Join us for Local Author Market 2026 at R.T. Jones Memorial Library on September 14! Meet the authors, learn about their works, and shop the local author marketplace. Grab a sticker card at the event and visit three author tables to be entered to win a SRLS Swag Bag! Don't miss your opportunity to discover your new favorite local read- Local Author Market only happens once a year! Meet This Year's Authors Children's Authors Lydia Kennedy Three Peas in a Pod From the Author: Three Peas in a Pod is a family-created children’s book series written by siblings Liana, Alessandra, and Krue, with the help of their mom, Lydia, bringing their ideas and adventures to life. Together, they create fun, meaningful stories that inspire kindness, teamwork, imagination, and positive choices. Nan Flickinger Ellie J's Apples; Otis the Orchard Cat From the Author: As a former teacher of the year, Nan has always been passionate about creating lessons that can be mastered by every student. When Nan is not writing, she loves spending time with her husband, three children, and six grandchildren, walking in nature, dreaming up stories, and finding magic in everyday moments. Lilia Monteiro Sami the Special Squirrel From the Author: Lilia Monteiro is a dedicated nanny with 25 years of experience, specializing in special needs care. Her extensive background working with children, including experience in play and speech therapy, enhances her ability to connect with young audiences—a passion that drives her storytelling. She is the author of "Sami the Special Squirrel," a book that aims to share uplifting, positive messages about nature and empower young minds. Her inspiration comes from the children in her care as well as her two daughters, Evangeline and Cearra. In her free time, Lilia enjoys cooking and attending Pilates classes. She resides in Woodstock, GA, with her husband, Rob. Diana Baker God Loves to See You Smile; God Loves to Hear You Laugh; God Loves What You Create From the Author: Diana J. Baker is the Co-pastor, Worship Leader, Pianist, and Children’s Ministry Leader at Prayer and Praise Christian Fellowship in Woodstock, Georgia. She writes children’s books that share God’s great love for children. YA Authors Jessie Latimer Again Behold the Stars From the Author: Jessie Latimer spent her childhood searching for portals to magical worlds like Hogwarts, Narnia, and Camp Half Blood (she never found one, but writing fantasy worlds of her own turned out to be the next best thing). Her debut YA fantasy Again Behold the Stars came out in August with Quill & Flame Publishing House and Tantor Audio. Shelby Hailstone Law Scaleshifter Series; Death Flirts Back; The Supervillians' Therapist; The Mermaids of Europa; Halfsie Series From the Author: Shelby Hailstone Law grew up in Acworth and briefly left the South to attend college before dragging her husband back to live in Georgia. She loves to be part of this community and often attends local festivals and community events with her husband and their two children. Gary Williamson Backyard Dreams From the Author: Dr. Gary Williamson was born in Kenmore, New York, in 1966, is a high school teacher in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and has worked with teenagers for the past 20 years in a variety of capacities. I received my MBA from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, and my DBA from Walden University. In my experience, I have noticed that teens are longing to be creative and make an impact on their communities, and that is what inspired me to write this book. I currently live in Loganville, GA, with my wife Adina. Rory Smith Conquering Social Anxiety in Teens From the Author: Rory Smith is an author who writes practical, encouraging books to help teens navigate anxiety, confidence, and emotional challenges. Her work offers relatable guidance and real-world tools to help teens feel understood and more confident in who they are. Adult Authors C.S. McKinney Right Girl Wrong Time; Four-Thirty Girl; No Wrong Just Write; Pumpkin Spice Love Affair; Summer Coffee; I Am Within; If and Only If; A Ring Within a Field From the Author: Writing romance novels with suspenseful plots is something I greatly enjoy. When I'm not writing, I can be found hiking, playing music, or running. Chuck Storla Murder Two Doors Down From the Author: Edgar Award–nominated author Chuck Storla isn’t what you expect—though he’s curious what you did expect. He’s a mediocre drummer, recovering software geek, and the funniest person he knows. Amanda Cirilli The Starlight Princess; In Your Court From the Author: Amanda Cirilli is a romance author who writes characters with high emotional stakes and the obstacles they must overcome to receive their happy ending. Stephanie Judy Joy: Experiencing Heaven's Delight in Every Season From the Author: Stephanie Judy is a gatherer of people, stories, and recipes. The Georgia Tech alumna transitioned from a career in corporate training and cognitive aging research to motherhood and writes soulful, faith-based encouragement for moms navigating blended families. Marni Pallot A Re-Write for Tess From the Author: Marni Pallot is the author of her debut novel A Re-Write for Tess, a closed door romance. Marni is a writer along with being a wife and mother with six rescue dogs. Allison Bettes Red Flag Warning; Betrayal and New Beginnings; New Roots; Heat Advisory; and others From the Author: Allison is an American romantic suspense author. Her books are a thrilling blend of romance, adventure, and suspense—think Cupid Meets Crime Scene. Leigh Andrews The Ranch Hand; The Ranch Boss From the Author: Leigh Andrews was born and raised in North Georgia where she learned to love hiking and music and dabbled in creative writing. Now, Andrews writes with the goal of publishing fun literature that glorifies God above all else.

What an incredible Summer Discovery with our community! From June 1 through July 31, over 1,500 community members joined the challenge to read all summer long, attend exciting events, and complete fun activities with their local library. Take a look at our 2026 Summer Discovery Snapshot: Total Active Participants 1,559 Literacy Activities Completed 39,144 Number of Summer Discovery Programs 257 Program Attendance 9,708 Literacy Activities per Participant 25.1 Patrons per Program 37.7 Total Minutes Read 762,510 Thank you for helping us make Summer Discovery 2026 one of the best yet. We look forward to seeing you at your next visit to the library!

City of Jasper Mayor Kirk Raffield visited the Pickens County Library on August 7 as part of the Mayor’s Reading Club initiative. Mayor Raffield along with his team read a storybook aloud and participated in a craft with community members in attendance. The event took place in the Pickens County Library Community Room, where community members could meet with Mayor Raffield and listen to his team read one of the "Waffles the Cat" storybooks. Launched in 2022, the goal of the Mayor’s Reading Club is to improve literacy skills and success with early reading in children and youth in Georgia cities. The program is a part of Georgia City Solutions, a Georgia Municipal Association nonprofit. To learn more about offerings and upcoming events with Sequoyah Regional Library System, please visit our website: SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org.

As we transition from the excitement of our all-ages Summer Discovery challenge to the start of a new school year, our focus at Sequoyah Regional Library System shifts to supporting our students, educators, and lifelong learners. While you are busy checking off items on your school supply list, we encourage you to add one more essential tool: a library visit. Whether you need a quiet place to study, access to Chromebooks for a school project, or just a great "back-to-school" read, your local library is here to help you succeed this year. Explore some of SRLS’s many educational resources below and dive into learning! LearningExpress Library Complete LearningExpress Library Complete is a great resource for students and adults of all ages. It has tutorials and practice tests perfect for every stage of your education and career. Some of the tutorials this online learning platform has to offer include: Math and English language arts lessons for elementary and middle school students Guided SAT and ACT preparation courses Graduate school admissions exam preparation for the LSAT, MCAT, and more Career certification and licensing exam preparation for the Postal Worker exam, the Commercial Driver’s Licence (CDL) exam, and more The Job and Career Accelerator center, which includes lessons on resume building and job interview skills You can access the LearningExpress Library by clicking HERE. Mango Languages Say Hello! Bonjour! Jambo! Nǐ hǎo! Salām! to Mango Languages! Mango offers language learning lessons for over 70 different languages including Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, American Sign Language (ASL), Latin, and many more. Mango Language courses are designed using a conversation-based methodology, so each lesson you complete will help you build your conversation skills. As you work your way through each conversation, you’ll also be learning grammar, vocabulary, and information about the language’s cultural context. Other useful tools in Mango include: The “Compare your Voice” function, which lets you record your pronunciation and align it with the pronunciation of a native speaker Vocabulary flashcards A translation engine that will help translate text from one language to another Visit Mango Languages by clicking HERE. ABC Mouse Have fun learning with ABC Mouse Early Learning Academy! This online learning platform has tons of fun games and activities to help children with math, early literacy, art, music, and social studies skills. ABC Mouse is designed for open-ended exploration. Once you log in, you travel around the map to destinations like the zoo, the library, or the pet park. Each destination is filled with fun learning activities. There is so much to explore and discover! ABC Mouse can be accessed from any of our library computers. The next time you visit your local SRLS library, log on to one of our computers, and have fun playing and learning with ABC Mouse. Chromebooks & WiFi HotSpots Need to study on the go? You can check out a Chromebook Laptop or a WiFi HotSpot from our Library of Things! You can see all of the wonderful offerings in our Library of Things by clicking HERE. If you would like to learn more about borrowing one of our Chromebooks or WiFi HotSpots, contact your local library. We'll be happy to help! Books! And last, but never least: books! When you want to learn something new, explore our collection of books. Our books can help you answer your research questions, satisfy your curiosity, or inspire your next creative adventure. Whatever you’re interested in, there’s a book for that! We’re here to help you find that book. You can start searching for your next great book in our CATALOG. These are just a few of the educational resources we offer at Sequoyah Regional Library System. Find even more in our E-Library. Happy learning!

Sequoyah Regional Library System is proud to announce no-cost access to Google Career Certificates and the Google AI Professional Certificate for cardholders, made available through a partnership between Georgia Public Library Service and Google. These courses will help Georgians build essential job skills in high-growth fields, including flexible, online training to support career advancement and business growth. The Google Career Certificates program enables users to earn professional certificates in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT Support, project management, and user experience (UX) design. Individuals can secure their free license by completing a registration form on the Georgia Public Library Service website, georgialibraries.org/grow-with-google, which can be accessed directly or through their local library's page. Patrons will be able to check out licenses for up to six months at a time, allowing them to learn at their own pace. Central to this initiative is the Google AI Professional Certificate, which will teach users fluency in foundational AI skills, best practices, and how to use AI responsibly. Learners will move beyond the basics with hands-on practice, gaining the in-demand skills and confidence to apply AI. After completing the course, patrons will earn a certificate from Google to share with their network. The program includes a consortium of over 150 national employers, including AT&T, Deloitte, and Google, that consider graduates from these courses for roles in the certificate fields. According to a 2025 course graduate survey, over 70% of Google Career Certificate graduates in the United States report an improvement in their career trajectory, such as a new job or career, promotion, or raise, within six months of certificate completion. Learn more at georgialibraries.org/grow-with-google.

Sequoyah Regional Library System's current Strategic Plan is coming to an end and we're seeking community input to help create our new one. While the current Strategic Plan was for 2022 through 2026, the new Strategic Plan will be for 2027-2031. SRLS invites all community members, with and without SRLS library cards, to stop by at our upcoming Drop-In Community Input Events. Attendees will move through different stations of information at their own pace, with staff present at each station to help answer questions. Event Dates & Times August 1, 10:00am - 12:00pm | Pickens County Library August 1, 2:00pm - 4:00pm | Gilmer County Library August 4, 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Gilmer County Library August 6, 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Woodstock Public Library August 8, 10:00am - 12:00pm | R.T. Jones Memorial Library August 11, 5:30pm - 7:30pm | Pickens County Library

Pickens County Library Branch Manager Katie Dobson (center) helps bury the America250 Time Capsule. On Wednesday, July 1, Pickens County Library Branch Manager Katie Dobson participated in the City of Jasper America250 Time Capsule Burial at Perrow Park in Downtown Jasper. The time capsule was filled with items from local organizations, including Sequoyah Regional Library System. SRLS contributed one of our limited edition America250 library cards and a rack card detailing the America250 celebrations at the library. Other participating organizations include the Sequoyah Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Jasper Lions Club, Keep Pickens Beautiful, the Pickens Progress, the Rotary Club of Jasper, Pickens County Schools, and many more. The time capsule will be re-opened in 2076 for the USA's Tricentennial anniversary.

Have you ever wanted to participate in one of Sequoyah Regional Library System's reading challenges but didn't know where to start? You're in the right place! In this blog, we'll introduce you to the Beanstack App, guide you through the steps of creating an account, and share some extra tips that even regular Beanstack users may not know. Tip: Interested in learning more about Beanstack with a SRLS staff member? Schedule an Ask Us! session for one-on-one assistance in person, by phone or email, or through a virtual meeting. What is Beanstack? Beanstack is an app that lets you track what you're reading and earn badges along the way through reading challenges provided by your library. At Sequoyah Regional Library System, we have multiple challenges for community members to participate in, such as: Summer Discovery Challenge Winter Literacy Challenge Seasonal Challenges Beanstack Basics and more! How do I create an account? Download the App To get started, you'll need to download the free Beanstack app. You can download the app by clicking the button below or by searching "Beanstack" in the app store of your preferred device. Signing Up Once downloaded, you'll need to create an account. To get started, first select "Find your school or library" In the search bar, type "Sequoyah Regional Library" and hit enter. Then, select "Sequoyah Regional Library (GA)" to set SRLS as your home library. Once selected, Beanstack will ask if you already have an account. If this is your first time with Beanstack, select "Sign Up" at the bottom. Next, you will be asked if you have previously used Beanstack to participate in a reading challenge. If you have not, select "no." If you're unsure, you can call any SRLS location for assistance. Now it's time to sign up! You'll need the following information to continue: Username Email Password Lastly, you'll need to enter your first and last name. Congratulations! You now have an account in the Beanstack app. Next, you'll need to create a reader profile. You can create a profile for yourself or for another reader, such as a child. How do I create a reader profile? Once your account is created, you'll need to add a reader profile to register for one of our many reading challenges. To create a reader profile, you'll need to enter the reader's first name, last name, and age. Next, you'll need to choose your local area. Your local area is the county that you live in. For SRLS, the local areas you can choose from are: Cherokee County Pickens County Gilmer County Out of Service Area Once you choose your local area, you have the option to upload a profile picture to your reader profile. This is completely optional and can be updated later in settings. Next, you can add your reader's school information. If this profile is for an adult, you will select "Adult." This information is completely private and will not appear publicly on your profile. SRLS only shares the total number of readers registered for each school, never the readers' names or private information. For each reader profile, you can choose your home branch. Your home branch is your preferred SRLS location. Our locations include: Rose Creek Public Library Woodstock Public Library Hickory Flat Public Library R.T. Jones Memorial Library Ball Ground Public Library Pickens County Library Gilmer County Library Next, you can choose whether or not you want this reader to receive weekly book recommendations. To complete your reader profile, register for one of our reading challenges. You can scroll through this page to select the challenge you'd like to begin with. Some challenges have set start and end dates, while others can be completed at anytime. Tip: Register for our Beanstack Basics Challenge to continue getting to know the platform. Once you've registered for a challenge, your Reader Profile is complete! From here, you can add additional Reader Profiles or continue to the homepage by selecting "I'm done adding readers." What can I do in Beanstack? Once your Reader Profile is complete, you're officially ready to explore all that Beanstack has to offer! On the homepage, you can see the following: Your Reading Streak Your Current Challenges Recent Titles You've Logged Badges You've Earned Reviews You've Written Your Reading Stats On the Log tab, you can view your reading log dates, titles you've read, badges you've earned, and achievements. On the Discover tab, you can explore all of the reading challenges currently available. Tip: You can register for multiple challenges at one time! By clicking the "plus" icon on the bottom of the screen, you can quickly log your reading, an activity, or add a review. When logging reading, you can search for a specific title to log or log without one. If a reading challenge that you're registered for includes a reading list, you can quickly view those titles under "Reading List Challenges." Under the community tab, you can quickly see information from your library and your friends. In Beanstack, you can also add your friends! You and your friends can compete in your own leaderboard to see who reads the most. How can I earn badges and prizes? Each challenge in Beanstack includes the opportunity to complete different activities to earn digital badges. Some challenges also provide the opportunity to win prizes. There are two different ways that community members can win prizes: Registration Prizes: Some challenges include prizes just for registering. These prizes are available while supplies last. If a challenge features a registration prize, Beanstack will notify you that you've earned a prize once you've registered and that you can visit your home SRLS location to pick it up at a given time. Not every challenge features a registration prize. Prize Drawings: Some challenges include prize drawings. For these challenges, you will receive a digital ticket that you can allocate toward any listed prize for each digital badge you earn. You can spend your tickets on one prize or split them among different prizes. All tickets earned must be allocated toward a prize / different prizes before the challenge ends.

Discover new adventures in Cherokee County when you check out an experience pass from Sequoyah Regional Library System! Experience passes allow community members admission to local attractions at no cost. Enjoy the arts and explore our local history with three available Experience Passes to Cherokee County locations! Woodstock Arts Experience Pass This pass serves as a ticket to admit up to 4 persons into a Woodstock Arts theatre production at no cost. There is so much to enjoy this year at the Woodstock Arts Theatre! Check out a Woodstock Arts Experience Pass this summer to see upcoming productions of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical (June 10 - June 24) and Annie (July 10 - July 26). Visit their website here to see their entire season. Funk Heritage Center Experience Pass This pass serves as a ticket to admit up to 4 persons into the Funk Heritage Center at no cost. Take a day trip to Waleska and visit the Funk Heritage Center, located on the beautiful Reinhardt University campus. The Funk Heritage Center is Georgia’s Official Frontier and Southeastern Indian Interpretive Center, and a certified National Park Service Trail of Tears Interpretive Site. With a Funk Heritage Center Experience Pass, explore the galleries of art and artefacts to discover what life was like for our ancestors, both in ancient times and in the more recent past. Learn more about the Funk Heritage Center here. While there, stop by our Sequoyah Spot at Reinhardt University's Hill Freeman Library to check out books, return SRLS materials, and more! Learn more about our Reinhardt University Sequoyah Spot here. History Cherokee Museum Experience Pass This pass serves as a ticket to admit up to 4 persons into the History Cherokee Museum at no cost. Celebrate America250 by learning more about our local history at the History Cherokee Museum in Downtown Canton. Enjoy the outdoor Etowah River Exhibit and the Sculpture Garden, then explore the detailed galleries inside. Each gallery is full of artefacts, and together they span centuries of life in Cherokee County, from ancient times to the present day. Find out more about the History Cherokee Museum here. Check out our full list of Experience Passes, including ones to the Center for Puppetry Arts and Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, on our website: sequoyahregionallibrary.org/experience-passes

Young readers and their families celebrated their early literacy accomplishments at the annual Sequoyah Regional Library System 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Graduation and Celebration ceremony on May 19, 2026. The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten initiative supports young readers and their families in fostering a love for reading at an early age. Those who succeed in reading 1000 books before starting kindergarten are celebrated at the annual 1000 Books Before Kindergarten graduation. In past years, the graduation was held in the community room of R.T. Jones Memorial Library. With the program's success and continued growth, the 2026 graduation was held at the Ball Ground Elementary School STEM Academy cafeteria to accommodate more graduates and their families. "We really appreciate everything the library does to encourage reading for kids" said one family member in attendance. "It's really special to see." Community members in Cherokee, Pickens, and Gilmer counties can join the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge on the Beanstack app at any time. The challenge is available at no-cost with a SRLS library card.

Sequoyah Regional Library System has received a $250 donation from State Representative Rick Jasperse to support prizes for the Slice of Summer Challenge. The Slice of Summer Challenge encourages community members to read for 30 minutes every day during the month of May for the chance to win a $10 gift card to a local pizza restaurant. With the $250 donation from Representative Jasperse, SRLS has purchased 10 $10 gift cards from Night Train Pizza in Marble Hill and 15 $10 gift cards from Pappas Pizza House in Jasper. “We're incredibly grateful for this generous donation from Representative Jasperse,” says Angela Cortellino, Executive Director of SRLS. “It allows us to expand our reading program to more community members, expanding our impact. Support like this makes a real difference”. Additional prizes for the challenge include $10 gift cards to Pizza King (Ellijay), Peace, Love, and Pizza (Woodstock), and Primo’s Pizza & Italian Kitchen (Woodstock). Community members can join the challenge through the free Beanstack app by registering with a SRLS library card.

The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, in partnership with Coosa Valley Credit Union, has donated $1,000 to Sequoyah Regional Library System in recognition of retiring educators from the Cherokee County School District. The donation will be used to purchase materials for the library locations in Cherokee county.