Georgia Public Library Service news, Vol. 5, no. 6 (June 2008)

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

volume 5, issue 6 I June 2008

Laura Miller

Check out new State Park and Historic Site passes
Georgia's public libraries are making it easier than ever
for patrons to broaden their horizons -- outdoors as well as indoors.

As part of the "Get Outdoors Georgia" campaign, a valid library card now allows patrons to borrow Georgia State Park ParkPasses and Historic Site passes from their local libraries. Get Outdoors Georgia (GO Georgia) challenges Georgians, especially families and children, to participate in family-friendly, nature-based, healthy outdoor recreation in the beautiful, secure surroundings of Georgia's state parks. The passes are good for free parking or admission at more than 60 parks and historic sites statewide.
A joint initiative of Georgia Public Library Service and the Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division (PRHSD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the public library ParkPass Program will begin June 2. Any patron who holds a valid library card from a participating library system (including PINES) can check out a ParkPass folder for seven days.
Folders include an annual ParkPass that exempts visitors from paying the daily parking fee at state parks, an annual Historic Site pass good for free admission for one visitor to any of Georgia's 18 state historic sites and a
See ParkPass, page 7

Cornelia-Habersham County Library employees rolled out the red carpet for Clifford the Big Red Dog. From left are Annabelle Wiley, Michael Humphrey, Laura Whiting, Pat Worrall and Melissa Chitwood.
`Dog Days' provide highlights for Children's Book Week
As part of a partnership between Georgia Public Library
Service and Georgia Public Broadcasting, Clifford the Big Red Dog spent May 12-18 traveling across the state in celebration of the 89th annual Children's Book Week.
Clifford, the brainchild of children's author Norman Bridwell and star of the successful PBS television
See Clifford, page 4

Governor approves library programs, construction projects

Gov. Sonny Perdue has approved
more than $12 million in bond package funds earmarked for library construction projects across the state.
Projects included are the Coweta County Library's Senoia Public Library ($1.225 million) and Grantville Public Library ($665,000), the Forsyth

County Library System's West Forsyth Library ($2 million), Houston County Public Libraries' Centerville branch ($2 million), the Okefenokee Regional Library System's Blackshear Memorial Library in Pierce County ($1.9 million), the West Georgia Regional Library System's Fairplay Public Library ($2 million) and proposed additions to the

Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library's Mildred L. Terry branch ($500,000) in Columbus and the Conyers-Rockdale Library System's Nancy Guinn Memorial Library in Conyers ($2 million).
The governor also approved $200,000 in design funds for the
See Governor, page 4

Singleton's leadership integral to success of state's public libraries
`The last 10 years have been a time of tremendous
change in libraries, and this has been especially true in Georgia," said David Singleton. "In many ways, we have become national leaders in resource sharing, in technology and in so many other areas. That is not to say that there isn't much more to do; there is, and I have every confidence in the library leadership of this state and the state library agency to continue to move libraries ahead in new and exciting directions."
Singleton's tenure as deputy state librarian for Georgia Public Library Service came to a close in April, as he accepted the position of director of library experiences at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in his home state of North Carolina.
When Singleton first began working in Georgia in the mid-1990s, every library in the state did not have access to the Internet. Many that did were still using dialin access. There was no statewide PINES network, nor a comprehensive plan for providing library services to the blind and physically handicapped or a way for those patrons to search catalogs across the state. Only three years old at the time, GALILEO access was limited to a few stations in a handful of library systems. Written standards for Georgia public libraries didn't exist.

Staff

Marsha Christy (left), current director, and Judy Golden, former director of Houston County Libraries, congratulate David Singleton and thank him for his 10 years of service to GPLS.
recognized around the world as a major achievement in library automation."
"In all aspects of his work, David shows a tireless devotion to the quality of library services for library users of all ages," said Lace Keaton, director of the Okefenokee Regional Library System, who joined Walker in nominating Singleton for the Georgia Library Association's Nix-Jones Award, which was presented to Singleton in October 2007. GLA's highest honor, the NixJones Award honors a practicing librarian who has made substantial contributions to the library profession and who has provided both leadership in library programs and outstanding support to Georgia's libraries.

All that has changed for the better, and no individual played a more important role in Georgia libraries' coming of age than Singleton, who became GPLS's deputy director in June 2002.
"David has touched the lives and work of nearly every person working in Georgia's libraries," said Julie Walker, who has been named Singleton's interim successor. "His extensive knowledge of library procedures and practice, his thorough understanding of library issues, his patience, his wisdom, his wit and his kindness have encouraged trust and loyalty in all who have worked with him.
"David developed the original proposals for PINES in 1998 and 1999 and guided the early development of the program, which has grown into the nation's first and largest statewide library card initiative. His vision and leadership were also essential to the success of the Evergreen software development project, now being

In 2004, the American Library Association recognized Singleton's work with children's services in Georgia by honoring him with its Peggy S. Sullivan Award, presented annually to an individual who has shown exceptional understanding and support of public library service to children. "These honors only hint at David's many accomplishments, his deep commitment to our profession, and the thoughtful and imaginative leadership he has brought to GPLS," said State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch. "We will miss him, and we wish him only the best. Georgia's loss will be North Carolina's gain."
"I feel so fortunate to have worked with so many wonderful people across the state of Georgia," Singleton said at his farewell reception in March, "and in doing that work, I have certainly grown and been changed, both personally and professionally. Thanks to everyone who has made the journey of the last 10 years so utterly amazing. I look forward to seeing many more `impossible' things become possible in Georgia's libraries." I

2
Georgia Public Library Service News June 2008

Annual GOLD/GALILEO Users Conference set for August

Georgia librarians will soon come together as one, when
this year's GOLD/GALILEO Users Group Conference presents "One World One Library: Working Together to Put the User First." The 19th annual conference will take place -- appropriately enough -- on Aug. 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel in Athens.
According to Toni Zimmerman, director of Resource Sharing and Interlibrary Cooperation for GPLS, the annual one-day event draws librarians, paraprofessionals and technical staff from academic libraries, public libraries, schools, technical colleges and special libraries throughout Georgia and the Southeast.
The goal of the conference is to provide a forum for continuing education and professional development related to the use of Georgia's interlibrary lending and resource sharing network, GOLD, and the statewide virtual library, GALILEO. The conference will showcase new collaborative trends in library resources and highlight current partnerships.
This year's keynote speaker is Cliff Landis, technology librarian at the Odum Library of Valdosta State University.

"Cliff plans to share his real-time vision for libraries and the consortia that serve them," Zimmerman said. "He believes that libraries may be suffering from the drive to implement the perfect Library 2.0 service model.
"In our zeal to embrace the principles that libraries can now be everywhere, have no barriers and are capable of social networking," she continued, "we may be ignoring what is at the very heart of any evolving library -- a single, user-centered approach to service."
"We may even see that traditional library catalog transform to a social network of ideas," said Landis, who researches, talks and writes about
social software, social networking, technology in libraries, teaching with technology, user-centric services, Library 2.0 and the future of libraries.
"One World One Library" will include three sets of concurrent programs, along with a GALILEO training showcase. Sessions will feature presentations that demonstrate how dynamic Georgia libraries are using creative collaborations, emerging technologies and highly adaptive communication styles, tools and trends to meet the multifaceted needs of information seekers.

Cliff Landis

"Fostering this environment means talking with your users and finding out what they want, using the same tools that they are using and contributing to multipleuser experiences and programs that earn their respect," said Zimmerman. "The `one' approach enables libraries to connect with multiple audiences in both their physical and virtual spaces and to successfully cope with the diversity of their users. This year's conference theme celebrates both the unifying power of this approach and its simplicity in beginning with a single commitment to put your users first."

Links to registration materials and hotel information will be available in June at www.georgialibraries.org/lib/ gold.html.

Speaker Cliff Landis gives a thumbs up to participants at a recent training class for GPLS's PINNACLE Institute.

This 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
3
June 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

Coweta County unveils new central library
Literary Lane may sound like an
imaginary place, but the Coweta County Library has made it a reality. On May 14, the library's board of trustees held a grand opening ceremony for its new Central Library at 85 Literary Lane.
The design of the facility -- the first library built in the county in more than 20 years -- was inspired by the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright. Low-hipped roofs with wide overhangs create the illusion that the building is both hugging and complementing the natural landscape.
"Everything had to fit together," said Barbara Osborne-Harris, library director. "Our vision has always been to create a library that facilitates vibrant, energetic and interactive learning, and the layout of the library was the critical first step to ensuring that we could achieve the goals we set."
The end result is a good balance for Coweta County -- traditional meets contemporary, she said. The new library is located near the intersection of Ebenezer Church Road and Highway 154 in unincorporated Coweta County, east of Newnan. I

Clifford
Continued from page 1 adaptation, is known for inspiring children to read and learn.
As Clifford and Clifford's "bodyguard" respectively, GPLS Children's Services Director Elaine Black and GPB Education Manager Laura Miller appeared at programs in seven library systems, seeing nearly 1,500 children and caregivers along the way.
Stops included the Southwest Georgia Regional Library in Bainbridge, Roddenbery Memorial Library in Cairo, Thomas County Public Library in Thomasville, Moultrie-Colquitt County Library in Moultrie, Coastal Plain Regional Library in Tifton, Mountain Regional Library's Towns County Public Library in Hiawassee and Northeast Georgia Regional Library's CorneliaHabersham County Library.
"The staff at every facility did a fantastic job of planning and presenting these programs," Black said. "I loved seeing all their creative ideas. Each stop had something that made it really stand out.
"Southwest Georgia Regional had the best cross-promotion. Children's services coordinator Taryn Brown, along with Debbie Locke, performed a short puppet show about Summer Reading before Clifford came out. Teresa Groves at the Roddenbery Memorial Library

had great crowd control. Children's librarian Amanda Redker at Thomas County had the most enthusiastic audience.
"In Moultrie," Black continued, "the program was part of the library's monthlong 100th Birthday celebration. The staff, led by children's coordinator Norma McKellar, went all out for Clifford's visit with colorful decorations and fun activities. In Tifton, children's librarian Trina Jones arranged for a bilingual storyteller to share a Clifford story and for Police Chief Jim Smith to share another dog story."
On the tour's last day, Black said, "Debbie Phillips and the staff at the Hiawassee library -- really the entire town -- rolled out the red carpet for Clifford. They not only closed the library for a few hours to hold the program in the town square, they also closed down a street to accommodate the program."
Clifford's final stop was in Cornelia, where children's librarian Michael Humphrey, Branch Supervisor Annabelle Wiley and others got into the spirit of the program by donning plush Clifford ears, doggy noses and red tails.
"If these programs indicate what's going to happen around the state this summer, Georgia's families can expect a great summer reading program," Black said. I

Governor

Continued from page 1 Satilla Regional Library System's Jeff Davis Public Library in Hazelhurst.
The governor also ratified several measures affecting public libraries, including one that designates $900,000 for Major Repair and

Renovation grants for FY2009. Another approved measure provides the full $579,714 requested by the Georgia Public Library Service to fund an expansion of the PINES library network, broaden its service area and provide citizens better access to its resources.

In addition, the governor approved $240,588 to provide extra T-1 Internet lines to help keep publicaccess 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. I

4
Georgia Public Library Service News June 2008

PINES reaches highest-ever public satisfaction ratings

With a 70 percent increase in respondents from the
previous year, the results of the 2008 PINES User Satisfaction Survey are in, bringing with them the program's highest-ever satisfaction ratings. For the first time in its five-year history, the annual survey topped the 90 percent mark in user satisfaction across all questions.

A statewide consortium of 275 public libraries and affiliated service outlets in 140 counties, the Public Information Network for Electronic Services -- PINES, for short -- offers Georgia citizens a shared catalog of more than 9.6 million items, with a single library card that is welcomed in all member libraries.

"I am delighted to see the increase in positive responses and satisfaction with PINES," said PINES Program Director Elizabeth McKinney de Garcia. "It is especially encouraging in light of the difficulties we experienced with courier services during the year."
Based on data from the 2008 survey, 19 out of 20 respondents (94.6 percent) would recommend the PINES system to friends, with four out of five (81.7 percent) using the catalog at least weekly to renew books online, place holds on books, determine fines or see what items they have checked out.
According to Garcia, this is nearly a 20 percent increase in only two years. "We believe the Evergreen software has contributed significantly to the increased level of overall satisfaction with PINES," she said. "Many comments from this year's surveys indicate that users are especially impressed by the enhanced user services that Evergreen brings to PINES."

Evergreen became the operating system for the Webbased PINES catalog in September 2006. Developed inhouse by GPLS, it features book covers, reviews, tables of contents and a variety of easy-to-use searches that allow library users to locate materials quickly and efficiently throughout the system. The software also includes a wealth of security enhancements designed to protect the personal information of patrons who use the service from their homes or from public-access computers at their local libraries.
Users entering the online catalog between April 21 and 27, whether at a library workstation or from a remote home or office computer, could complete the 2008 PINES User Satisfaction Survey. Nearly 1,800 did so.
PINES Program Manager Tim Daniels coordinated this year's survey. He pointed out that, in addition to increased use, the 2008 results showed a higher degree of satisfaction than the already impressive figures from years past.

Indiana launches Evergreen-based system
The Indiana State Library is funding a pilot project to
establish an open-source integrated library system based on Georgia's PINES service model and using the Evergreen open-source software developed by Georgia Public Library Service.
The Indiana project is being coordinated in part by the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library in Zionsville. Currently, 107 libraries are participating in the initiative, including those systems serving Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne and Gary. Together, the 94 public libraries taking part in the program serve approximately 60 percent of Indiana's population.
Niles Ingalls, systems and program specialist at the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library, recently became an Evergreen contributor, providing the needed code for an Evergreen-based online credit card system. He is currently working on code for a future telephone notification system. I

An average of 90.4 percent of respondents -- up from 77 percent prior to Evergreen's introduction -- agreed or strongly agreed with these statements:
I It is easy to use the PINES online catalog.
I I typically find what I am looking for using the PINES online catalog.
I It is easy to determine if my library owns a particular item.
I If my local library does not have an item I need, it is easy to find and obtain the item through the PINES system.
I It is easy to renew my materials through the PINES online catalog.
"The figures and comments we received this year are outstanding," said Julie Walker, interim deputy state librarian. "It's very gratifying to see that Georgia's library users appreciate the ease of use of the Evergreen software and the conveniences offered by our nationally recognized PINES network." I
5
June 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

NEWS IN BRIEF



Staff

Effective July 1, Worth and Catoosa counties will each become a single-county public library system. Worth is currently part of the DeSoto Trail Regional Library, while Catoosa is part of the Northwest Georgia Regional Library.
Susan White has been named director of the Canton-based Sequoyah Regional Library, serving Cherokee, Gilmer and Pickens counties. White, who was White previously assistant director, replaces Nick Fogarty, who retired from the system in May.
Dr. Lamar Veatch, state librarian, has been re-elected as a delegate to the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Members Council. OCLC is the nonprofit library service and research organization that provides computerbased cataloging, reference, resource sharing, preservation,

library management and Web services to 60,000 libraries in more than 110 countries.
John Szabo, director of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, has been elected to serve on the American Library Association (ALA) Council, which determines all policies of the association.
Pat Carterette, director of Continuing Education for GPLS, has been elected vice president/ president-elect of ALA's Continuing Library Education Network Exchange Round Table.
Taryn Brown has joined the Southwest Georgia Regional Library in Bainbridge as youth/community relations librarian.
Miguel Vicente, coordinator of the Athens Regional Library System's Pinewoods Library and Community Learning Center, is the recipient of a 2008 WebJunction Diversity Fair scholarship, enabling him to attend and speak at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif., to be held June 26-July 2.

From left, U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Albany) welcomes McCurdy and Veatch to Washington.
Georgians take part in national library event
On May 13 and 14, more than 400
librarians and library advocates came to Washington, D.C., for the American Library Association's 34th National Library Legislative Day. Urging their Members of Congress to "Vote for Libraries," attendees gathered together by state and visited as many of their legislators as the day allowed. Georgia's contingent was led by Dr. Lamar Veatch, state librarian, and Jenny McCurdy, president of Friends of Georgia Libraries. I

Chuck Anderson Nighta J. Davis

Check it out
Dan Nichols (left), mayor of Young Harris and a trustee of the Mountain Regional Library System, accepts a check for $18,700 from Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville). The money is part of GPLS's 2008 Major Repair and Renovation grant program. The funds will assist in repairing the deteriorated windows at the system's central library.
6
Georgia Public Library Service News June 2008

Hail and farewell
Pam Carnes (left), CEO of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, and Judge Kip McVay, also of Cherokee County, give their congratulations and best wishes to Nick Fogarty at a farewell reception in his honor at the R.T. Jones Memorial Library in Canton. Fogarty retired as director of the Sequoyah Regional Library System on May 6.

Downloading digital audiobooks moves into overdrive with GADD

Twenty Georgia library systems -- serving 53 counties --
now offer anytime, anywhere access to a dynamic collection of digital audiobooks through Georgia Download Destination (GADD).
Patrons of participating libraries can log onto the digital library Web site, install free software and check out up to three titles at a time using a valid library card. Once checked out, audiobooks can be downloaded to the patron's PC, transferred to a supported MP3 player and, in many cases, burned to CD. At the end of the three-day loan period, audiobooks automatically expire and return to the collection.
Participating systems include Athens Regional Library System, Bartow County Public Library, Chestatee Regional Library System, Coastal Plain Regional Library, DeSoto Trail Regional Library, Dougherty County Public Library, East Central Georgia Regional Library, Henry County Library System, Houston County Public Libraries, Lake Blackshear Regional Library, Lee County Public Library,

Live Oak Public Libraries, Mountain Regional Library, Ohoopee Regional Library, Roddenbery Memorial Library, Sara Hightower Regional Library, South Georgia Regional Library, Statesboro Regional Library, Thomas County Public Library System and Troup-Harris Regional Library.
"Our library is excited to offer anytime, anywhere access to the patrons," said Susan Cooley, director of the Sara Hightower system. "Our patrons are going to enjoy the selection of titles from Georgia Download Destination. There truly is something for everyone."
The growing downloadable collection includes fiction and nonfiction, romance, science fiction and much more. Technology and content are provided by OverDrive Inc. Founded in 1986 and based in Cleveland, Ohio, OverDrive is a recognized leader in providing world-class infrastructure for downloading premium digital content. To view the collection, learn more about the service or download software and titles, visit http:// gadd.lib.overdrive.com. I

ParkPass

Continued from page 1 copy of the Guide to Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites featuring descriptions, photos, directions and a map of all locations.
"We are pleased to offer the opportunity for people across the state to have increased access to all the natural beauty, culture and history available in Georgia," explained Sally Winchester, marketing and communications manager for PRHSD. "It's a great way to bring people into the parks and have them experience how much fun being outdoors can be. We hope that, once people visit the parks, they will want to visit more often or even join the Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites."
PRHSD manages 63 properties that preserve the state's environment and history. Included are 45 state parks, three state historic parks and 15 historic sites that offer an exceptional variety of resources,

including mountains, canyons, forests, marshes, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, battlefields, historic homes and Native American artifacts.
"We hope families and individuals will discover the great treasures that are so close to home and quite often, right in their own backyard, " said Becky Kelly, director of PRHSD. "Partnering with our local libraries is such a natural fit because they, too, are such assets to our state and communities."
Among the park system's most popular attractions are Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site, Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site in Cartersville, the Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site in Fitzgerald, Roosevelt's Little White

House Historic Site in Warm Springs, Tallulah Gorge State Park in Tallulah Falls and Unicoi State Park in Helen.
According to Winchester, "The month of June is designated as National Great Outdoors Month, so
the timing is perfect to launch this program and integrate our `Get Outdoors Georgia' campaign into the national initiative." In
addition, on June 2 at Skidaway Island State Park in Savannah, Gov. Sonny Perdue will sign a proclamation declaring June to be Georgia Great Outdoors Month.
Supplies of the passes and ParkPass folders are limited. To see a list of parks and historic sites, visit www.georgiastateparks.org. For additional information about the GO Georgia campaign, visit www.getoutdoorsgeorgia.org. I

7
June 2008 Georgia Public Library Service News

Keven MacKinney

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

Spout Springs unveiled
The Hall County Library System held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Spout Springs library in Flowery Branch on May 24. More than 1,500 supporters turned out for the event, which introduced the system's sixth branch. Festivities included storytimes for children, craft activities, face painting, and food and beverages for everyone. Participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left): Billy Powell, Hall County commissioner; Cynthia Rucker, library board chair; Theresa Anderson, library board member and construction committee chair; keynote speaker Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; Wayne Colston, library board chair-elect; Rep. James Mills (R-Gainesville); Tom Oliver, Hall County Commission chairman; and Deborah Mack, Hall County commissioner. "We are thrilled that so many people came out on a holiday weekend to help us celebrate," said Lisa MacKinney, assistant director of the Hall County Library System.

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