Georgia Public Library Service news, Vol. 2, no. 4 (Fall 2004)

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

CALENDAR

October 2004
10/5

Take a Talking Book Outreach Campaign for Senior Adults Kick-Off

10/9

National Book Festival

www.loc.gov

10/13 - 10/15

COMO/GLA Conference www.library.gsu.edu/gla

10/17 - 10/23

Teen Read Week www.ala.org/teenread

November 2004

11/15 - 21

Children's Book Week

www.cbcbooks.org/cbw

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

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.

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

news Georgia Public Library Service

The quarterly newsletter about Georgia's libraries

vol 2 issue 4 z Fall 2004

21st Century Libraries: Georgia Public Libraries Go "Wireless"

Today's public libraries are infor-
mation centers that provide traditional services such as books and story times, as well as 21st century services such as access to computers and the Internet. As the world becomes more and more dependent on technology, public libraries are increasingly important as the only places where free access to computers and the Internet are available to anyone.
Georgia's public libraries are at the forefront of technology with a record of identifying and implementing innovative solutions that make their services to the public unparalleled. "Every county in the state has computers and high-speed Internet access available to the public, at no charge, through the local public library," notes Dr. Lamar Veatch, State Librarian. "This is a phenomenal achievement that ensures that every Georgian has the opportunity to be actively engaged and technology literate."
By leveraging the extensive statewide technology infrastructure and building on that important foundation, Georgia's public libraries are able to

Jerry Johnson brings his lap top to the Gilmer County Library and connects to the Internet using the
library's wireless network.
focus resources on value-added services for their patrons such as wireless access. Whether wireless access is made available to the public, or reserved for staff use, libraries strive to meet the ever-changing and sophisticated needs of their technology-savvy patronage.
Several Georgia public library systems now employ wireless technology. The Sequoyah Regional Library System implemented wireless access for public use at one of their library facilities in 2003 and after positive public reaction, the library system expanded the technology to other library buildings. Assistant Director for Development Nick Fogarty said a survey of patrons is evidence of the demand for such service. "Patrons responded that one of the prime reasons they visit the library is

for access to electronic resources." Fogarty adds that the decision to implement the wireless network at the library "was popular right from the start."
More information about this and other services is available by contacting your local Georgia public library.

IN THIS ISSUE:

That All May Read: "Talking Books" for Senior

Adults

2

Friends of Georgia Libraries Creates Grassroots

Voice for Libraries Statewide

2

LaGrange Memorial Library Receives

Outstanding Archives Award

3

GPLS Represents Georgia at the National Book

Festival

3

Athens-Clarke County Library Receives $260,030

National Leadership Grant

3

Spotlight on Hall County, Georgia

3

Photo by Lynn Dombrowski

MESSAGE FROM THE STATE LIBRARIAN
by Dr. Lamar Veatch
Georgia public libraries provide a range of both traditional and cutting edge library services to residents of all ages. As you read in the last issue, public libraries host exciting programs for children and teens during the summer and throughout the year. And as you'll read in this issue, public libraries help seniors continue to enjoy the books they love by providing "talking books." Public libraries also provide state of the art technology, such as wireless Internet networks, to meet the needs of today's students, business professionals and other tech-savvy library users. Public libraries rely on a network of organizations and individuals to help them provide the services their communities demand. Organizations like the National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, the Institute for Museum and Library Services, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provide valuable resources and expertise. I encourage you to be a part of this support network for public libraries. This fall, ask your local public library how you can help.

That All May Read: "Talking Books" for Senior Adults

In October, the Georgia Library for Accessible Services (GLASS) in Atlanta and a statewide network of 13 Talking Book Centers kicked off "Take a Talking Book,"a threemonth public relations campaign targeted to seniors. The campaign uses public service announcements and community outreach efforts to educate Georgia seniors about the availability of "talking books" for people who cannot read standard print.
A "talking book" is a specially recorded book on tape. If eligible, Georgia seniors can receive talking books and the easy-to-use playback equipment needed to listen to them at no charge. More than 60,000 book titles and 46 national magazines are available in talking book format.
The "Take a Talking Book" campaign kicked off with an event at the Talking Book Center hosted by the

Campaign encourages Georgia seniors to take advantage of the free "talking book" service.
Oconee Regional Library in Dublin. Representatives from the Georgia Public Library Service, the Georgia General Assembly, the National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, and Georgia Talking Book Centers attended.
GLASS hopes the "Take a Talking Book" campaign will help increase the number of seniors who take advantage of this free library service to help them continue to read, learn and enjoy books.

Friends of Georgia Libraries Creates Grassroots Voice for Libraries Statewide

Library supporters from around the state are forming a new grassroots organization, Friends of Georgia
Libraries (FOGL). The mission of this group is 1) to to create an informed statewide voice for Georgia's libraries through a grassroots network of citizens who communicate the value of libraries as essential community services, and 2) to strengthen the ability of local Friends organizations to support their libraries. Many libraries and library systems in Georgia have

"Friends" groups composed of volunteers who help libraries meet their financial and service goals. FOGL organizers hope to help these local Friends groups network and share information, so that the needs of Georgia's libraries can be communicated with one voice to decision-makers at the local, state and national levels. FOGL hosted its first series of networking and training workshops in September led by presenters from Friends of Libraries U.S.A. More than 150 library supporters attended. To learn more about FOGL membership or training opportunities, call 404-982-3560 or visit www.library-friends.org.

2.

Georgia Public Library Service News Fall 2004

LaGrange Memorial Library Receives Outstanding Archives Award
The LaGrange Memorial Library and Troup County Archives received the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board's Outstanding Archives Award Program for their collaboration on an oral history project about residents of Troup County. Project staff interviewed over eighty residents from families living in the county since its founding as well as those who had arrived in the United States only a few years ago. Information on the winning project may be found at http://project.thclibrary.net/.
GPLS Represents Georgia at the National Book Festival
The Georgia Public Library Service represented Georgia public libraries at the fourth annual National Book Festival in Washington D.C. on Saturday, October 9. The National Book Festival is organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura Bush.

Athens-Clarke County Library Receives $260,030 National Leadership Grant
The Athens-Clarke County Library, in partnership with the Lyndon House Arts Center, was awarded a 2004 National Leadership Grant for Libraries to establish a demonstration library for a Latino neighborhood in North Athens.
The library will offer story hours and parenting programs in Spanish, establish the Plaza Communitaria which grants high school diplomas for Mexicans through distance education, provide ESL training, and offer afterschool programs for children including tutorial programs, arts and crafts activities, and many cultural events. One of the unique strengths of this proposal was the large number of community partners who will assist with carrying out the 3-year program; partners include diverse groups from the school district, the university, and neighborhood volunteer organizations.

News in Brief

The Rome Subregional Library for People with Disabilities at Sara Hightower Regional Library welcomes new librarian, Delana Hickman.
Lisa MacKinney joined the Hall County Library System as the assistant director for human resources and public relations in September 2004.
On September 8, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Marsha Christy, assistant director of the Houston County Library System, and reappointed Susan Whittle, director of the Southwest Georgia Regional Library, to the State Board for the Certification of Librarians.
Live Oak Public Libraries celebrated the re-opening of the 90 year-old Carnegie Library on August 21 in Savannah.
Groundbreaking for the $3.7 million South Cobb Regional Library, a part of the Cobb County Public Library System, will take place on Monday, Oct. 18. The building is planned to be complete in January 2006.

SPOTLIGHT
Two years ago, Ella Jean Wilmont Smith, a library technician for acquisitions with the Hall County Library System, noticed a series of pictorial histories of surrounding areas while processing books at the Headquarters Branch. Ms. Smith was also a member of the Hall County Black History Society. An idea formed to pair her two interests; she wanted to develop a pictorial history of Hall County's African-American communities. She contacted her friend and fellow member of the Black History Society, Linda Rucker Hutchens, to share her vision.
The two women then worked with the Black History Society and Arcadia Publishing to write and publish Hall County, Georgia, a book in the Black America Series published by Arcadia. The book Hall, County Georgia, is
available in Georgia public photographically chroni- libraries, at local book cles the social, civic and stores, or directly through entrepreneurial heritage Arcadia Publishing. of Hall County's black communities from the late 1880s to the late 1970s.
"We believe this publication will generate interest not only in Hall County but in neighboring communities as well," says Ms. Smith. "[Readers] will have an opportunity to learn about the community's past and hopefully be able to use this information to gain a great insight and a better understanding of today's Hall County."
Photos featured in the book also will soon be available online through the Digital Library of Georgia.
DI?D YOU KNOW? 48% of Georgia's households do
not own a computer and 53% do not have Internet access
The Children's Partnership, GeorgiaYouth & Technology Fact Sheet and
"A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet" Washington, D.C. February 2002, National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Fall 2004 Georgia Public Library Service News

3.