Georgia Public Library Service news, Vol. 5, no. 4 (Feb. 2008)

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

volume 5, issue 4 I February 2008

Use of Georgia's public libraries continues to rise in Internet Age

Georgia's preliminary statistical
figures for fiscal year 2007 support the findings of a national survey released in January that challenges the belief that the Internet reduces library use.

Adrian Mixson

electronic resources, adding a total of 1,364,361 users. A total of 13,360,702 people used public-access Internet computers at Georgia's public libraries in FY2007.

Although the Internet is

According to Diana Very,

increasingly important as a source

director of LSTA, Statistics &

of information for a majority of

Research for GPLS, the largest

Americans, most adults still use

increases in users of electronic

libraries, according to "Informa-

resources were in the Middle

tion Searches That Solve Problems:

Georgia Regional Library,

How People Use the Internet,

Gwinnett County Public Library,

Government Agencies, and

Cobb County Pubic Library and

Libraries When They Need Help."
This survey, conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life

... and you can never be too young!
The Hall County Library registered its youngest patron Dec. 21 at the Gainesville branch. Walker David Neff received his library card at only 8 days old. "We're

Bartow County Public Library systems. Bartow, one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia, showed the largest

Project and the University of Illinois, looked at overall library use as well as library use for solving problems related to subjects such as health care,

going to make reading a very important part of his life," said mom Tiffany Neff. "We want him to always know the importance of reading and education." From left are Vonda Henderson, youth services library assistant; Dawn Dale, circulation manager; Neff with Walker; and grandmother Debbie Walker.

increase, adding 336,255 users over the system's FY2006 number of 85,389 for a total of 421,644 users in FY2007.

education, taxes and job searches.

Overall, public library visits in

It found that Internet users were

In Georgia, 38 of 58 public

Georgia increased from 31,952,301

more than twice as likely to

library systems (Troup-Harris

in FY2006 to 35,703,912 in FY

patronize libraries as non-Internet

Regional Library and the Coweta

2007. "That difference equates to

users and that more than two-thirds County Public Library counted as

41 percent of the entire state's

of library visitors in all age groups

one system for FY2007) showed an population," Very said. "It's clear

use computers while at the library.

increase in the number of users of

See Statistics, page 2

Governor's recommendations include money for libraries, books and PINES

As has become his custom, Gov. Sonny Perdue used
the State of the State address on Jan. 16 to formally submit his budget recommendations for FY2009 to the General Assembly. In his recommendations, Gov. Perdue proposed $1 million in funding for materials and books for the state's public libraries.

service area and provide citizens better access to its resources. The statewide consortium, which offers Georgia citizens a shared catalog of more than 9.3 million items, has grown to include more than 275 public libraries and affiliated service outlets in 137 counties, but several counties remain on the waiting list to join.

He also proposed funding the full $579,714 requested by the Georgia Public Library Service to fund an expansion of the PINES library network, broaden its

In addition, the governor's proposed budget includes $240,588 to provide additional T-1 Internet lines to help
See Budget, page 8

Statistics

Continued from page 1 that Georgia library patrons are wisely using their libraries to meet their information needs. It's also clear that, whether for recreation, study or business, public libraries are continuing to provide the services needed by their communities."
Georgia's population increased from 8,789,529 to 9,098,140 between FY2006 and FY2007. State funding for public libraries increased to $37,815,316, accounting for approximately 18 percent of the $205,353,685 of total funding. Federal funds provide about 1 percent of the total, with more than 80 percent of library funding coming from the local level.
Public libraries continue to show impressively high returns on investment for the state and for their respective communities. More than 40.8 million books and other materials were borrowed from Georgia's public libraries in FY2007. "With an average book cost of $25," Very said, "this saved the people of Georgia approximately $1 billion.
"With 1,477,126 children attending programs at Georgia's public libraries in FY2007 and the average cost of a child's movie theater ticket being $5, this is equivalent to Georgia parents saving another $7.3 million. Adding the $3 average cost of a 30-minute session at an Internet caf for those 13 million people who used publicaccess computers at public libraries saved the people of Georgia another $40 million this year."
The estimated value of these services was $1,067,872,111 -- $117.37 per capita -- in FY 2007, Very explained. Yet those libraries only spent $205,353,685 -- $22.57 per capita.

In addition to the costs associated with providing the previously mentioned services, public library expenditures paid for the salaries of 3,018 staff and 55,608 programs, of which 42,115 were for children. According to Elaine Black, director of Children's Services for GPLS, attendance at children's programs reached nearly 1.5 million in FY2007. "Libraries continue to be a community's premiere source for quality literature-based programming for Georgia's children, families and teens," she said.
Attendance at Vacation Reading Program events alone was almost 400,000. "In addition to visiting the library for programs," Black said, "VRP participants this year reported more than 1.9 million books read and more than half a million hours spent reading. In addition, they reported taking part in more than 88,000 related literacy activities."
PINES experienced a whopping 40 percent increase in lending during the past year. A statewide consortium that has grown to include more than 275 public libraries and affiliated service outlets in 137 counties, the Public Information Network for Electronic Services -- PINES, for short -- offers Georgia citizens a shared catalog of more than 9.3 million items, with a single library card that is welcomed in all member libraries. PINES now boasts more than 1.7 million registered cardholders -- just under 19 percent of the state's population but more than 35 percent of the citizens living in a county served by the system.
"I was amazed by the increase in number of unique patron holds placed through PINES this year," said PINES Program Director Elizabeth McKinney de Garcia. "It shows an

all-around increase in library use that is further backed up by the results from the PINES Annual User Survey that we conduct each year in April. This year's survey indicated that 81.7 percent of our cardholders use the PINES catalog at least weekly to renew books, determine fines or renew items they have checked out."
Garcia pointed out that less than $2 million in state and federal money went to fund PINES. "This is an incredible bargain for the state," she said. "It would cost approximately $15 million to replace PINES with individual automation systems for the current member library systems and GPLS, not to mention the approximately $5 million it would cost each year to maintain those systems."
The national survey, which was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, indicated that more than half of American adults visited a local public library in the past 12 months. Among the most frequent library users were young families; 63 percent of parents with children visited the library, compared to 48 percent of those without children at home. It also indicated that the highest rate of use of those visiting libraries for help solving problems was among young people who need high Internet access but who have low incomes because they are still in school or are just starting their careers in lower-paid jobs.
A complete copy of the national report can be found at www.pewInternet.org/PPF/r/231/ report_display.asp. Once final numbers have been verified, Georgia's figures will be available from the GPLS Web site at www.georgialibraries.org/lib/ publiclibinfo. I

2
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2008

Four libraries receive $326,000 for repair, renovation

The Georgia Public Library Service has announced the
second group of recipients in its Major Repair and Renovation (MRR) Grant Program for fiscal year 2008. In this phase of the program, up to $326,874 will be allocated for repairs and renovations at four of the state's public libraries.

The Lake Blackshear Regional Library will receive up

to $216,000 to replace the tornado-

damaged roof and walls at its central

facility in Americus. The Satilla

Regional Library will receive as much

as $98,144 to replace its outdated

cooling system. The Athens Regional

Library System will receive up to

$7,728 to repair plumbing-related

structural issues at the Oconee

County Library in Watkinsville, and

Isbell

the Kinchafoonee Regional Library

will receive as much as $5,002 for structural repairs at

the Calhoun County Library in Edison.

"These grants provide matching funds for essential repair and renovation of public libraries throughout the state," explained Deputy State Librarian David Singleton. "The grants leverage both local and state funds to improve facilities in numerous communities. Funds are provided on a reimbursement basis and will be based on the actual remediation and repair costs."

"The MRR grant money means the world to my library," said Anne Isbell, Lake Blackshear Regional Library director. "The March 1 tornado destroyed many buildings in Americus. While we originally believed that the library had emerged unscathed, we soon learned that cracks in the building would force us to relocate while the front walls were removed and rebuilt. Our insurance will cover the costs of basic repairs, but without the MRR
grant we would have been left with a patched 30-year-old roof and badly mismatched carpet and paint.

"The $216,000 grant will cover

more than just the cost of a new roof;

it will also help us cover costs

associated with the renovation that

the insurance money doesn't cover

Cole

and also will allow us to replace some

of our HVAC units, which are now 13

years old and are no longer working efficiently. These

MRR funds will allow us to reopen a library building that

we hope will continue to serve our patrons for decades

to come."

Mark Cole, director of the Satilla Regional Library, echoed Isbell's gratitude. "Satilla's central library is now almost 20 years old," he explained. "The cooling is from a water-chilled system that has cold-water piping running throughout the building -- including those areas where the library's collections are housed. Rusting pipes have led to leaks that threaten the building and collections and that also result in the occasional loss of air conditioning. Our grant will help upgrade and replace aging components and allow for a more efficient system. In turn, this will provide for the environmental needs of the library while cutting the costs of ongoing maintenance."

Kathy Mudd/Monticello News

In the first round of MRR grants, announced in September, the Greene County Library received $11,435.93 to pay half of the cost of new heating, ventilation and air conditioning units. Accepting the grant are (clockwise from top left): Sen. Johnny Grant; Rep. Mickey Channell; Cliff Sanders, board member and former chair; Dene Channell, county commission chair; Byron Lombard, county manager; Jackie Broderick, Greene County Library manager; Jeff Tomlinson, assistant director of the Uncle Remus Regional Library System; and Don McCoy, library board chair.

The MRR program is a legislative initiative that provides $900,000 in state appropriations to match local funds earmarked for major renovations and repairs needed by the state's public libraries. MRR grants will pay up to 90 percent of catastrophic repairs, such as those suffered by the Americus library, and 50 percent of approved costs associated with noncatastrophic roof and structural repairs of existing library facilities. In the first phase of this year's program, up to $573,125.98 in a total of 32 grants were allocated for repairs and renovations at 28 public libraries across the state. I
3
February 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

GPLS finalizes new mission statement, long-range strategic plan

GPLS has finalized a yearlong effort
to create a long-range strategic planning process for the agency. According to Lyn Hopper, assistant state librarian for Library Development, "The result is a plan that reflects our customers' most important needs and provides a clear focus for library services across the state."

The plan

establishes an

overall vision for

the agency:

"Achieving

Hopper

excellence in

library service for all Georgians."

It also streamlines the agency's mission statement to "The Georgia Public Library Service: Empowering libraries to improve the lives of Georgians" and clarifies that GPLS will achieve its mission by:
I Providing and encouraging visionary leadership,

I Georgians will value, use and advocate for libraries.
I Georgia's public library community will have adequate, stable and equitable funding.
GPLS assembled a broad-based team of professionals to help with its planning effort in December 2006, Hopper explained. This planning group began work in March 2007, meeting with library staff and patrons around the state to conduct a series of studies, tabulate results of an online survey and interview a number of focus groups.
Opinions gleaned from these sources will help GPLS focus future resources on those services identified as most important to Georgia's libraries. The team examined environmental influences, studied the ever-changing nature of library service and evaluated current programs at GPLS to determine the best possible match between needs and services.

the Georgia Library for Accessible Services (GLASS); Thelma Godwin, second vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia; Greg Heid, director of the Newton County Library System; Sandy Hester, director of the FitzgeraldBen Hill County Library; Christina Hobbs, business development manager for Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia; and Christine Hoskins, a board member of the Friends of Georgia Libraries.
Also on the team are Nicol Lewis, IT help desk manager for GPLS; Rich Meyer, dean and director of libraries at the Georgia Institute of Technology; Nathan Rall, director of Facilities and Construction for GPLS; Anne Salter, director of the Oglethorpe University Library; David Singleton, deputy state librarian; Dr. Lamar Veatch, state librarian; Julie Walker, assistant state librarian for Support Services and Strategic Initiatives; and Beverly Williams, subregional manager for GLASS.

I Ensuring equal access to information and technology,
I Promoting the value and joy of lifelong reading and learning and
I Facilitating collaboration and innovation in the broader library community.
Further, the plan identifies four strategic goals for the agency to meet on behalf of the state's public libraries:
I The library community will have relevant and convenient continuing education opportunities.
I The library community will have access to resources that enhance understanding and use of current and future technology.

"Our facilitator, Cal Shepard, led the members of the planning team through a systematic process to gather data on the most important needs of our constituents and analyze how we can best respond to those needs," Hopper said, noting that Shepard is manager of Consortial Outreach for SOLINET, the Southeastern Library Network.
In addition to Hopper, the strategic planning team included extensive representation from libraries, customers and GPLS staff. Its members included Kathryn Ames, director of the Athens Regional Library System; Ruth Bruner, a member of both the Gainesville City Council and the House Study Committee on Public Libraries; Stella Cone, director of

"GPLS is indebted to each of the team members for their wise counsel," said Veatch. "This strategic planning work is very meaningful, both for the words that have been recorded in the final document and for the process that brought together the thoughts and ideas of hundreds of Georgians to help plan the future of statewide public library service."
Veatch and Hopper also expressed their thanks to two graduate students who worked with the planning team, blogged notes from its meetings and provided valuable information for the committee. Leslie James, an MLIS student at the University of Alabama, conducted an
See Plan, page 5

4
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2008

Appalachian storyteller tops bill at 10th Children's Services Conference

The 2008 Children's Services Annual
Conference (CSAC) will be held Monday, Feb. 4, at the Macon Centreplex. "We will be celebrating our 10th anniversary this year," said Elaine Black, director of Children's Services for GPLS, which sponsors the event.

CSAC provides opportunities for

staff members from public libraries

and school media centers

throughout

Georgia to

exchange ideas

and learn best

practices and

new

developments in

the field of

children's

services. Eighteen

Black

breakout sessions

will be offered

throughout the day, covering a wide

variety of topics, such as how to give

old stories new twists, how to

sponsor Spanish storytimes for non-

Spanish speakers and how to

promote child-friendly ways to use

GALILEO, Georgia's virtual online

library. "These sessions will be led by

children's services professionals from

across the state as well as staff

members from the Georgia

Plan
Continued from page 4 environmental scan of the state and GPLS, while Leann Boyd, an MLIS student at Valdosta State University, compiled a history of GPLS and its planning efforts.

"Participating in the GPLS Strategic Planning Committee has been very educational for me in many ways," James said. "It has been interesting to witness the state library in action and to participate in planning for its future. There are

Department of Education," said Black.
The keynote speaker will be Donald Davis, an award-winning storyteller who hails from a Southern Appalachian mountain world rich in tales. Davis grew up hearing gentle fairy tales, simple and silly Jack stories, scary mountain lore, ancient Welsh and Scottish folktales and -- most importantly -- nourishing true-to-life stories of his own neighbors and kin. At CSAC, he will recount tales learned from a family of traditional storytellers who have lived on the same land in western North Carolina since 1781.
Noted musical storytellers Caroline Figiel and Danny Jones will also be appearing at CSAC this year. They have written and produced children's music and storytelling CDs that have motivated families' dinner conversations as well as school curriculums. Through a
many things one can learn in a classroom; however, experience is the best teacher."
Hopper echoes James' comments as they apply to the entire endeavor. "It was a learning experience for us all," she said, "but thanks to a wideranging planning team with representation from several stakeholder groups, we believe we have a solid foundation for determining GPLS service priorities now -- and for years to come." I

personable approach of "kidspeak," humor, educational strategies, catchy tunes and high-energy performance, they are able to teach children as well as adults. The duo
has designed programs and written activities and music for Ripley's Aquariums, the Georgia
Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta and Titanic International. The pair have served as educators in
residence at the Marcus Institute for developmentally disabled
children, and their CDs have been featured at the National
Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tenn.
"Our goal for this year's conference is to provide a stimulating day of educational and networking opportunities for all those who work with children and families in libraries," Black said.
"As we enter Georgia's first year as a member of the national Collaborative Summer Library Program, CSAC will provide a solid base for creating exceptional library programming and providing outstanding library service for all of Georgia's families."
CSAC registration is free but is limited to a maximum of 450 participants. Additional information, including breakout session descriptions, registration forms and a full schedule, is available online at www.georgialibraries.org.
This conference is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to GPLS under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. I

5
February 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

Alan Harkness

New library's grand opening kicks off annual `Auburnfest'
More than 200 people turned out for the grand opening
of the new Auburn Public Library. The festivities were held Oct. 20 to coincide with the city's annual "Auburnfest" celebration.
According to Alan Harkness, director of the Piedmont Public Library System, the new facility gives Auburn citizens a lot to celebrate. "The new library is 6,100 square feet -- six times larger than the old facility, which was located in a former post office.
"Residents of Auburn and western Barrow County are very lucky to have a city that cares so much about providing high-quality library service. The new Auburn Library is a gift that the community has worked hard to give itself, and its benefits will last for years."
Grand opening speakers included Barrow County Commission Chair Doug Garrison, Commissioner Billy Parks, Mayor Harold Money, Rep. Terry England (RAuburn) and Barrow Library Board Chair and Chamber of Commerce President Tommy Jennings. Paul Brown,

The Auburn Public Library staff includes Branch Manager Kitti McKean, former Manager Fay Page, Children's Assistant Mandy Young and retired Media Specialist Miriam Wood, who first worked at the Auburn library when it was housed inside a trailer.
president of the Friends of the Auburn Library, served as master of ceremonies for the event. Branch Manager Kitti McKean also took to the stage, welcoming the community to its new library. I

Cherokee, Live Oak systems to host 2008 `Big Read' celebrations

The LaFayette-based Cherokee
Regional Library and the Savannahbased Live Oak Public Libraries are among 127 libraries, municipalities and organizations to receive grants to host Big Read celebrations between January and June 2008. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the grants in November.
"In just two years, the Big Read has grown from 10 communities to include nearly 200 towns and cities nationwide," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. "Although each of these communities celebrates its Big Read program in its own way, one theme we consistently hear back is that the Big Read is not just bringing citizens back to the joy of reading but also reinvigorating the very idea of community."

Organizations selected to participate in the Big Read will use grant money to promote and carry out community-based programs and events such as read-a-thons, book discussions, film screenings and exhibits.
The Cherokee Regional Library, which serves citizens in Dade and Walker counties, has chosen To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee as its focus for its $8,000 grant.
"For the first time in quite a few years, the Cherokee Regional Library System has a staff member devoted to grant writing and adult programming," explained Lecia Eubanks, director.
"Gayla Brewer, our community development librarian, applied for the Big Read Grant, and we are very

excited about the partnerships we formed during the grant-writing process. Now that it has been funded, we are looking forward to promoting the power of reading through these partnerships."
Live Oak, serving Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties, received a $20,000 grant and has selected Fahrenheit 451 by awardwinning science fiction writer Ray Bradbury.
"This is the second year that Savannah has been awarded a Big Read grant," said Christian Kruse, director. "Building on last year's success, we plan to partner with local schools and universities, art galleries and fire departments, local community groups and bases in the area. Events will be held throughout our service area in April." I

6
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2008

Twenty-six library systems receive driver education grants

Gov. Sonny Perdue has announced that grants totaling
$270,800 have been awarded to Georgia's public libraries to make driver education more accessible, effective and affordable throughout the state. Grantees will use these funds to purchase supplemental computer terminals dedicated for use by students who need access to virtual driver education programs.
The Governor's Office of Highway Safety administered the grant application and selection process for the program, which is aimed at high school students who desire to prepare and qualify for a Georgia Class D driver's license.
Under "Joshua's Law," a Senate bill passed during the 2005 General Assembly, all 16-year-olds applying for a Class D driver's license now must complete both an approved driver education course and a total of 40 hours of supervised driving.
A total of 114 new computers will now be dedicated to teens who need access to approved online driver education programs.
Twenty-six library systems successfully applied and will receive funding. Grants cover computers with stands,

chairs and signage directing students to the terminals. This will improve high school students' accessibility to the Georgia Department of Driver Services-licensed online driver education phase.
Recipients include the Athens Regional Library System, the Bartow County Public Library, the Chattooga County Library System, the Cherokee Regional Library System, the Chestatee Regional Library System, the Clayton County Public Library System, the Coastal Plain Regional Library System, the Dalton-Whitfield County Library, the DeSoto Trail Regional Library, the Elbert County Library System, the Hall County Library System, the Jefferson County Library System and the Kinchafoonee Regional Library System.
Also receiving grants were the Lee County Library, the Middle Georgia Regional Library, the Mountain Regional Library, the Ocmulgee Regional Library System, the Pine Mountain Regional Library System, the Roddenbery Memorial Library, the Satilla Regional Library System, the Screven-Jenkins Regional Library System, the Sequoyah Regional Library System, the Statesboro Regional Library, the Thomas County Public Library System, the Uncle Remus Regional Library System and the Union County Public Library. I

GPLS to collaborate with PHA to provide health education materials to libraries

Bright students helping Dalton senior citizens

GPLS and the Georgia Hospital
Association's Partnership for Health & Accountability (PHA) have begun a new collaborative project to provide health education materials to local libraries within communities throughout Georgia.
PHA is providing participating public libraries with monthly information about two or three selected topics that reflect monthly health observances established by various federal and state agencies.
Included will be at least one topical bulletin board, plus an alternating array of flyers, handouts or screen savers with easy-to-read information on each month's topics. PHA is also providing participating

libraries with a monthly "Connect the Dots" newsletter they can download and distribute.
"We are also developing a database of local resources, including your local hospitals, for each related topic," said Jan Potter, communications specialist for PHA. "Eventually we hope to connect public libraries with local hospitals so they can collaborate on health fairs and related projects. We know that connecting hospitals and libraries in Georgia will help ensure a healthier population."
February's health topics include heart disease, obesity and smoking; March topics will include nutrition and patient safety. I

Students from Tennessee are
crossing the state line to visit at least one Georgia library. According to Joe Forsee, director of the Northwest Georgia Regional Library in Dalton, students from the Bright School in Chattanooga are volunteering to work with senior citizens at the DaltonWhitfield Public Library. "Students are teaching seniors here to set up e-mail accounts, showing them how to use computer software, answering their questions and offering them general computer assistance," he explained. The most recent seniors training session was held Jan. 16. I

7
February 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

Budget
Continued from page 1 keep public-access computers running smoothly at public libraries across the state. More than 13.3 million people used public-access Internet computers at Georgia's public libraries last year.
"Education remains Governor Perdue's top priority," said State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch, "and these recommended budget items are a manifestation of the continued importance he sees for public libraries in helping Georgians reach their individual educational goals."
In the capital outlay portion of his recommendations, the governor included more than $7.1 million to assist with the design and construction of four critical new library projects throughout the state. Projects included are the Coweta County Library's Senoia Public Library Veatch ($1.225 million), the Okefenokee Regional Library System's Blackshear Memorial Library in Pierce County ($1.9 million), the Houston County Public Libraries' Centerville branch ($2 million) and the proposed addition to the Conyers-Rockdale Library System's Nancy Guinn Memorial Library in Conyers ($2 million).
The governor's budget proposal now goes to the Legislature for consideration. I

GPLS debuts new look online
GPLS has introduced a new look to its Web site
(www.georgialibraries.org). In addition to refined graphics and improved content, the site features a host of navigational improvements, including increased compliance with Web standards for users with disabilities. Page text is now resizable in Internet Explorer browsers, allowing users with limited vision and text-reading devices to more easily interpret new page code.
Cross-browser compatibility improvements will provide a more consistent layout for users of all current, popular browsers. Smaller file sizes for many pages will allow faster loading, benefiting users with slower connections. Finding contact info for staff will also be easier with a new "Staff by Department" box on the page headers.
The events listing is now located on the home page, making it easier to find, and improved submission forms make it easier for library personnel to post their event information.
"A submission form can be easily found by clicking the Events Calendar link on the left side of the home page, then clicking the `Add a library or literary event' link on the following page," explained Darin Givens, webmaster for GPLS. "I hope these improvements will encourage staff from all of Georgia's public libraries to contribute regularly to the Library & Literary Events Calendar." I

Friends, supporters celebrate love for libraries on Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, hundreds of friends and
supporters will encourage state legislators to love their libraries at Georgia Library Day. The Georgia Library Association, the Georgia Association for Instructional Technology, the Georgia Library Media Association and GPLS will sponsor the annual event that provides friends and supporters with the opportunity to speak directly with legislators about the need for continued support of the state's libraries.

"More than 300 supporters and 60 legislators from across the state attended this event in 2007," said State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch, "and we are expecting another sold-out crowd this year." Among the 2008 event's highlights will be a number of guest speakers, a visit to the Georgia State Capitol and a box lunch with legislators. Registration forms are available
at gla.georgialibraries.org. I

8
Georgia Public Library Service News February 2008

GPLS set to join WebJunction as `community partner'

GPLS has entered an agreement to
become a partner with WebJunction, a popular online community developed in 2002 by the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. WebJunction is where library staff can meet to share knowledge and ideas; take online courses; and identify, embrace and apply collaborative, Web-based technologies.
WebJunction partners with a number of library-related and cultural heritage organizations to offer technology resources, a buying guide, a learning center and a community where librarians can draw on each other's knowledge and experience to solve common problems.
As the community has continued to grow, so has the need to tailor resources to meet specific needs of local library organizations and staff. In June 2004, WebJunction announced a new relationship with regionally based community partners to create locally relevant content and services for the libraries they serve, while continuing to provide resources to a global audience. These agree-
April FOGL workshop offered in Brunswick

ments help the collaborative and its partners save time and resources while facilitating knowledge and resource sharing across all of WebJunction.

Current

community

partner relation-

ships include the

state library

Walker

agencies in

Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut,

Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,

Kansas, New Hampshire, Maine,

Minnesota, Vermont and Washing-

ton. Georgia's WebJunction site will

begin operation in June.

"As a partner, this program will help provide Georgia's public libraries with the tools they need to create locally relevant content, discussions and training programs," said Julie

Walker, assistant state librarian for Support Services and Strategic Initiatives. "An additional benefit of the program, is that library staff in community partner states enjoy free access to WebJunction online classes." Some courses are free to everyone, but other members must pay fees for a number of courses, and those fees can range from $19.95 to more than $400.
"For WebJunction members across all communities, the partner program provides an expanded pool of shared resources, many of which will be relevant beyond their local contexts," Walker said. "We're very pleased to have been asked to participate at this level."
This program is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to GPLS under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. I

Michigan libraries follow Georgia's lead

The Michigan Library Consortium
(MLC) and the Grand Rapids Public Library are jointly working to develop and launch the Michigan Evergreen Project, a shared library system using the Evergreen open-source software developed by GPLS.

composed of nearly 600 Michigan libraries of all types. MLC provides libraries a single point of contact for training, group purchasing and technical support for OCLC products, electronic resources and more.

Friends of Georgia Libraries

Evergreen was introduced in

The Michigan Evergreen Project

President Jenny McCurdy has

PINES libraries throughout Georgia in will begin in 2008 with a pilot group

announced that the organization's

September 2006. Its development

of at least five libraries. This initial

next meeting and workshop will be enabled GPLS to receive a Mellon

group will migrate to the shared

held April 21 at the Brunswick-Glynn Award for Technology Collaboration system in two phases, with the first

County Library. Tentative plans

from the Andrew W. Mellon

phase going live by July 2008 and

include a panel discussion on

Foundation in December 2007.

the second phase going live later in

building membership in local Friends

the year. According to Evette Atkin,

groups and a strategic planning

Libraries participating in the

systems librarian for the project,

exercise to help shape the future of Michigan Evergreen Project will pool MLC plans to add libraries to the

FOGL. Further details and a

resources to share in the costs of

shared system annually, beginning in

registration form will be posted in

operating and maintaining the

2009. "MLC is excited to be a part

late February at www.georgiafriends.org. I

system, which will be wholly owned of the Evergreen community," she

9

by the libraries in the collaborative,

said. I

February 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

NEWS IN BRIEF



Carrie Neville

Donna Brazzell has been

named executive director of the

DeKalb Library Foundation for the

Decatur-based DeKalb County Public

Library. Brazzell

holds an master's

degree in

nonprofit

management

from Georgia

State University

and is a member

of the

Association of

Brazzell

Fundraising

Professionals.

She joins the library from the

American Lung Association, where

she handled fundraising, volunteer

management and events for the

organization's development

department.

The Friends of the Macon-Bibb County Libraries will celebrate a ruby anniversary this month as the group sponsors its 40th annual Old Book Sale Feb. 21-23 in the Long Building at Macon's Central City Park. "The Friends were able to give our libraries over $100,000 in proceeds from the 2007 sale," said President Cathy Clark, who hopes for an even bigger success this year, with a significant portion of the proceeds

Staff

earmarked to help purchase books for the Middle Georgia Regional Library's new Lanford branch.
Hall County Library System staff member Ronda Sanders has completed an internship at the University of Georgia Archives in which she processed the College of Family and Consumer Science Papers, 1916-2006. Sanders has worked for the Hall County Library since 1993. She is considered the staff specialist on local history and genealogy and is responsible for developing and maintaining the Sybil Wood McRay Genealogy & Local History Collection. I
Sanders receives congratulations from Steven Brown, head of Archives and Records Management for the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Staff

Parks Memorial rocks!
The Parks Memorial Library in Richland, part of the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library, is featuring musical instruments from the John Entwistle Foundation to promote music education among children. The library now offers electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, electric drums and amplifiers as part of its Check-Out Music program. The foundation is named for the late bassist of The Who and was founded by his longtime friend and drummer, Steve Luongo. Library Assistant Pepper Weldin of Parks Memorial e-mailed the foundation after reading an article in Rolling Stone about its mission and its planned tour of instruments. Her request on behalf of Richland's youth convinced the foundation to include the library on its itinerary. Weldin's children Willow (left) and Drake were among the first to sign up.
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Georgia Public Library Service News February 2008

Cathey (left) and son Henry (right) are joined courtside by Dominique Wilkins, retired Hawks great and NBA Hall of Famer.
Librarian, son serve as Hawks co-captains
Carolyn Cathey, youth services
assistant at the Conyers-Rockdale Library, and her 16-year-old son Henry served as honorary cocaptains of the Atlanta Hawks for their Jan. 5 game against the New Jersey Nets at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Cathey received the honor as a result of leading her library to victory in this past summer's CheckIt-Out Reading Challenge, cosponsored by the Hawks, the Atlanta Thrashers and GPLS. The ConyersRockdale Library signed up the most program participants during the reporting period.
"Carolyn works very hard every summer to deliver an excellent Vacation Reading Program to hundreds of Rockdale's children and young adults," said Library Director Debbie Manget, "and her son is both a reader and a big Hawks fan."
Said Cathey: "It was an awesome experience for my son and me. We were given Hawks jerseys. We sat on the floor during the warm-ups and players' introductions. Just before the game started, we were taken to the center of the floor, where we met each team's captains and the referees. It was so much fun -- and we had excellent seats for the game, too." I

Public libraries can help trace family trees through HeritageQuest

Georgia's public libraries have new resources to make
tracing family trees easier. HeritageQuest OnlineTM and Ancestry Library Editions are Web-based reference tools that will allow patrons to start exploring their roots by searching surnames. To make things even easier, users can specify where they want to do their research. Any Georgian with a public library or PINES card can log on to HeritageQuest Online through their library's Web site to dig into records dating as far back as the 1700s.
The new databases are part of GALILEO. Short for GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online, GALILEO is a Webbased virtual library that provides access to multiple information resources, including more than 100 databases indexing thousands of periodicals and scholarly journals, encyclopedias, business directories and government publications.
HeritageQuest Online offers users several paths to information, including the U.S. Federal Census collection, more than 20,000 family and local history books, an index to nearly 2 million magazine articles with genealogical information and a database of Revolutionary War-era records. With Ancestry Library Edition, a userfriendly opening screen simply asks for the name of the person to be searched. The software then does the rest, scanning its vast selection of U.S. census data; birth, marriage, and death records; World War I draft registration information; Social Security death records; and immigration lists. Ancestry Library Edition also includes an extensive collection of information from the U.K., including images from English and Welsh census

records and civil registrations. As records uncover clues to the past, names can be added to form a family tree.
"Genealogy is a wonderful hobby," said Merryll Penson, executive director of Library Services for the University System of Georgia's Office of Information and Instructional Technology. "You learn about your ancestors: who they are, where they lived and what influences surrounded them. It is also a great way to learn about history and geography and to see one's self as a part of the continuum of life.
"It's fascinating to see how no two families are alike, and we're delighted to provide library patrons with resources to do that. We provide tools that are simple enough for beginners, yet provide deep and broad content that can help even veteran genealogists advance their research."
GALILEO is an initiative of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia; databases for public libraries are partially supported by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to GPLS under provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. I

Jim Veatch Daaron Vanstone

Moving and shaking
The Decatur County-Gilbert H. Gragg Library Foundation and the Southwest Georgia Regional Library System (SWGRL) held a reception Nov. 13 for Catherine Vanstone to celebrate her selection as a 2007 "Mover & Shaker" by Library Journal. From left are: Jay Wells, Gragg Library Foundation chair; Bobbie Hornsby, Seminole County Public Library board chair; Vanstone; Joanne Holland, SWGRL board chair; Maxine Summers, Miller County-James W. Merritt Jr. Memorial Library board chair; and Jane Conger, Gragg Library board member.

Georgia Rule
True-crime writer Ann Rule visited the Mary Willis Library in Washington on Nov. 9 to speak about her newest book, Too Late To Say Goodbye: A True Story of Murder and Betrayal. According to Lillie Crowe, director of the Bartram Trail Regional Library, more than 200 people came to hear Rule and Augusta District Attorney Danny Craig as they spoke and took questions about the events that inspired the book. Too Late To Say Goodbye tells the story of Dr. Barton Corbin, a Georgia dentist, and the deaths of two women in his life -- Dolly Hearn, a fellow dental student, and Jennifer Corbin, his wife. At the table are Rule (left) and mystery writer Donna Anders. Standing, left to right, are Dr. Carlton Hearn, Dolly's father; Crowe; Barbara Hearn, Dolly's mother, who was a library trustee during the time of Dolly's death; and Carol Cartledge.
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February 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

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

Photos by Jo Griffeth

Tifton event raises $50,000 for library

Foundation board member Louise Woodham admires a vendor's jewelry.
Show director Charlie Miller (left) speaks with Bette and Joe Turner, the program's honorary chairs.

The new Tifton-Tift County
Public Library Foundation held its first fundraiser -- an antique show and sale --this fall at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center. "The event was a huge success, with more than 30 antique dealers from around the Southeast," said Carrie Zeiger, director of the Coastal Plain Regional Library. "The latest figures show proceeds of more than $50,000, which will be used to establish the foundation, enhance the library's book collections and underwrite speakers and programs." I

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