreach and development coordinator for Tools for Life, Georgia's Assistive Technology Act program; and
I John Glisson, project manager for NFB-NEWSLINE, Georgia's audible universal information access service.
Chad Alexander Smith, president of Grayson-based CAS Architecture, and David R. Moore, principal with McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, will also be on hand to deliver a conference session devoted to accessible architecture for libraries.
Herndon will be joined by GPLS and GLASS staff members Beverly Williams, Teneka Williams, Stella Cone and Terran McCanna to present additional sessions on GLASS outreach and distribution services, best practices, and the GLASS network's new partnership with PINES, the state's public library automation and lending network of more than 275 libraries and affiliated service outlets in almost 140 counties. That partnership, begun in

September, allows eligible PINES materials to be circulated to GLASS patrons via the national free-matterby-mail service, thereby saving money, building greater awareness of GLASS and helping GLASS provide better service for its patrons.
"I am excited because this is such an innovative program,"
Herndon said. "I have not heard of any other talking book center or network providing this type of event for the staff of public libraries, and our goal is to host at least one person from every library system in the state.
"Librarians are looking for guidance and advice on how to best meet the needs of the print impaired, the hearing impaired and those with mobility impairments. So much is available, but people don't always know about it. This conference will be a starting point to educate library staff on the options that are available and identify those that can work best in public libraries. This will help us establish GLASS as the go-to resource for librarians needing information and support for these services."
Registration for the Accessible Library Services Conference is now open. To learn more and to access registration forms and materials, visit www.georgialibraries.org/glass/gac. The conference 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. I

7
February 2015 Georgia Public Library Service News

GLASS network consolidation enters second phase

On Jan. 1, Georgia Public Library
Service entered the second phase of its reorganization of the Georgia Libraries for Accessible Statewide Services (GLASS) network, the state's talking book program. Based on changes recommended by the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget (OPB), the goal of the reorganization is to help the program save money while achieving greater levels of participation in the future.
"Our work this year has concentrated on finding the best balance between funding a full system of subregional libraries versus centralizing the entire program in Atlanta," explained State Librarian Julie Walker. "As GPLS professionals studied our current program of accessible services, we carefully weighed a number of options that could help us provide even better accessible library services more efficiently and equitably throughout the state. After much consideration, we are moving forward into FY2016 with a blended model."
According to GLASS Director Pat Herndon, the regional library offices in Atlanta, now known as AMLAS (short for Atlanta Metro Library for Accessible Services) and the GDC (GLASS Distribution Center), will provide readers' advisory service and mail materials to customers across Georgia.
Meanwhile, the Southwest Georgia Library for Accessible Services (SWGLAS) in Bainbridge will continue to operate as a GLASS subregional library, serving as the control group representing the current service model.
SWGLAS will continue to provide services to 22 counties in the southwestern quadrant of the state,

providing customer support, some mailings, walk-in service and outreach services.
The talking book centers in Rome, Augusta and Macon closed for walk-in customers on Jan. 1. The talking book centers in Columbus, Dublin and Savannah closed to walkin traffic on June 30, 2014, as part of the initial phase of the GLASS consolidation. AMLAS picked up patron support duties for the talking book libraries that closed in June and will do likewise for those that closed in January, Herndon said. GLASS will fund outreach activities to be provided regionally in the areas surrounding five of the six closed facilities, which were housed within large public libraries within their service areas.
The area formerly served by the Savannah talking book center will serve as a second control group, testing centralized outreach service from AMLAS, with support from outreach staff from the other four centers and public library staff throughout the area.
"As we near the end of FY2016," Herndon said, "we will perform the needed data analysis to see which of these service models provides the most benefit for -- and most effectively reaches -- our potential patrons.
"We want to include every library in Georgia in the provision of service to Georgia's print-impaired residents, and with that objective in mind, we are busy making plans for hosting the state's first Accessible Library Services Conference in March." [See article, page 7.]
"GPLS is committed to providing the needed training and support so

that every public library in the state

can offer information, service and

referrals to patrons seeking acces-

sible library services," said Walker.

"By using the 400-plus public

libraries as community contact points

for NLS service and ensuring that

staff at every library in Georgia is

trained to make appropriate refer-

rals," Walker said, "GPLS hopes to

raise awareness

of GLASS to the

levels enjoyed by

other services,

such as PINES,

GALILEO and the

Summer Reading

Program. With

these plans, we

reaffirm our

Herndon

commitment to talking book

service and to identifying and

registering all Georgians who qualify

and could benefit from this impor-

tant program."

The GLASS network of talking book libraries gives Georgians ready access to materials from the free national library program that is supported and administered by the Library of Congress and the National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped (NLS).

Based in part on the effects that NLS's recent digitization of content is having on how GLASS delivers its services, OPB estimates that these consolidations in Georgia's talking book program could eventually realize a potential annual cost savings of more than $380,000.

The GLASS network is made possible by a grant to GPLS from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. I

8
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2015

Lecia Eubanks (left) and Roni Tewksbury, director of the West Georgia Regional Library in Carrollton, welcomed the crowd.

Martha Powers-Jones, director of the Vidaliabased Ohoopee Regional Library System, talks with Rep. Bill Werkheiser (R-Glennville).

Legislators meet with librarians

at GCPL's annual Hot Dog Day

The Georgia Council of Public
Libraries (GCPL) sponsored its annual Varsity Hot Dog Day at the Capitol Jan. 29. The event gives library staff, trustees and supporters from across the state the opportunity to meet with their officials in the General Assembly and voice their support for public libraries.
"This was our biggest turnout

ever, both from legislators and from library folks," said Lecia Eubanks, president of GCPL and director of the LaFayette-based Cherokee Regional Library System. "Many of the latter came early to help set up, direct the crowds, serve food, clean up and talk one-on-one with their legislators. Their efforts help make this a day that legislators have come to look forward to each year." I

State Librarian Julie Walker (center) meets with Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa) and Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville).
Rep. Valencia Stovall (D-Lake City) speaks with Kathy Ash (right), president of the Friends of Georgia Libraries and chair of the Piedmont Regional Library System's board of trustees.

Thirty of the library staff, trustees and supporters who helped make Hot Dog Day 2015 a success

Senators, representatives and General Assembly staff members gather to enter.

9
February 2015 Georgia Public Library Service News

NEWS IN BRIEF



Miguel Vicente is the new

director of the South Georgia

Regional Library System in Valdosta.

He most recently served for six years

as director of

library services at

the Piedmont

Regional Library

System's Com-

merce Public

Library. Vicente

holds a bachelor's

degree from the

Manuel Fajardo

Vicente

Higher Institute

of Physical

Education in Havana, Cuba, a

master's degree in education from

Cambridge College in Massachusetts

and a Master of Information and

Library Science degree from Valdosta

State University.

The Athens Regional Library board of trustees has announced that Valerie Bell will become the new director of the Athens Regional Library System, effective March 15. In her position as regional director, Bell will be responsible for the administration of library services within the five-county Athens Regional Library System and the Talking Book outreach program that serves 22 counties in Northeast Georgia. Bell is currently assistant director of public services for the Ocean County Library in Toms River, N.J., where she has served for 28 years in positions such as librarian, branch manager, supervising librarian, chief librarian and assistant director. Bell earned a bachelor's degree in history and political science from William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and a master's degree in library science from St. John's University in Queens, N.Y.

Whitney Payne has joined GPLS as director of grants, research and statistics, bringing more than16 years

of experience in

public libraries.

Payne has spent

13 years with the

Gwinnett County

Public Library in

positions that

included library

branch coordina-

Payne

tor, branch

manager and

business services director. She earned

her master's degree in library science

and her bachelor's degree in ac-

counting from the University of

Kentucky.

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library

System interim Director Anne

Haimes was named the South Fulton

Neighbor

newspaper's

newsmaker of

the year in

January. The

honor recognized

Haimes for her

oversight of the

system's massive

building program,

Haimes

her ongoing

administration of

34 branches and her exemplary

contact with constituents.

The Jonesboro-based Clayton

County Library System (CCLS) has

announced several new appoint-

ments. Veleda Cofield has joined

the system as its assistant director of

library services and training. She joins

the library from

the Atlanta Public

Schools System,

where she

worked as media

specialist. Vickie

Beene is CCLS's

new assistant

director for youth

services. She

Cofield

previously

worked as

assistant adminis-

trator for youth

services for the

Southeastern

Massachusetts

Regional Library

System and as a

youth services

librarian with the Beene

Atlanta-Fulton

Public Library.

Roy Cummings

joins CCLS as

virtual services

librarian, manag-

ing the system's

Web presence

and leading

communityfocused digital

Cummings

technology

initiatives. He has

worked at Mercer

University and at

the Woodruff

Library of the

Atlanta University

Center. Rachel

Daniels has joined CCLS as

Daniels

marketing/communications research

analyst. She previously served as

communications content coordinator

for Georgia Public Broadcasting.

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System held a grand opening celebration for its new Palmetto Library on Dec. 15. Located at 9111 Cascade Palmetto Highway, the 10,000-square-foot facility will serve the Palmetto and Chattahoochee Hills communities, areas not previously served by a library.

GPLS has announced that its 2015 Technology Boot Camp will take place April 7-9 at Unicoi State Park & Lodge in Helen. Details and registration info will be available soon at www.georgialibraries.org. I

10
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2015

Courtesy Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

From left: Interim Director Anne Haimes and Stephanie Moody, chair of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System board of trustees, celebrate their receipt of the "Big Check" with award-winning volunteers Laura Thompson of the Sandy Springs Library and Ben Statham of the Friends of the Alpharetta Library.

Odessa Washington-Williams (right), Friends of the South Fulton Library, celebrates her fiveyear anniversary with Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner.

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System celebrates its volunteers

The value of volunteering topped
$1.5 million at Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System last year, with 2,008 volunteers donating 67,645 hours valued at $1,525,407 in donated services. According to interim Director Anne Haimes, this is the sixth year library volunteer services have topped $1 million.
The 24th Annual Volunteer Recognition Award Program was held Nov. 15, with more than125 people in attendance. Guest speakers included Stephanie Moody, chair of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System board of trustees, and Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner, a former library board trustee.
Volunteers serve as adult literacy tutors, English as a second language teachers, homework help aides, math tutors, computer and clerical assistants, children's program aides, event hosts and more. Volunteers are active in 24 branches and served more than 22,000 hours last year. Highlights of the past year include 146 volunteers donating more than 100 hours, including 58 who do-

nated more than twice that. Several reached milestones, including 28 who received five-year service awards, 16 who earned 10-year service awards and eight who received 15-year service awards. Eleven received Millennium Awards for a career total of 1,000 hours.
Laura Thompson, a volunteer at the Sandy Springs branch since 2010, won the President's Call to Service Award for reaching a career total of more than 4,000 hours, with

1,350 of those hours being served last year. Other winners were Ben Statham, who served 1,379 hours with the Friends of the Alpharetta Library, and Carol Harrison, who served 1,174 hours with the Friends of the Roswell Library.
Eleven young adults and nine teens received President's Volunteer Service Awards, and 15 Friends groups were recognized with Volunteer Service Awards for serving more than 200 hours in a single year. I

Budget

Continued from page 1 to serve a population of 6,500, which has since more than tripled.
"We are excited that the final $1.5 million in state funding for the new Villa Rica Library building is included in the governor's budget," said WGRL Director Roni Tewksbury. "We probably outgrew the current location about eight years ago. We hope to break ground for construction in early April, with the library opening before the 2016

Summer Reading Program begins."
Appropriated state funds will be used with city of Villa Rica SPLOST funding to construct the $3.3 million facility, which will include a large local history area, a business conference room, small study rooms, a larger meeting room, and a dedicated technology center with room for makerspace learning areas equipped with 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies, and tools. I

11
February 2015 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
PAID ATLANTA, GA PERMIT NO. 213

Courtesy Northwest Regional Library System

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

LTTC ribbon cutting
A number of Dalton-Whitfield Friends of the Library members joined with system staff, Dalton State College staff and local dignitaries for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for the library's new Learning and Technology Center (LTTC) last fall. The newly renovated space features a 3-D printer, Chromeboxes and tablets. It will host computer classes for all levels and crafting, technology, engineering and workforce development programs. Free tutoring will be available with the help of volunteers from Dalton State and retired teachers. According to System Director Linda Floyd (who retired at year's end), the LTTC renovations were made possible through a $100,000 matching grant funded by the Georgia General Assembly and Georgia Public Library Service, with the DaltonWhitfield Library Foundation furnishing local matching funds. The city of Dalton and Whitfield County also provided funding support for the project.