Statesboro Regional Public Libraries
The Statesboro Regional Library
LocationSoutheastern Georgia
Established1943[1]
Branches6
Collection
Size234,800 (2016)[2]
Access and use
Circulation377,626 (2016)[2]
Population served155,985 (2016)[2]
Members50,923 (2016)[2]
Other information
Budget$1.5 million (2005)[3]
DirectorJennifer Durham
Websitehttp://strl.info/

The Statesboro Regional Public Libraries (STRL) is a public library system that supports the counties of Bulloch, Bryan, Candler, Emanuel, and Evans Georgia. The central library is located in Statesboro, Georgia.

STRL is a member of PINES, a program of the Georgia Public Library Service that covers 53 library systems in 143 counties of Georgia.[4] Any resident in a PINES supported library system has access to the system's collection of 10.6 million books.[5] The library is also serviced by GALILEO, a program of the University System of Georgia which stands for "GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online". This program offers residents in supported libraries access to over 100 databases indexing thousands of periodicals and scholarly journals. It also boasts over 10,000 journal titles in full text.[6]

History

Bulloch Libraries

In 1923 the first public library in Statesboro was designated out of the local high school, and consisted of the Statesboro High School library as well as the 250 volume collection of the Woman's Club Library.[7][8] After only two years of service this library was one out of sixteen in the state of Georgia to be serving not only the town but the county surrounding it. This designation as a county library allowed the library a special allotment of books given by the state. In light of this development plans were made to construct a new library to more primarily serve the county at large. By 1935 the Statesboro library had moved out of the high school and into the county courthouse. In order to better serve the surrounding towns at large the town of Bulloch set forth a campaign to raise $2,000 to renovate the county courthouse and therefore enlarge the library. Despite slow but steady interest the campaign only raised $600 in its first year.[7]

In 1936 the local Sea Island Bank underwent construction of a new building and allocated space on the second floor to furnish the library for free. Two years later, looking to expand their reach to the African American community the library also opened a "Negro library" which by 1939 also became a part of the greater Statesboro library system and held its own 1500 volumes for checkout. By 1940 a bookmobile was added to serve patrons of the library who lived in rural areas, and in 1943 the libraries in Bulloch were formally designated as part of a regional library system.[1][7]

Branches

NameAddress
Evans County Public Library701 West Main Street, Claxton, GA 30417
Franklin Memorial Library331 West Main Street, Swainsboro, GA 30401
L. C. Anderson Memorial Library50 South Kennedy Street, Metter, GA 30439
Pembroke Public Library1018 Camelia Drive, Pembroke, GA 31321
Richmond Hill Public Library9607 Ford Avenue, Richmond Hill, GA 31324
Statesboro-Bulloch County Library124 South Main Street, Statesboro, GA 30458

Library systems in neighboring counties

References

  1. 1 2 Hardy, Elaine (July 1, 2008). "A Timeline of Important Events in Georgia Public Library History". Georgia Library Quarterly. 45 (2): 15. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Current Look at Georgia Libraries 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "STRL - About Us". Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "PINES - About". Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "PINES Facts" (PDF). Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "GALILEO - About". Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 Brannen, Dorothy (1987). Life in Old Bulloch: The Story of a Wiregrass County in Georgia. Gainesville, Georgia: Magnolia Press. pp. 478–481. ISBN 0-916369-09-9.
  8. ↑ "Statesboro Club Plans Library". No. Vol. LV., NO. 257. The Atlanta Constitution. February 25, 1923. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
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