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Sequoyah Regional Library System Receives Great Stories Grant SRLS News Sequoyah Regional Library System Receives Great Stories Grant July 5, 2023 The Sequoyah Regional Library System has been selected by the American Library Association (ALA), with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as one of 58 libraries to receive implementation grants for the Great Stories Club, a thematic reading and discussion program for underserved teens. The two awarded grants include “Deeper Than Our Skins: The Present Is a Conversation with the Past” and “Finding Your Voice: Speaking Truth to Power”. As part of the Great Stories Club, staff from SRLS will work with a small group of teens to read and discuss stories that explore questions of race, equity, identity and history. The titles were selected to inspire young people — especially those facing difficult circumstances or challenges — to consider “big questions” about the world around them and their place in it. SRLS will receive two $500 programming stipends, one per theme, and 11 copies of each of the selected books. The books will be gifted to the book club participants. Since 2006, ALA’s Great Stories Club has helped libraries engage young adults with accessible, thought-provoking literature. To learn more about the Great Stories Club, please visit ala.org/greatstories .

The Sequoyah Regional Library System in partnership with the Master Gardeners in Cherokee & Gilmer Counties offer seed libraries. Seed Libraries The Sequoyah Regional Library System in partnership with the Master Gardeners in Cherokee & Gilmer Counties offer seed libraries. Seed libraries are at the following locations: Rose Creek Public Library Hickory Flat Library Ball Ground Public Library Gilmer County Library Woodstock Public Library The seed libraries are free to the public and allows borrowers to “check out” vegetable, herb and flower seeds. When seeds are checked out from the seed library, a form is completed. The seed libraries were started in order to encourage the community’s interest in home gardening. Seed saving is a tradition that allows for the selection and perpetuation of plants that have a particular value to a gardener. Saving the seeds of favorite plants for further use contributes to the biodiversity of local communities and connects family generations.

2024 Latest SRLS News Holiday Open Houses Wrapped Latest SRLS News Holiday Open Houses Wrapped December 30, 2024 This Winter Literacy, our libraries have been filled with laughter, joy, and cheer as we welcomed the community to our Holiday Open Houses. This festive tradition has allowed us to celebrate the holiday season with new friends, long-time friends, and special guests from the North Pole. We are incredibly grateful to all those who helped us make this holiday season one of our best yet. Across our seven locations, we celebrated with over 1,300 community members. Our Holiday Open Houses included performances from Oak Grove Elementary School, Etowah High School, Hickory Flat Elementary School, Ellijay Elementary School, Mountain View Elementary School, harpist Cathy Dobson and her piano students, Flutist Melissa Little, pianist and Gilmer County Branch Manager Alex Thomerson, and the Woodstock Ukulele Players. Multiple local organizations added to the holiday cheer as well, including the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Southeast Outdoor Solutions, and the CCWSA. Our Friends of the Library organizations across all three counties assisted in serving refreshments, helping with crafts, and greeting visitors. For more information on upcoming holiday and winter events, please visit our calendar: sequoyahregionallibrary.org/events Happy Holidays from Sequoyah Regional Library System!

The Library of Things is a collection of non-traditional library items that complement the Sequoyah Regional Library System’s mission to connect people with ideas and opportunities to explore, learn, and create. Library of Things Why buy when you can borrow? The Library of Things is a collection of non-traditional library items that complement the Sequoyah Regional Library System ’s mission to connect people with ideas and opportunities to explore, learn and create. The purpose of the Library of Things is to provide diverse opportunities for learning and engagement. Abraham Lincoln Kit Abraham Lincoln Kit Assistive tool kit Assistive Tool Kit Wi-Fi HotSpot AWE Learning Tablet Blocks Rock Blocks Rock Board Games Board Games Book Club Bag Book Club Bag Chime Bars Chime Bars Chromebook Chromebook Cubelets Cubelets Cubelets Disc Golf Set Early literacy kit : Alphabet Early Literacy Kit: Alphabet Early literacy kit : Counting Early Literacy Kit: Counting Early literacy kit : Letters Early Literacy Kit: Letters Energy Efficiency Kit Energy Efficiency Kit Musical Kit : Guiro Musical Kit: Guiro Kendama Kendama Launchpad Launchpad Little Bits Little Bits Makey Makey Makey Makey Math Flash Math Flash Musical Kit : Triangle Musical Kit: Triangle Musical Kit : Ukulele Musical Kit: Ukulele Observing pollinators Observing Pollinators Kit Parks discovery backpack Parks Discovery Backpack Picasso Tiles Picasso Tiles Puzzles Puzzles Q-Ba-Maze Q-Ba-Maze Wi-Fi HotSpot Radon Kits Wi-Fi HotSpot Raspberry Pi Starter Kits Sewing Machine Sewing Machine Snap-together blocks Snap-Together Blocks Spirograph® deluxe set Spirograph® Wi-Fi HotSpot Stud Finder Wi-Fi HotSpot Tool Set Wi-Fi HotSpot Wi-Fi HotSpot

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

The Hickory Flat Renovation and Expansion Project officially began on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 with a celebratory groundbreaking featuring Sequoyah Regional Library System staff and board members turning the soil with Cherokee County officials and the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce. SRLS News Hickory Flat Public Library Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting July 26, 2024 Sequoyah Regional Library System (SRLS) celebrated the official opening of the Hickory Flat Public Library on Thursday, July 25, with a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony hosted by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. “This library is all about people and spaces,” says Angela Cortellino, Executive Director of SRLS. “We still have books, with better browsing. We still have technology. But what you will find in here are some unique spaces. These spaces are meant for people to gather. For people to meet. For people to connect, explore, discover.” Speakers in attendance included Pam Carnes, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, and Library Trustee, Eric Rein, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Chair, and Library Trustee, Tom Hill, Chair of the Cherokee County Library Board and Sequoyah Regional Library System Board, and Commissioner Richard Weatherby. The Hickory Flat Renovation and Expansion Project officially began on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 with a celebratory groundbreaking featuring Sequoyah Regional Library System staff and board members turning the soil with Cherokee County officials and the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce. The finished renovation of the Hickory Flat Public Library building, originally built in 1993, includes an addition of 7,800 square feet to the building. The building was designed by CAS Architecture and built by Hollandsworth Construction. With an expanded and renovated library facility, the Sequoyah Regional Library System 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. Hickory Flat Public Library Full Service Hours: Monday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM To view the library system’s full programming schedule and register for events, visit https://bit.ly/Calendar-SRLS . Please continue to visit our website, SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org , for updates and announcements about the project, as well as up-to-date service hours for the Hickory Flat Public Library

News and information for the Sequoyah Regional Library System SRLS News October 31, 2025 Craftsman Tool Kits & Franklin Sensors Stud Finders Read More September 4, 2025 Mural Donation at Hickory Flat Public Library Read More August 25, 2025 Sequoyah Regional Library System Announces New Pass with Funk Heritage Center Read More May 7, 2025 The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Support Our Schools Committee Read More March 21, 2025 Sequoyah Regional Library System Receives 2025 Agricultural Book of the Year Donation Read More January 13, 2025 Now Available: Disc Golf Sets! Read More August 26, 2024 National Library Card Sign-Up Month Read More December 30, 2024 Holiday Open Houses Wrapped Read More November 21, 2024 Winter Literacy and Holiday Happenings at SRLS Read More September 5, 2024 Mayor’s Reading Club Comes To Pickens County Library Read More August 15, 2024 Pickens County Library Receives Book Donation from Pickens County Farm Bureau Read More July 26, 2024 Hickory Flat Public Library Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Read More July 11, 2024 The Hickory Flat Public Library Grand Opening Read More May 17, 2024 SRLS Receives $1,000 Donation from the Retired Educator Recognition Initiative Read More May 15, 2024 Georgia Department of Human Services Kiosks Now Available at Select SRLS Locations Read More May 1, 2024 Hickory Flat Public Library on Schedule to Be Completed in Late Summer Read More February 1, 2024 Hickory Flat Public Library Update Read More November 1, 2023 Hickory Flat Public Library Update Read More August 30, 2023 The Hickory Flat Public Library Construction Is on Schedule Read More August 14, 2023 R.T. Jones Memorial Library Celebrates 100th Birthday Read More July 5, 2023 Sequoyah Regional Library System Receives Great Stories Grant Read More July 5, 2023 UGA athletics coming to R.T. Jones Memorial Library Read More

Sequoyah Regional Library System services available to library patrons with disabilities Accessibility Sequoyah Regional Library System services available to library patrons with disabilities include. Accessible technology. A selection of materials in large print, braille and audiobook formats. eBooks and eAudiobooks with a range of accessibility options available through Libby High-Contrast Keyboards at every location. Assistive Tool Kits for Readers are available for checkout. Shelf Direct Service : 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. The Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (GLS) supports accessible library services in Georgia by promoting and providing accessible reading materials to those who, due to a disability, are unable to read standard print. This is a free program available to eligible residents of Georgia. Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled This service is open to Cherokee, Pickens or Gilmer County patrons of SRLS who: Have a permanent or temporary disability or medical condition that prevents a person from visiting the library. Reside in a nursing care or assisted living facility, whether on a temporary or permanent basis. Have other health conditions that make a person unable to visit the library. Who is Eligible? Anyone who is unable to read or handle standard printed materials as a result of temporary or permanent visual or physical disability. Persons who are legally blind or cannot see well enough or focus long enough to read standard print, even with glasses. Persons who are unable to hold or turn pages of print books. Persons who are certified by a medical doctor as having a reading disability. Learn More Call GLS at (800) 248-6701 Ask about GLS at any library service desk. Visit the website for the Georgia Libraries for the Blind and Print Disabled. Additional Resources GARRS: Georgia Radio Reading Service NFB Newsline Georgia Relay (Dial 711) Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation

Sequoyah Regional Library System is excited to announce a new partnership with the Funk Heritage Center, offering an Experience Pass to their museum. Including free admission for up to four guests, the new Experience Pass gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about the lives and history of early Appalachians and those who lived in north Georgia throughout the centuries. SRLS News Sequoyah Regional Library System Announces New Experience Pass with Funk Heritage Center August 25, 2025 New Experience Pass with Funk Heritage Center Sequoyah Regional Library System is excited to announce a new partnership with the Funk Heritage Center offering an Experience Pass to their museum. Including free admission for up to four guests, the new Experience Pass gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about the lives and history of early Appalachians and those who lived in north Georgia throughout the centuries. The Funk Heritage Center is a certified National Park Service Trail of Tears Interpretive Site. Visitors can explore their numerous informative exhibits that will immerse them in narratives reaching far into the region’s ancient past. More information about the Funk Heritage Center can be found on their website: FunkHeritageCenter.org Visit our website to learn more about Experience Passes at SRLS and how community members can sign up for a library card. Anyone who lives or owns property in Cherokee, Pickens, or Gilmer counties is able to sign up for a free SRLS library card.

Ball Ground Your dynamic destination for discovery Ball Ground Public Library Address 435 Old Canton Road Ball Ground, GA 30107 Contact 770-735-2025 Manager: Soleil Voxamare Opening Hours Monday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Tuesday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Wednesday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Thursday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm COMMUNITY SPACES UPCOMING EVENTS Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Sunday CLOSED

Strategic Plan Goal 1: Increase our outreach efforts to link the library and the community it serves, by forming strong connections with organizations and increasing visibility at local activities Strategic Plan 2022-2026 Goal 1: Increase our outreach efforts to link the library and the community it serves, by forming strong connections with organizations and increasing visibility at local activities. Strategies: Establish the position of an Outreach Manager. Identify opportunities for exposure of library resources and services through outreach activities. Increase off-site programming. Maximize and increase outreach tools. Goal 2: Reach community members who do not use the library and increase library card holders in our service population. Strategies: Increase external marketing efforts, identifying new ways to reach non-card holders. Identify services which appeal to non-card holders. Increase library card holders to 40% of our service population. Goal 3: Establish the library as a community gathering place for all community members. Strategies: Invite entities to join us in our spaces through programming and partnership. Streamline the process for outside entities to utilize library space. Create library spaces that invite and encourage collaboration and gathering. Goal 4: Leverage library stories. Strategies: Refine patron library story feedback process to provide more useful information that can be used in marketing. Highlight user stories to stakeholders and the community in creative and impactful ways. Work with public-facing staff to evaluate strategies to gather impactful patron stories. Goal 5: Align the Library’s efforts with the ongoing growth and progress of our community. Strategies: Develop tools to gather feedback from the community. Work with professionals to identify growth and potential. Establish a personnel plan that supports the dynamic community growth. Establish a long term plan, forecasting at least 10 years. Goal 6: Foster active and open communications with local leaders. Strategies: Improve relationships with local funding agencies. Maintain an awareness of city and county efforts and programs through establishing regular communication. Actively look to identify ways in which the Library could play a role in promoting or facilitating city and county efforts and programs. Invite local officials to library events and programming.