1. Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System The Evolving Library

2. Introduction One of the largest public library systems in the nation (Central Library, AARL, and 31 branches) Originally, an Andrew Carnegie library Service area: Fulton County and Atlanta- in-DeKalb 90% county funded

3. Services Collections of books, DVDs, CDs, e-books, e-audiobooks, etc. Online tools and databases Extensive programming for children, teens and adults (Access) Adult literacy and ESL classes GED training and testing Virtual reference Interlibrary loan

4. Special Collections Margaret Mitchell Collection Young Men’s Library Association Georgia Local and Family History High Collection of Historical Children’s Literature African American Literature Foreign Languages Special Needs Parenting

5. afpls.org 24-hour access to online catalog, library card account information Online resources –eBooks and eAudiobooks –eCampus Special pages for children and teens WorldCat & Atlanta-Fulton holdings

6. Facility Master Plan Comprehensive look at facility needs throughout service area 8 new branch libraries 2 expansions 23 renovations New central library Total cost: $275 million Phase I & II

7. The mission: warehouse of books, material, information Shedding their stodgy image and reinventing themselves From “being mostly about books” to role of creating community – both of ideas and of people Pundits in 2001: “Internet will lead to the demise of libraries” The Evolving Library

8. Job-seeking help Free wireless internet Resource for business owners / employees Free library computer / technology classes Movie night Free meeting rooms It’s in our wallets Breaking Out of the Mold

9. 94% of parents say libraries important; 79% say VERY important Parents’ role of reading in children’s lives Half of parents of children under 12 read to their child every day Libraries are a safe place for their children Parents considerably more likely than other adults to use library services Parents, Libraries & Reading

10. First five years most formative in a baby’s development Now we know babies and toddlers who hear more words at an early age fare better, much better Primes the brain to learn new words through context Encourages parents to instill a lifelong, positive attitude toward books at an early age Grady Hospital largest Books for Babies partner Funded by the Library Foundation Books for Babies

11. Approximately 2/3 of children living in poverty have no books in their homes When asked to bring a book to school, these kids show up with the Yellow Pages About 30 million adults in America are unable to read Easy to connect the dots – health, finance, employability, crime can be traced back to the critical skill of reading Corporations and literacy Technology and literacy Our literacy program The Literacy Gap

12. Don’t burn your books – print is here to stay Nearly 90% of e-book readers continue to read physical volumes e-book sales fell abruptly in 2012 to about 34%. Still a healthy clip but down sharply from triple- digit growth in 4 prior years There’s something about a crisply printed, tightly bound book we can’t let go The e-book

13. afpls.org/ecampus Free online classes Job search help Homework help Real-time tutoring Test and GED preparation Personal growth Skills improvement eCampus

14. “Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries stand virtually alone in accomplishing this mission. No committee decides who may enter, no crisis of body or spirit must accompany the entrant. No tuition is charged, no oath sworn, no visa demanded. Of the monuments humans build for themselves, very few say touch me, use me, my hush is not indifference, my space is not barrier. If I inspire awe, it is because I am in awe of you and the possibilities that dwell in you.” Toni Morrison Toni Morrison