Twiggs County celebrates library grand opening

A newsletter for friends and employees of Georgia’s public libraries
volume 11, issue 3 December 2013
Twiggs County celebrates library grand opening
fire,” wrote poet Robert Lee Frost.
But Twiggs County citizens and their
representatives refused to let their
public library meet that fate after
lightning burned the building and all
its contents to the ground in April
2010.
Thanks to community support
and the unyielding efforts of Gov.
Nathan Deal, Rep. Bubber Epps (R
- Dry Branch) and the late Sen.
Robert Brown (D-Macon), however,
the Middle Georgia Regional Library
(MGRL) system secured funding for
an all-new library facility through a
FY2011 Public Library Capital
Construction Program grant.
After three years spent in a
small, temporary storefront location
and subsiding off donated books
and computers, the new 6,700square-foot Twiggs County Public
Library reopened on Nov. 5.
Eventually, the facility will hold
about 20,000 books and 28 public-
Staff
“Some say the world will end in
Library Director Thomas Jones (center left), Georgia first lady Sandra Deal and Rep. Bubber Epps
led the ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new Twiggs County Public Library in Jeffersonville.
access computers, said Thomas
Jones, MGRL system director.
patrons,” he said, “and a proud day
for the community.”
Jones welcomed hundreds of
attendees at the facility’s grand
opening ceremony and thanked
them for sharing in the festivities.
“This is a big day for the local library
Sandra Deal, first lady of
Georgia, spoke to the crowd about
her love for libraries and
championed their importance and
See Twiggs, page 3
GALILEO’s Penson receives Governor’s humanities award
Merryll Penson, executive director of library services for
the Board of Regents’ Information Technology Services, is
among the recipients honored this year with a Governor’s
Award for the Arts and Humanities. Gov. Nathan Deal
announced the 15 winners for 2013 on Oct. 2.
The awards, honoring individuals and organizations
for their significant contributions to Georgia’s civic and
cultural vitality through service to the humanities or
excellence in the arts, are presented in partnership with
the Georgia Council for the Arts and the Georgia
Humanities Council.
“The arts contribute to state and local economic
growth by providing a diversified and sustainable means
for creating jobs and attracting revenue,” Deal stated.
“These individuals and organizations contribute
significantly to Georgia’s excellent quality of life that we
are able to provide our citizens, relocating or expanding
businesses and visitors.”
Penson, of Athens, was honored for her leadership in
developing collaborative and digital publishing initiatives
to share arts and humanities information throughout
See Penson, page 2
GPLS co-sponsors discussion on humanities report
The University of West Georgia
The American Academy of Arts
and Sciences, the Federation of State
Humanities Council, the Georgia
Humanities Council and Georgia
Public Library Service sponsored and
helped to promote the symposium,
which was held during the UWG
Department of Foreign Languages
and Literature’s 28th Annual
Interdisciplinary Conference in the
Humanities. The event brought more
than 100 scholars from around the
nation and from seven other
countries to Carrollton between Oct.
31 and Nov. 3.
(UWG) College of Arts and
Humanities served as the statewide
host site for a discussion on the
national report “The Heart of the
Matter: The Humanities and Social
Sciences,” conducted by the
American Academy of Arts and
Sciences Commission on the
Humanities and Social Sciences.
The report is in response to a
bipartisan request from members of
the U.S. Senate and House of
Representatives interested in possible actions Congress and others
should take regarding the long-term
sustainability and national excellence
of education in the humanities.
G. Wayne Clough, secretary of
the Smithsonian Institution,
president emeritus of Georgia
Julia Huprich/Cobb County Public Library System
Brad Atherton
Continued from page 1
Georgia. She was instrumental in the
development of GALILEO, Georgia’s
virtual library.
Begun in 1995, GALILEO now
serves more than 2,000 institutions,
including the University System of
Georgia, public K-12 schools,
technical colleges and public
libraries.
Switzer honored
“It is an honor to receive such
recognition,” Penson said, “but that
recognition is really a tribute to the
collaboration of Georgia’s libraries
and their efforts to maintain and
capture stories through our
collections and services.”
On Sept. 27, the Cobb County Public Library
System renamed its central library in downtown Marietta the Charles D. Switzer Public
Library. Switzer served on the library's board
of trustees for 30 years and, at the time of his
retirement in 2012, was Cobb County's
longest-serving volunteer board member. From
left are Jim Croft, current chair of the library
board; Switzer; Cobb County Board of
Commissioners Chairman Tim Lee; library
board member Peggy Pool; and Cobb County
Commissioner Lisa Cupid.
Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry
Arts, which partners with Georgia
Public Library Service for the
Passport to Puppetry library loan
program, was also among this year’s
recipients of the Governor’s Awards.
Each honoree received a Georgia
landscape print by photographer
Diane Kirkland. 2
Georgia Public Library Service News
“GPLS is honored to have been
a partner in this event honoring our
longtime friend Wayne Clough,”
said Dr. Lamar Veatch, state
librarian. “He has enjoyed a
remarkable tenure at Georgia Tech
and the Smithsonian Institution, and
we were thrilled to be able to
participate in this recognition.” Penson
Smart ‘bom
The Thomas County Public Library
collaborated with other local organizations
this fall to present “One Book, One
Community” in Thomasville and Thomas
County. Begun in 1998 by the Washington
Center for the Book in Seattle, the popular
reading program is now supported nationwide by the American Library Association’s
Public Programs Office. This year’s book in
Thomas County was The Timekeeper by
Mitch Albom, and monthlong activities based
on the book were held throughout the
county. At the end of the program, Albom
spoke at the Thomasville Center for the Arts,
and publisher HarperCollins donated 500
copies of his new book, First Phone Call from
Heaven, to the community. From left are
Nancy Tillinghast, director of the Thomas
County Library; Albom; and Alicia Atherton,
library circulation manager.
Institute of Technology and a
member of the commission, was
guest speaker for the discussion on
Oct. 31. As leader of the
Smithsonian, Clough oversees the
world’s largest museum and research
complex, consisting of 19 museums
and galleries, the National Zoo and
nine research facilities.
December 2013
Staff
Forty-two of the nearly 80 current and former state librarians who attended the 40th anniversary COSLA conference
Savannah hosts 40th COSLA conference
Not since 1974 have the Chief
Officers of State Library Agencies
(COSLA) met in Georgia. So to
commemorate the organization’s
ruby anniversary, its current members
chose to meet in the city recognized
as one of the state’s oldest and most
treasured gems.
From Oct. 27-30, COSLA celebrated its 40 years of library advocacy — and made plans for its future
— during its annual conference at
the historic Hilton Savannah DeSoto.
Nearly 80 state librarians, some
currently serving and some retired,
attended. Included were many who
went on to serve in national positions, such as Robert Martin who
served as director of the Institute of
Museum and Library Services from
2001-05.
“We had a full house of state
librarians, with only a couple of
exceptions, plus nearly 25 former
state librarians, including four
generations of librarians from South
Dakota,” said Dr. Lamar Veatch,
Georgia’s state librarian and an
organizer of this year’s event. “It was
a jam-packed, five-day agenda, and
more than 120 people attended at
least one of the sessions or 40th
anniversary events.”
Most attendees spent their days
in sessions discussing future issues of
common concern for libraries
nationwide, sharing library pedagogy
and exploring technological advancements and initiatives. “There were
also many opportunities for visiting
with old friends and colleagues,”
Veatch said, adding that “everyone
loved Savannah.”
Ann Joslin, Idaho’s state
librarian and current president of
COSLA, joined Veatch in welcoming
guests aboard the Savannah River
Queen for a dinner cruise around the
city harbor on Oct. 28. Speakers at
the event included Susan Hildreth,
executive director of the Institute for
Museum and Library Services, the
federal agency that supports libraries
throughout the United States; Gary
Nichols from Maine, the longestserving state librarian in the country,
albeit now retired; Keith Fiels,
executive director of the American
Library Association; and Amy Owen,
retired state librarian from Utah.
“The 40th anniversary was a
unique opportunity to celebrate
COSLA’s past and to imagine our
future,” Joslin said. “Newer members heard about retired members’
exploits and challenges as well as the
high value COSLA provided to them
while in office. Historic Savannah
was an ideal setting for kicking off
COSLA’s next 40 years!” Twiggs
Continued from page 1
worth in Georgia. “We are so glad
to see this library rebuilt,” she said.
Twiggs County resident and
author Chuck Leavell, a former
member of The Allman Brothers
Band and longtime keyboardist for
The Rolling Stones, was also on
hand to show his support for the
library and its patrons and to listen
as Deal read his children’s book “The
Tree Farmer” to an attentive crowd
of youngsters. 3
December 2013
Georgia Public Library Service News
Staff
Tifton library hosts
PINES training
On Nov. 7-8 at the Coastal Plain
Regional Library System’s Tift County
Public Library, GPLS held the first of
what will be an ongoing series of
regional PINES training sessions.
Attending were 54 library staff
members from 13 library systems
around the state.
“The PINES network of libraries
covers an enormous geographic area,
and many library staff are unable to
travel long distances to attend faceto-face training,”
said PINES
Program Manager
Terran
McCanna.
“These PINES
mini-conferences
help solve that
problem by
bringing training
McCanna
opportunities to
different regions of the state, making
it easier and more cost-effective for
the libraries to send their employees.”
“For this first session, we had
enthusiastic support from Director
Kathy Griffis, Branch Manager
Vickie Horst and all the rest of the
wonderful library staff in Tifton,”
said McCanna. “The attendee
feedback has been overwhelmingly
positive, and we look forward to
holding future sessions throughout
the state.” Royston library a home run for readers
With more than 360 people in
attendance, the Athens Regional
Library System (ARLS) held a grand
opening ceremony of the new
Royston Public Library Nov. 17.
The move has been a long time
coming, Director Kathryn Ames
said, noting that plans began five
Staff
In addition to providing training,
the events give library employees the
opportunity to meet the PINES
support staff, as well as meet and
exchange ideas with their colleagues
in neighboring systems. GPLS plans
to offer four more PINES miniconferences in 2014. Each will
include sessions on circulation and
policy, reports, cataloging and local
administration.
Cutting the ribbon to open the new Royston Public Library are (front row, from left): Debbie
Flowers, Franklin County Library Board member; Rosie Chitwood, Royston Public Library branch
manager; Aida Reynolds of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce; Joel and Anderson
Dillworth, owners of the nearby Dill’s Shopping Center; Barbara Brown Whitney (holding bow),
daughter of Roberta Brown, whose estate provided part of the library’s funding; Georgia Rep. Alan
Powell; Royston Mayor David Jordan (holding scissors); Georgia Sen. John Wilkerson; and Logan
Mathis, Franklin County Library Board member. Joining them in the back row are other Brown
family members and several city and county government officials.
The new space features a
dramatic center reading room with
granite columns, glass curtain walls
and clerestory windows, a large
children’s area with crafting space, a
dedicated area for teens, a computer
classroom and a large meeting room
with kitchenette.
The city’s popular Ty Cobb
Memorial is featured in front of a
glass wall at the new library, where it
remains accessible to the public 24
hours a day.
A memorial to baseball great Ty “The Georgia
Peach” Cobb is among the focal points of the
exterior of the Royston library.
4
Georgia Public Library Service News
years ago to renovate the building
housing the town’s City Hall and civic
center for use as a new library.
December 2013
Besides the new and improved
space and a greater selection of
books and DVDs, the library will
feature self-service holds, plus a new
radio-frequency identification
checkout and security system that
will enable self-checkout of materials
by patrons. The Bulloch County Historical
Society has chosen the Statesboro
Regional Library as the home for
“Bulloch County Family Tree,” the
latest addition to Eagle Nation On
Parade, a public art project
presented by Georgia Southern
University (GSU).
Courtesy Georgia
Southern University
Modeled after other high-profile
community art projects such as
Chicago’s Cows on Parade and
Hawaii’s Geckos in Paradise,
the project eventually will
feature a flock of 50 six-foottall fiberglass eagle sculptures
crafted by GSU sculpture
professor Marc Moulton.
Moulton’s fiberglass
forms are then
individually designed
and decorated by local
artists and placed on longterm public display in
Statesboro.
The library’s eagle,
which is the eighth to be
completed, features events,
people and places — including the
library — that are important to
Bulloch County history. It was
designed by GSU master of fine arts
student Scott Foxx, whose work
was inspired by the work of Georgia
folk artist Howard Finster. Foxx also
Denise Leeson
‘Eagle Nation’ comes to roost
at Stateboro Regional Library
incorporated the history of an old
walnut tree that stood for many
years on the courthouse square.
“We believe the imagery on our
eagle serves as a wonderful reminder
to people that the library is a great
place for researchers to visit as they
create their own family trees using
the resources of
our genealogy
department,”
said Regional
Library Director
Jennifer Durham.
“I think this eagle
will give people who have
lived here all their lives, as
well as those who may have
just moved to town, a sense of
pride and belonging to
Bulloch County,” added
Connie Sanders, committee chair
for the project. “Every time you
look at this eagle, you discover
a new piece of the county’s
history.”
Once all 50 eagles have been
commissioned, completed and
placed around town, the community
will distribute maps of the eagles’
parade route that will help guide
visitors on an interpretive “flight
path” through Bulloch County. Lowndes County voters approve SPLOST
On Nov. 5, the citizens of Lowndes County overwhelmingly voted to
pass a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum. As
part of the passage of this referendum, the South Georgia Regional
Library will receive $1.582 million dollars that will go toward replacing
the roof and HVAC of the system’s headquarters facility, the ValdostaLowndes County Library. In addition to the roof and HVAC replacement,
funding from the SPLOST will also go toward IT and computer upgrades,
mold removal, and internal and external remodeling. In a galaxy far, far away
Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) Program
Manager Laura Bradley treated her husband,
Trevor, and daughter Jayda to an otherworldly
photo opportunity when the system’s
Cumming branch welcomed members of the
Georgia Garrison of the 501st Legion for a
“Star Wars Saturday” celebration on Oct. 26.
The event featured multiple movie characters,
including Chewbacca, storm troopers and a
member of the Emperor’s Guard. Approximately 350 patrons attended the festivities
and were invited to meet and greet the
characters, then participate in Star Warsthemed crafts, reading activities and games.
Scott exhibit begins
second leg of tour
The Georgia Commission on the
Holocaust’s “Witness to the Holocaust: WWII Veteran William
Alexander Scott III at Buchenwald”
exhibit will begin the second leg of
its tour of Georgia’s public libraries in
early January at the West Georgia
Regional Library in Carrollton.
Additional 2014 stops are
planned for the Augusta-Richmond
County Public Library, the DaltonWhitfield Public Library, the
Brunswick-Glynn County Library, the
DeSoto Trail Regional Library in
Camilla, the Chattooga County
Library in Summerville and the
South Georgia Regional Library in
Valdosta. 5
December 2013
Georgia Public Library Service News
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Center for the Book at the Library of
Congress in Washington, D.C.
Judy Golden has been appointed interim director of Houston
County Public Libraries.
Joe Davich has been named
director of the Georgia Center for
the Book at the
DeKalb County
Public Library.
Davich was
previously
assistant to the
director and had
been serving as
its interim
director since
Davich
May. A graduate
of West Virginia University, Davich
replaces Bill Starr, the center’s first
director, who retired in April. The
center is Georgia’s affiliate of the
Members of the Georgia Library
Association have elected the
organization’s Executive Board
officers for 2014. Lace Keaton,
director of the Newton County
Library System, was elected first vice
president/president-elect. Jay
Turner, director of continuing
education for Georgia Public Library
Service, was elected second vice
president/membership chair. Election
results were announced Oct. 10 at
the 25th annual Georgia Council of
Media Organizations Conference in
Macon.
Judy Harrington, manager of
the Middle Georgia Library for
Accessible Services (MGLAS) in
Macon, and Linda Stokes, manager
of the Savannah Talking Book Center
(SAVTBC), have retired. James
O'Neal is the new manager of
MGLAS. Stokes’ responsibilities will
be split between library coordinator
Constance Coleman and library
associate Pat Bradley until a permanent replacement is hired.
Clinton James Moxley has
been appointed technical services
Edward Stephens
Banned and busted
The Athens Regional Library System’s Madison County Library participated in this year’s Banned
Books Week in late September. Branch Manager Suzanne DeGrasse organized the Danielsvillearea promotion, “Banned and Busted.” Among its most popular attractions was a police lineupstyle photo station that allowed library staff, local celebrities and other citizens to defend their
freedom to read by posing with their favorite banned books. From left are volunteer Michael
Tittle, patron Josina Guess, library trustee Victor Johnson and library employee Jennifer Ivey. The
American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom sponsors the annual event, which
strives to promote awareness of challenges to library materials and celebrates freedom of speech.
6
Georgia Public Library Service News
December 2013
Toni Wolf
Pauline
Abidde has been
named director of
the Dougherty
County Public
Library. She has
been with the
library system for
more than 30
years, most
Abidde
recently serving
as its interim director.
Lunch, zombies, librarians
Flint River Regional Library System (FRRLS)
employees were ready for some spooky fun
this Halloween, holding a variety of events at
its eight branches. From left are Carrie Zeiger,
FRRLS executive director; Chris Pezzano,
ghoul; and Jill Prouty, library administrator for
the Peachtree City Library.
librarian at the Vidalia-based
Ohoopee Regional Library.
Darin Givens, webmaster and
communications specialist for GPLS,
and Terran McCanna, PINES program manager, have been selected
to participate in the University
System of Georgia’s USO Leading for
Success program. USO Leading for
Success addresses the learning and
development needs of leaders within
the University System Office. The
blended learning program offers
leadership assessments, executive
coaching, face-to-face learning
sessions and various online modules
tailored to the leaders’ specific
development needs.
The Live Oak Public Library’s new
Midway-Riceboro branch is now
open. A grand opening ceremony for
the Liberty County Community
Complex, of which the library is part,
was scheduled for Nov. 22. The
expanded branch features approximately 5,000 square feet of usable
space — about five times as much as
was available in the previous library,
said Live Oak Director Christian
Kruse. The new facility will nearly
double its hours, as well, from 25 to
48 each week. Betsy Stow is the
Liberty County librarian.
Continued from page 6
Officials of Robins Air Force Base and the Houston
County Public Libraries (HCPL) have signed a partnership
agreement that allows HCPL users to borrow books from
the base library, and base library users to borrow materials
from the local library system.
The Georgia Library Association is raising funds by
selling 2014 calendars featuring the winning photographs
from its 2013 library
photo contest. To order,
send your mailing
address and a check for
$15 made payable to
“GLA” to: Diana Very;
Georgia Public Library
Service; 1800 Century
Place, Suite 150; Atlanta,
GLA’s 2014 photo calendar
GA 30345.
Bronze Awards
In order to earn their Bronze Awards, Girl Scout Troop 12386 held a
book drive at their school, donated those books to the library, and then
helped out at the Cobb County Public Library System (CCPLS) Book Sale
Oct. 11-13. The troop members were among the many volunteers who
helped the library system raise more than $40,000 for new materials at
the annual event. Front row, from left, are Mary Wheelock, Merrill Hart,
Katherine Garvin, Keara Cochran, Katherine Guhl and Allison Dawson.
Back row, from left, are CCPLS Director Helen Poyer, troop leader and
parent Joan Guhl and parent Jackie Garvin. The scouts later appeared on
“The Library Show,” CCPLS's public-access television show.
Sharon Blank
DeKalb County Public Library staff members are using
their creative skills to help the system raise money to
offset budget cuts. For the third consecutive year, staff
displayed and sold their artistic works as part of the
system’s annual Employee Art Expo, held throughout the
months of October and November. Tom Brooks/Cobb County Public Library System
News
Colby Hunter
A marshmallow
world in the winter
The Chestatee Regional Library
System hosted its first Campfire
Storytelling Concert Sept. 28 at
the Dawson County Library.
More than 200 people turned
out to roast marshmallows,
listen to live music, and enjoy
stories that tickled the funny
bone and tingled the spine.
Nationally renowned storyteller
Sherry Norfolk headlined the
evening, which was sponsored
by Home Depot, whose
employees donated materials
for and built the fire ring that
will serve as a permanent
addition to the library property.
Director Claudia Gibson noted,
“With the success of this
concert, the library hopes to
offer more outdoor
programming in the months to
come, from Camping 101 to
concerts.”
How you gonna keep ‘em...
The Screven County Library in Sylvania held its “Read for the Record”
day, spotlighting the book Otis by Loren Long, on Oct. 3. Because the
book takes place on a farm, many library staff members dressed
appropriately and decorated a stage to reflect the location. Front row
from left are Belinda Waters, Amy Pearce and Gina Bartley. Back row
from left are Barbara Gilbert, Colbey Weaver and Pauline Watson.
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December 2013
Georgia Public Library Service News
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PAID
ATLANTA, GA
PERMIT NO. 213
1800 Century Place, Suite 150
Atlanta, GA 30345-4304
A Unit of the University System of Georgia
Georgia Public Library Service
1800 Century Place, Suite 150
Atlanta, GA 30345-4304
404.235.7200
404.235.7201 fax
www.georgialibraries.org
Courtesy Medical Center of Peach County
CONTACT US
Lamar Veatch, state librarian
David Baker, editor
Dustin Landrum, assistant
Georgia Public Library Service News (ISSN 1546-511X) is
published bimonthly by the Georgia Public Library Service,
the state agency that supports public libraries and works
with them to improve the quality and variety of library
services available to Georgia citizens of all ages.
This publication is made possible by a grant from the U.S.
Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Georgia
Public Library Service under the provisions of the Library
Services and Technology Act.
Information presented in this newsletter will be provided in
alternative formats on request. For more information about
Georgia’s libraries and literary events, or to post an event,
visit our online calendar at www.georgialibraries.org
Peachy show of support
Peach Public Libraries (PPL) presented a filled peach-colored book cart to The
Medical Center of Peach County (MCPC) in October. The cart and its books will
be placed in the family waiting room of the center’s new facility, which opened in
July. From left are Brenda Gilstrap, Ruth Thompson and Ann Lanter, trustees of
the library who also serve as “Peach Ladies” for MCPC; Billy Tripp, library system
director; Ellen Terrell, director of community engagement at MCPC; and Jane
Matthews, cataloger for PPL.