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About the history of Sequoyah Regional Library System About Your Library History of SRLS In September of 1922, the Canton Woman’s Club put forth the initial plans for a public library in Canton, and in 1923, the club gave a collection of books which established Canton’s first public library. The collection was housed in rent-free space behind Higgins Jewelry Store on Main Street and presided over by the late Miss Malinda Roberts who volunteered to keep it open two days a week. In 1957, the R.T. Jones Foundation bought the old McAfee home on Main Street to house the library, also providing the $25,000 needed to remodel the home for library use. At this time, the library became qualified for State aid which enabled the library to expand its collection. The State also loaned the library a bookmobile in 1957 until the library purchased its own in 1958. In 1932, Pickens County Library had its beginnings when a group of 4-H girls and Home Demonstration Clubs expressed a desire for something to read. Henrietta White Darnell, a Home Demonstration agent, borrowed fifty books at a time from the Georgia State Library Commission and checked them out to her club members. While the present Pickens County courthouse was under construction, the library was housed in the Pickens County High School (now Jasper Middle) until 1949, when the library was given a room in the basement of the newly constructed courthouse. Charter members of the Pickens County Library Board of Trustees were Ruth Adams, Marjorie Floyd Butchart, and Henrietta Darnell. In 1958, the Pickens County Library became affiliated with R.T. Jones Library, creating the Cherokee-Pickens Regional Library. Gilmer County Library was founded in the summer of 1940 as a room inside the Gilmer County Courthouse. Started as a federal W.P.A. project, the library also had local support from J & C Bedspread Company, the City of Ellijay, and the Ellijay Women’s Club. Charter members of the Gilmer County Library Board of Trustees were Mrs. E.T. Hudson, Chairman; Mrs. R.W. Smith, Co-Chairman; Mayor Willard Holden; L.N. Foster, School Superintendent; C.F. Owen, Editor; and Mrs. Joe McCutchen, J & C Bedspread Company representative. The Gilmer County Board of Education and the Library Board of Trustees began to share responsibility and expenses, and during the summer of 1956 the library moved into a building located behind the old Ellijay Elementary School gymnasium and which also housed the old cannery (across from the present location of the First United Methodist Church). This location continued to serve as both a public and elementary school library until the current library building was constructed in 1977, and the two collections were separated. In 1957, a committee was appointed to contact Pickens and Cherokee counties with the idea of joining their regional library, with their report returning favorable if finances could be achieved. At that time, Gilmer County library was funded by a combination of State and County matching funds based on the number of students, money from the State Library Commission, and miscellaneous local donations. In 1959, plans were formalized to join the regional system with the Cherokee and Pickens counties. Commissioner Harold Hefner and Superintendent Everett Weeks agreed to increase their offices’ contributions, making it possible for Gilmer County Library to join the regional library. On July 1, 1961 the Cherokee-Pickens-Gilmer Regional Library was renamed as the Sequoyah Regional Library System. In the late 1980s, the 8,000 square foot R.T. Jones Library at 400 East Main Street was no longer sufficient for the growing population. Chairman of the Board of Trustees W.W. Denney began the search for a site to house a larger facility, and on July 20, 1989 a transaction was completed that would provide three acres for a new 30,000 square foot building. Cherokee County purchased the building on Main Street, making the site on Highway 20 near I-575 available. Groundbreaking was held March 8, 1990, and on May 1, 1991 the building opened to the public. Dedication of the R.T. Jones Memorial Library, 116 Brown Industrial Parkway, was held June 12, 1991 with Chairman Denney giving a warm welcome and Senator Bill Hasty introducing the speaker, Lt. Governor Pierre Howard. In 1964, the Woodstock Public Library was established and as the community’s population grew, additional library space was needed to keep pace with growth. In Cherokee County, three new libraries were added as a response to the exponential growth that was taking place in the 1980s and 1990s: Rose Creek Public Library in 1991, Hickory Flat Public Library in 1993, and Ball Ground Public Library in 1997. In 1996, the Sequoyah Regional Library System signed a contract with the Cherokee County Law Library Board to administer the Law Library located in the Justice Center. More than 100 years after the beginning of R.T. Jones Library in Canton, Sequoyah Regional Library System strives to continue offering new resources, programs, and spaces to keep pace with the community’s need for more services. Pickens County Library, D.B Carrol Street location, 1980-1994 Gilmer County Library, Dalton Street Location, 1977-2007

Calendar of Events at the Sequoyah Regional Library System SRLS Events

The Sequoyah Regional Library System Success Measures Success Measures TITLE 1000+ TITLE 1000+ TITLE 1000+ TITLE 1000+ Events & Programs Cardholders Visitors Total Check Outs 2023-2024 Annual Report 2022-2023 Annual Report 2021-2022 Annual Report 2020-2021 Annual Report 2019-2020 Annual Report

Policies for the Sequoyah Regional Library System. About Your Library Policies Privacy and Disclosures View Policy Internet use View Policy Parent & Teachers View Policy Public Service View Policy Collection View Policy

A traveling exhibit of University of Georgia athletics materials and memorabilia. SRLS News UGA athletics coming to R.T. Jones Memorial Library July 5, 2023 A traveling exhibit of University of Georgia athletics materials and memorabilia will be on display at the R. T. Jones Memorial Library on July 14, from 11:00am until 3:00pm. The exhibit is sponsored by The University of Georgia’s Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library and will feature memorabilia from the UGA Athletic Association Archive. Jason Hasty, the UGA Athletics History Specialist for the Hargrett Library, will be touring public libraries around the state during the summer with the exhibit. “We have such a rich athletics history at UGA,” Hasty said. “This traveling exhibit is a great way to take some of the most interesting artifacts we have in the UGA Athletic Association archives out of storage to public libraries around the state for a fun, family friendly event.” These traveling exhibits are free and open to the public. The Hargrett Library, which is located in the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries Building on the University of Georgia campus, is one of three special collections libraries that are part of the University of Georgia Libraries. For more information about these traveling exhibits, please contact Jason Hasty at hasty@uga.edu .

Sequoyah Regional Library System is pleased to provide local authors with the opportunity to have their works placed in the library’s Local Author collection. Local Author Sequoyah Regional Library System is pleased to provide local authors with the opportunity to have their works placed in the library’s Local Author collection. This collection is designed to showcase local writers, especially those whose books are not yet widely-reviewed or stocked by libraries and bookstores. If you are a local author and wish to donate a copy of your book, please complete the Local Author Donation form and take the completed form along with your book to any location of the Sequoyah Regional Library System. Please see the form for complete guidelines. Local Author Donation Form

Contact your library: 116 Brown Industrial Parkway Canton, GA 30114 Contact Us Address 116 Brown Industrial Parkway Canton, GA 30114 Phone 770-479-3090 Contact Form Contact Connect Local Author Information Learn More Suggest A Title Suggest A Title Share A Sequoyah Story Share What To Read Next Get Recommendations Contact Location Ball Ground Public Library 435 Old Canton Roa d Ball Ground, GA 30107 770-735-2025 Gilmer County Library 268 Calvin Jackson Drive Ellijay, GA 30540 706-635-4528 Hickory Flat Library 2740 East Cherokee Drive Canton, GA 30115 770-345-7565 Pickens County Library 100 Library Lane Jasper, GA 30143 706-692-5411 Rose Creek Public Library 4476 Towne Lake Parkway Woodstock, GA 30189 770-591-149 1 R.T. Jones Memorial Library 116 Brown Industrial Parkway Canton, GA 30114 770-479-309 0 Woodstock Public Library 7735 Main Street Woodstock, GA 30188 770-9 26-5859 Law Library 100 North Street Suite 250 Canton, GA 30114 678-493-6175

Support your Library with Materials donations, financial gifts, volunteers, and partnering Support Your Library Community support allows us to thrive. Here are ways you can help. Material Donations SRLS accepts material donations, up to 10 items, based on the following guidelines: Books (hardcover, paperback, trade, board, large print) published 2020 or later audiobooks published 2020 or later DVDs and Blu-rays (no date limit) Games/Puzzles High demand/popular/best-selling series and authors (any publication date) Examples: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dork Diaries Agatha Raisin mysteries Debbie Macomber We do not accept the following: Magazines VHS tapes Audio Cassettes Encyclopedias Textbooks Any item in poor condition or that has writing, personal inscriptions, strong odors, or stains. Patrons wishing to donate more than 10 items and up to 5 boxes or items that do not meet donation guidelines have the following options: The Better World Books drop box in the R.T. Jones parking lot. The Woodstock Public Library, Hickory Flat Public Library, Pickens County Library, and Gilmer County Library will accept large donations on Tuesdays or Thursdays, 11am-5pm. Financial Gifts Financial gifts support our collection, programs and other library services. By making a gift, your money will be used for the greatest need of SRLS, unless otherwise directed. Financial gifts can be made online, via mail or in-person. To gift via mail or in person, please complete the Financial Donation Form (upload form) and mail or drop it off donation to one of our locations. Volunteer We appreciate members of the community that want to support the library through volunteering. Here are the ways those interested can get involved: Friends of the Library Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to join their local Friends of the Library group, which has regular opportunities to get involved through assisting with book sales, advocating for the library, library programs, and more. Click here to learn more about what the Friends of the Library do and how to get involved. Sequoyah Squad Volunteers Sequoyah Squad volunteers must be over the age of 18. Volunteer opportunities can be limited based on availability at our libraries. Sequoyah Squad volunteers are able to assist with shelving books, light cleaning, library programs, and more. Community members can express interest in becoming a Sequoyah Squad volunteer by submitting a Contact Us form. Teen Advisory Board & Auxiliary Teen Advisory Board 6th - 12th grade students who want to volunteer at the library can apply to our Teen Advisory Board or Auxiliary Teen Advisory Board. Click here to visit our Teen page and learn more. Kroger Community Rewards Any transactions using the Shopper’s Card number associated with your digital account will be applied to the program, at no added cost to you. Kroger donates annually to participating organizations based on your percentage of spending as it relates to the total spending associated with all participating Kroger Community Rewards organizations. The program is simple. If you shop at Kroger, you probably have a Kroger Plus card. When you register your Kroger Plus Card online, you can then select Sequoyah Regional Library as the organization of your choice. The SRLS Community rewards Account number is MW313. Partners Partnerships are a pathway for the Sequoyah Regional Library System to further support our Mission, Vision, and Values through a mutually beneficial relationship with longevity in mind. SRLS Partnerships can look like creating avenues for collaborating on public services, programming, cross-promoting, sharing resources, etc. The terms are generated by involved parties to ensure that they are mutually beneficial with shared responsibilities, purposeful, and sustainable for years to come. Interested in becoming a library partner? Reach out to us via our Contact Us page. Financial Donation Form Kroger Rewards Information Questions? Anchor FOL Friends Of The Library Each of our counties has a Friends group in operation. These groups are made up of volunteers who organize themselves independently to support our libraries. What does a Friends group do? Advocate for the libraries and library services, spreading the word about libraries and lifelong learning. Raise and contribute funds for supplemental books, materials, equipment and library programs. Volunteer to help with special library events, collaborative community efforts and reading programs for children and adults. Promote the use of the library, reading and literacy programs by all members of the community Join Friends of the Library today and help support your library! Click the links below to learn more about each of our Friends group and become a member. Friends of the Cherokee County Public Libraries Friends of Pickens Library Friends of the Gilmer County Library Friends is a 501(c)(3) organization, your contribution is tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

The Pickens County Library 100 Library Lane Jasper, GA 30143 Pickens County Library Address 100 Library Lane Jasper, GA 30143 Contact 706-692-5411 Manager: Katie Dobson Opening Hours Monday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Tuesday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM VIEW BRANCH VIRTUAL TOUR COMMUNITY SPACES UPCOMING EVENTS Wednesday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Thursday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Sunday 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

SRLS News Hickory Flat Public Library Update August 30, 2023 HF Construction Is on Schedule.pdf 20230804_103637-scaled.jpg Sequoyah Regional Library System has announced that construction of the Hickory Flat Public Library Renovation and Expansion project, which broke ground in January of 2023, is currently scheduled to be completed in early 2024. SRLS News Hickory Flat Public Library Update August 30, 2023 Sequoyah Regional Library System has announced that construction of the Hickory Flat Public Library Renovation and Expansion project, which broke ground in January of 2023, is currently scheduled to be completed in early 2024.“The next steps include framing, exterior walls, and windows,” says Angela Cortellino, Executive Director of SRLS. “With the work that has been completed in the past few weeks, the building is really starting to take shape.”A majority of the site work has been completed, including utility lines and new building pads that will extend the square footage of the building for expanded youth, programming, and teen spaces. The finished renovation will include an addition of 7,800 square feet to the building. With an expanded and renovated library facility, the SRLS community will have more space for books and technology; larger areas for programs, meetings, collaboration, and creation; and additional seating for study and quiet reading. The Hickory Flat Public Library building will be closed to the public for the entirety of the construction. During the construction, community members can still access SRLS programs and services by visiting any of the neighboring libraries in Cherokee, Pickens, and Gilmer counties. Designed by CAS Architecture, the Hickory Flat Library Renovation and Expansion construction is being completed by Hollandsworth Construction.

Your library card is your key to the resources and services for the Sequoyah Regional Library System. In addition to borrowing library materials, your card allows you to reserve a computer, download digital media, search hundreds of electronic databases, and more What you can do with your library card? Check out books, movies, magazines and audiobooks, all for free in both print and digital formats. You can also check out passes to state parks and other attractions, Launchpads, Chromebooks, tablets and even musical kits. Your Library Card Getting a library card at Sequoyah Regional Library is easy! Your library card is your key to the resources and services for the Sequoyah Regional Library System. In addition to borrowing library materials, your card allows you to reserve a computer, download digital media, search hundreds of electronic databases, and more. Who can apply for a library card? Anyone who lives, pays taxes, or owns property in Cherokee, Pickens, or Gilmer County is eligible to receive a free library card for use throughout the Sequoyah Regional Library System. To receive a card, visit your local branch and bring a photo ID showing current local address, OR a photo ID with a prior address plus one address verification document that shows a current address. The most common form of ID is a driver’s license, but a utility bill, non-driver ID, or other form that clearly shows an in-county street address will be accepted. If you do not live within the tri-county area (Cherokee, Pickens and Gilmer Counties), but own property here, you are still eligible. Just provide your ID and a tax bill showing the address of your property. You can apply for a card at any of the public libraries that comprise the Sequoyah Regional Library System. If you do not live within the tri-county area (Cherokee, Pickens and Gilmer Counties) OR own property here, you can still apply for a library card for an annual fee of $35.00. Apply for a library card Apply Online Print & Bring In

The Sequoyah Regional Library System's Outreach team represents the library at community events, hosts Pop-Up Libraries, and offers Shelf Direct Service to Cherokee, Pickens, and Gilmer counties to create awareness about the library, to educate the community about library services, and to bring in new users to SRLS with a focus on underserved communities. Outreach Services The Sequoyah Regional Library System's Outreach team represents the library at community events, hosts Pop-Up Libraries, and offers Shelf Direct Service to Cherokee, Pickens, and Gilmer counties to create awareness about the library, to educate the community about library services, and to bring in new users to SRLS with a focus on underserved communities. Get to know our Discovery Outreach Transport, DOT! Bringing SRLS services to you in style, DOT carries our Outreach Team to local community events for Pop-Up Libraries, Storytimes, and more. Sign up for a library card and check out a book on the go! To request an Outreach visit, visit our Contact Us Form and select “Outreach” from the topics dropdown. Request Outreach Request Shelf Direct Services Outreach FAQs Where does the library do outreach? SRLS outreach serves the community throughout Cherokee, Pickens, and Gilmer Counties. The library prioritizes events such as festivals, farmers markets, large scale school events, and events that are unique to SRLS communities. How can I request Outreach? Outreach can be requested by completing the online form . What is Shelf Direct Services? The Sequoyah Regional Library System can mail materials directly to your home if you are unable to visit the library. The Shelf-Direct Service offers you the convenience of receiving and returning materials in a postage-paid mail pouch What is a Pop-Up Library? Pop-Up Libraries are our way of bringing the library to you! Designed to be engaging and accessible for everyone, Pop-Up Libraries have library materials available for check out and includes activities such as arts and crafts, games, and programming for the community. We can be found in parks and community centers to schools and senior living facilities. If you see us out in the community, make sure to say hello, check out a book, and learn more about the library! Can I check out books with outreach? Books are available for check out at Pop-Up Library events which are posted on our event calendar . Can I get a library card at an outreach event? Yes. All outreach events provide an opportunity to get a library card and to register to vote. Please check here for eligibility requirements.