March 28, 2022
Contact: Deborah Hakes, Georgia Public Library Service, dhakes@georgialibraries.org

ATLANTA–In partnership with the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, Georgia Public Library Service is proud to announce a tour of banner exhibits in public libraries statewide to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to promote public understanding of the history.

The tour consists of three separate exhibits entitled Witness to the Holocaust: WWII Veteran William Alexander Scott, Georgia’s Response to the Holocaust: Survivors and Liberators with two copies on tour, and Fashioning a Nation: German Identity and Industry, 1914-1945. Each exhibit explores the individual stories of survivors and liberators who suffered during or sought to end World War II and the Holocaust.

“The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust and Georgia’s public libraries offer a wealth of local and regional history for Georgia residents. Partnering to ensure the Holocaust and World War II are not forgotten is a natural decision so we can share this important history widely across our communities,” said Sally N. Levine, executive director, Georgia Commission on the Holocaust.

The tour officially launches on March 28 and runs well into 2025, visiting 88 public libraries across Georgia. Library staff will have access to educational materials and reading lists for all ages provided by the Commission, allowing them to develop programs and help patrons explore the lives of those affected by the Holocaust, as well as the massive toll it took on society as a whole.

“Our libraries take seriously their roles in providing accurate and important information and educational resources that are accessible to all.  The Holocaust banner exhibit is an opportunity to foster understanding and discussion of a tragic time in our shared history,” said Julie Walker, assistant vice chancellor and state librarian.

The current tour is not the first time Georgia’s public libraries have hosted exhibits from the Commission. The last tour was in 2013 and ran for several years, visiting all parts of Georgia.

The exhibits start their tours at the Switzer Library in Marietta, part of the Cobb County Public Library System; Cartersville Main Street Library in Cartersville, part of the Bartow County Library System; Jenkins County Memorial Library in Millen, part of the Screven-Jenkins Regional Library System; and at the Monroe-Walton County Library in Monroe, part of the Azalea Regional Library System.

About the Georgia Public Library Service: The Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) empowers libraries to improve the lives of all Georgians by encouraging reading, literacy and education through the continuing support and improvement of our public libraries. GPLS is a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. georgialibraries.org

About the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust: The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust strives to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and promote public understanding of the history. It ensures that learning how and why the Holocaust happened is an important part of the education of Georgia citizens. It encourages reflection upon the moral questions raised by this unprecedented event and the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy. holocaust.georgia.gov