Georgia Public Library Service news, Vol. 2, no. 2 (Spring 2004)

news Georgia Public Library Service

The quarterly newsletter about Georgia's libraries

vol 2 issue 2 z Spring 2004

Digital Library of Georgia, University of Georgia Libraries and Lake Blackshear Regional Library System
Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Division of Archives and History, Office of Secretary of State

Georgia's History Goes Digital with Georgia HomePLACE

A recent survey revealed a treasury
of thousands of historical photos and documents at Georgia's public libraries. The materials document local histories, but also provide insight on larger themes, such as the Civil War, World War II, black history and women's history.
Georgia HomePLACE (Providing Libraries and Archives Electronically) is now digitizing these valuable Georgia history records and making them available online through the Digital Library of Georgia.
Visitors to the Digital Library of Georgia at www.dlg.galileo.usg.edu can browse through marriage records, historical maps, newspaper archives and photos, or can search for specific information or images.
The C. F. Jenkins Civil War diary was digitized and added to the Digital Library of Georgia through a collaboration with the TroupHarris-Coweta Regional Library and the Troup County Archives. C.F.

Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Division of Archives and History, Office of Secretary of State

Jenkins' diary records his life as a soldier in the Confederacy.
Another recent addition, the diary of Samuel Hawkins from the Lake Blackshear Regional Library System describes the life of a banker and developer in Americus during Reconstruction.
Ongoing Georgia HomePLACE projects include the digitization of Chestatee Regional Library System's historical materials about Dahlonega's gold history, and two projects with the Auburn Avenue Research Library in Atlanta.
Georgia HomePLACE is a collaboration of the Georgia Public Library Service, the Georgia Department of

Archives and History, and the Digital Library of Georgia and GALILEO. It is supported in part by the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Georgia Receives $4,349,960 from Federal Institute for Museum and Library Services 2

Georgia Library PINES Improves Services for

Statewide Library Card Users

2

Library Volunteers Recognized During

National Volunteer Month

3

Statewide Vacation Reading

Program Launches

3

Deputy Director Receives National Award

for Service to Children

3

Spotlight on Ohoopee Regional Library System 3

MESSAGE FROM THE STATE LIBRARIAN
by Dr. Lamar Veatch
Libraries are important institutions in Georgia's communities, and Georgians work hard at the community level to support their libraries. Georgians support libraries by volunteering - to organize books, help raise funds, read stories to children or serve on the board of trustees. Many also serve as advocates, communicating the value of public libraries to their elected officials. This advocacy is largely responsible for the inclusion of funding for Georgia Library PINES in the FY 2004 supplemental budget. Georgians also respond to the call when books or charitable donations are needed, even when, as in these economic conditions, the calls are louder and more frequent. On behalf of Georgia public libraries, I want to sincerely thank Georgia's communities for their continued advocacy and support.
Sandra and Brandon Lockhart use the online PINES catalog to search for books at the Newton County Library.

Georgia Receives $4,349,960 from Federal Institute for Museum and Library Services
The Institute for Museum and Library Services recently announced grants totaling $157.6 million to state library agencies. States receive grants according to a populationbased formula under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

The Georgia Public Library Service will administer Georgia's $4,349,960 grant. A portion of the grant will fund statewide projects that benefit libraries and library users across the state, such as GALILEO, Georgia HomePLACE and the Vacation Reading Program. Additional LSTA funds will be distributed to Georgia libraries through grant programs.
Georgia libraries applying for grants must meet one of two broad priorities: 1) using technology for infor-

Curtis Coward and son, Eli, browse the Spanish collection at Nancy Guinn Library in Conyers. Many materials in the collection were purchased with an LSTA family literacy grant.
mation sharing between libraries or between libraries and other community services, or 2) making library resources more accessible to traditionally underserved communities.
States must develop a five-year plan to be eligible for LSTA funds. Georgia's five-year plan was approved in 2002. The state plan identified 16 statewide needs and 14 goals to meet those needs.

Georgia Library PINES Improves Services for Statewide Library Card Users

Georgia Library PINES, Georgia's statewide library card program, con-
tinues to improve to meet the library and information needs of more than 1.3 million users across the state.
PINES recently launched a new public portal to the online catalog, www.pines.lib.ga.us. The new interface helps PINES library users find information quickly and easily, like how to sign up for a PINES library card, find the closest PINES library, renew a book online, or search the catalog for books and materials. All of the

information and tutorials are also available in Spanish.
Results from a recent PINES user survey indicate that 59 percent of respondents use the PINES online catalog at least weekly and that 82 percent are satisfied with PINES.
Every Georgian can apply for a PINES library card. PINES library cardholders have access to a shared collection of 7.7 million books and materials. PINES creates a statewide "borderless library" that provides equal access to information for all Georgians.

2.

Georgia Public Library Service News Spring 2004

Library Volunteers Recognized During National Volunteer Month
Even with the efficiencies technology and automation bring, libraries still require a lot of "people power" to deliver quality library services to their communities. Volunteers are critical to Georgia's libraries: they help get the work done.
During April, National Volunteer Month, Georgia public libraries make special efforts to recognize their volunteers. Says Retired Lieutenant Colonel Kathryn Lillethun, a volunteer with the Southwest Georgia Regional Library System, "I volunteer because I really enjoy it. I know what I do is useful to both the staff and the patrons. Sometimes, I even get to learn something new myself."
To read profiles of Georgia's dedicated public library volunteers, visit www.georgialibraries.org/gpls/newslet ter/volunteers.pdf.

Statewide Vacation Reading Program Launches
As the school year is ending, public libraries in Georgia and the Southeast are beginning the Vacation Reading Program 2004 with the theme, "Step to the Beat...READ!" The Vacation Reading Program 2003 brought 206,222 Georgia children and their families to public libraries for literature-based programs and fun learning activities. For more information, visit www.vacationreading.org.
Deputy Director Receives National Award for Service to Children
David Singleton, Deputy Director of the Georgia Public Library Service, was selected as the recipient of the American Library Association's Sullivan Award for Public Library Administrators Supporting Services to Children. The award will be presented at the ALA Annual Conference in June in Orlando, Florida.

News in Brief
The Georgia Public Library Service welcomes Lois Roberts as the new director of Statesboro Regional Library.
Officials of the Coastal Plain Regional Library System broke ground December 19 for the expansion and renovation of the Carrie Dorsey Perry Memorial Library in Nashville. The $1.2 million project will expand the library to more than 12,000 sq. feet.
The Mountain Regional Library System recently added a storage area to the Towns County Public Library. In-kind and charitable donations funded the entire project.
The Georgia Public Library Service recognizes Bernice Bacon, director of Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Library, and Bill Johnson, director of Live Oak Public Libraries, for their respective 20 and 31 years of service with Georgia libraries. Both retire April 30.

SPOTLIGHT

On November 1, 2003, the Ladson Genealogical Library opened its doors as a branch of the Ohoopee Regional Library System. By stepping through the library's doors, visitors can step back in history to research their ancestries, view historical photographs or examine early 20th century school records of the surrounding counties.

The library has 17,000 cataloged titles and 1,200 rolls of microfilm. More than 1,000 books are more than 200 years old, and several rare works are more than 400 years old.

The library also uses

today's technology to

connect to the past. A

Branch clerk, Clint Moxley,

high-speed Internet con-

helps patrons find information about their ancestors

nection and access to GALILEO allows library

users to search thousands of databases and

other online resources.

Thousands of visitors from as far away as Spain and Belgium have visited the unique library searching for their familial roots. "The Ladson Genealogical Library is a treasure the people of this area are proud to share with the world," says Dusty Gres, director of the Ohoopee Regional Library System.

The library itself represents a history of collaboration with the John E. Ladson, Jr. Historical and Genealogical Research Foundation, the City of Vidalia and Toombs County.

Correction:
In September, East Central Georgia Regional Library broke ground for a 50,000 sq. foot library and performing arts center complex in Evans, Georgia. (Previously reported as Evans County in the Winter 2004 issue.)

Spring 2004 Georgia Public Library Service News

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

CALENDAR

April 2004
4/1 - 4/30

National Poetry Month www.poets.org/npm

4/18 - 4/24

National Library Week www.ala.org

May 2004
5/2 - 5/4

National Library Legislative Day www.ala.org

5/18 - 5/19

PINES Annual Membership Meeting www.georgialibraries.org/lib/pines.html

June 2004
6/24 - 6/30

American Library Association Annual Conference, Orlando www.ala.org

For more information about Georgia's library and literary events or to post an event, visit the online events calendar at www.georgialibraries.org.

1800 Century Place, Suite 150 Atlanta, Georgia 30345-4304 www.georgialibraries.org
A Unit of the University System of Georgia

CONTACT US
Georgia Public Library Service 1800 Century Place, Suite 150 Atlanta, GA 30345-4304 404.982.3560 404.982.3563, fax www.georgialibraries.org
Lamar Veatch, State Librarian Jennifer Watson, Editor Shannon Singleton, Managing Editor
For editorial or subscription information about this publication, please call 404.982.3531 or e-mail info@georgialibraries.org.
Georgia Public Library Service News (ISSN 1546-511X) is a quarterly newsletter about Georgia's public libraries. It is published by the Georgia Public Library Service, the state agency that supports public libraries statewide. The Georgia Public Library Service works with public libraries to improve the quality and variety of library services available to Georgia citizens of all ages.
This publication is supported in whole or in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.
Information presented in this newsletter will be provided in alternative formats on request.