Public Library Advocacy Toolkit

Why are libraries important?

• Libraries are strong partners in everything that Georgia does, from strengthening early literacy to building a strong economy.

• The resources that libraries offer go far beyond books. Many Georgians depend on their local library’s computers and Wi-Fi to apply for jobs, complete homework, or access online services. Libraries also have tech for checkout, enabling patrons to stay connected by bringing laptops, internet hotspots, or Launchpad early literacy tablets home.

• Libraries lead the way with Georgia’s youngest readers through engaging early literacy programs like 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, the Summer Reading Program, and PrimeTime, which brings families together through books and a shared meal.

• As Georgia strives to improve literacy statewide, libraries are essential partners in every community. Libraries are the first and primary educational institution for children from birth to age 5, which is a critical time in the development of language and literacy.

• All patrons have access to an extensive digital collection of ebooks and audiobooks, online research and tools through GALILEO, local history resources, and so much more.

Why is it important for librarians to have professional certification?

• Certification makes Georgia a destination for library professionals and helps us to maintain the highest standards in library service.

• As executives responsible for significant budgets, personnel, facilities, community relations, it is vital that every library system be directed by a properly trained and educated librarian.

• Our certification program, and the requirement in current state law, places a trained, professional librarian in every library system in Georgia, regardless of location. This ensures that all library systems have competent and experienced leadership.

• According to the Licensing Division of the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, 85% of Georgia’s librarian certification licenses were granted to graduates of the MLIS program at Valdosta State University.

• Important services provided by librarians:
• • Cataloging, a highly specialized role with similarities to coding, that requires careful technical training.
  • Acquisition specialists, who determine where the holes are in a library’s collection and how to fill them.
  • Research specialists to help patrons find the information they need.
  • Many libraries also help connect patrons to social workers, food banks, public health, and legal resources.

• A library includes both a complex technology created to preserve and organize information and a physical space to meet the unique needs of its community. The librarians who work there have a specialized, rigorous – and certified – education in Library Sciences in order to do both. Read more.

How are local collections determined?

• Libraries protect individual and family freedom: Library materials are selected by professional librarians in every individual library. Library workers have the freedom and responsibility to operate based on local determination of what best serves the communities they know and love.

• Selection of materials is not influenced in any way by the American Library Association, Georgia Library Association, or Georgia Public Library Service – it is a local decision.

• Libraries have collection development policies that are adopted by local governing boards of trustees. Library trustees are appointed by the local government agencies that financially support the library.

• Our libraries are careful to classify and shelve materials appropriately. Children are accompanied to the library by parents or guardians who guide their reading choices. Library policies do not allow for unaccompanied minors, and children can rarely travel to the library alone.

• A juvenile’s library account is accessible by the parent; the card is grouped with the parent’s card, because the parent is responsible for what their child checks out until they are 18. We support families in their efforts to select materials that are appropriate for their children.

How does going fines-free help libraries and communities?

• More Georgia libraries are going fines-free and libraries have found that eliminating late fees has resulted in an increase in patron visits and materials circulation.

• Eliminating library overdue fees welcomes all Georgians to take advantage of everything their library offers. The shift to fines-free removes financial barriers to using the library and provides equitable access for everyone in a community.

• A fines-free policy aligns with the Georgia Council on Literacy’s focus on the importance of removing barriers to reading, especially for underserved families. A growing body of research shows that fines disproportionately affect low income community members and decrease library usage, as parents and others hesitate to check out books for fear of fines.

Why is state funding for library construction and renovation important?

• Public libraries depend on annual state funding for critical library facility updates, which is matched by local funds in order to have community buy-in.

• By creating new spaces and revitalizing existing ones, libraries foster lifelong learning, creativity, and collaboration in ways that meet the unique and evolving needs of their communities.

• With support from Georgia Public Library Service and state funding, 26 public library facilities are being planned, designed, or built as of September 2024. Additionally, more than 60 libraries received financial assistance for structural repairs such as roofing or HVAC, or technology upgrades like faster Wi-Fi or computers.

• Every year, Georgia Public Library Service partners with libraries to propose projects for funding to the Georgia Legislature. Once projects are approved, GPLS provides expertise on the planning and funding of construction, remodeling, energy conservation, emergency preparedness, and accessibility.

Why is state funding for technology in libraries important?

• Public libraries depend on annual technology funding from the state legislature to provide critical access to information for Georgia’s most vulnerable populations.

• Internet at the library is an essential service across the many rural regions of Georgia that lack basic connections. This access, along with public-use computers, enables patrons to search for jobs, apply for retirement benefits, get homework done, or stay connected to friends and family.

• By expanding access to technology, Georgia’s public libraries continue to be vital resources for individuals and families, promoting digital literacy and providing pathways to opportunity.

• In 2024, $3.6 million in state funding enabled Georgia’s libraries to purchase 6,600 technology items across 408 libraries with the support of GPLS. These upgrades included expanded Wi-Fi infrastructure, computers tailored for early literacy, 3D printers, scanners, and self-checkout machines. GPLS also purchased devices to replace outdated tech to benefit students and job seekers, such as Chromebooks, web conferencing cameras, and Launchpad literacy tablets.

• Cardholders can check out many of these devices for at-home use for work, school, or entertainment purposes.

• GPLS also assists libraries in securing discounts through the federal E-Rate program, enabling all libraries to provide free high-speed internet, averaging 733 megabytes per second statewide. In 2024, this assistance saved Georgia’s public libraries $4,553,588 in internet service payments.

How does Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funding impact Georgians?

• Georgia Public Library Service supports strong communities by funding public libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act.

• Funding from IMLS under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) enables Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS), as the state library administrative agency, to provide equitable services to all Georgia public libraries. Leveraging federal dollars on a statewide scale creates this equity to ensure all Georgians have access to the same high-quality library programming and services, no matter where they live.

• In FY2023, Georgia expended $4,845,780 in LSTA funding to expand learning resources, increase access to information, and provide lendable technology for all ages.

• IMLS dollars fund the Georgia Library for the Blind at Print Disabled, so that all can read.