DeKalb County Public Library
Encyclopedia
The DeKalb County Public Library is the public library
system of DeKalb County, Georgia
in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its collection includes over 800,000 book
s; collections of over 400 magazine
s, academic
and scientific journal
s, and newspaper
s; and audiovisual materials including videotape
s, audiobooks, CDs
, and DVD
s. Library patrons can also access a variety of databases and online references through the GALILEO
(GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online) system. The library currently operates 22 branches located throughout the county, with construction of three additional branches planned by 2010.
As of 2008, the library served a population of over 727,000, of whom almost 198,000 had library cards. The library system had over 180 full-time and about 50 part-time employees, and a budget of over $11.5 million.
. In 1925 a larger public library was founded in Decatur
, the county seat of DeKalb County. In 1952 branches of the Decatur Library were established in Brookhaven
and Doraville
, and the Decatur Library was renamed the Decatur-DeKalb Library. The previously independent public library in Lithonia also joined the Decatur-DeKalb system, although the Lithonia library maintained a separate library board until 1971. As the DeKalb Regional Library System, the library provided services for neighboring Rockdale County
from 1951 to 1989, and also for Newton County
from 1953 to 1989; in 1989 the regional library system was disbanded and each of the three counties established its own separate library system.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
system of DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its collection includes over 800,000 book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
s; collections of over 400 magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s, academic
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
and scientific journal
Scientific journal
In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. There are thousands of scientific journals in publication, and many more have been published at various points in the past...
s, and newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s; and audiovisual materials including videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
s, audiobooks, CDs
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s. Library patrons can also access a variety of databases and online references through the GALILEO
Georgia Library Learning Online
Georgia Library Learning Online, more commonly known as GALILEO, is a virtual library operated by the University System of Georgia. There are numerous databases available, including abstracts and full-text...
(GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online) system. The library currently operates 22 branches located throughout the county, with construction of three additional branches planned by 2010.
As of 2008, the library served a population of over 727,000, of whom almost 198,000 had library cards. The library system had over 180 full-time and about 50 part-time employees, and a budget of over $11.5 million.
List of branches
Libraries in incorporated areas:
Libraries in unincorporated area Unincorporated area In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government... s:
|
Northlake, Georgia Northlake is an unincorporated community in northeastern metro Atlanta, Georgia, United States, near Tucker. Although not formally an edge city, Northlake is home to a large amount of office space, retail options, and residential housing... community) North Druid Hills, Georgia North Druid Hills, known alternatively as Briarcliff, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 18,947 at the 2010 census. The center of the area is the intersection of Briarcliff and North Druid Hills roads... community) Tucker, Georgia Tucker is a census-designated place in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 27,581 at the 2010 Census. Although central Tucker, also known as "Main Street Tucker", is laid out as a planned "railroad town," it has never been formally incorporated. Municipal services such as... community) Planned new branches (by 2010):
Other facilities:
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History
The first public library in the county was opened in 1907, in LithoniaLithonia, Georgia
Lithonia is a suburban town in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, incorporated as a city. Lithonia's population was 1,924 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. In 1925 a larger public library was founded in Decatur
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
, the county seat of DeKalb County. In 1952 branches of the Decatur Library were established in Brookhaven
Brookhaven, Georgia
Brookhaven is an unincorporated community located on the western edge of DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, directly northeast of Atlanta. Most of the area was formerly incorporated as the city of North Atlanta, which disincorporated during the 1960s...
and Doraville
Doraville, Georgia
Doraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 8,330.-History:Doraville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly, approved December 15, 1871...
, and the Decatur Library was renamed the Decatur-DeKalb Library. The previously independent public library in Lithonia also joined the Decatur-DeKalb system, although the Lithonia library maintained a separate library board until 1971. As the DeKalb Regional Library System, the library provided services for neighboring Rockdale County
Rockdale County, Georgia
Rockdale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 70,111. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 82,052. Two years later, the population was 84,569. The county seat is Conyers.-Geography:...
from 1951 to 1989, and also for Newton County
Newton County, Georgia
Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 62,001. The 2010 Census showed a population of 99,958. The county seat is Covington....
from 1953 to 1989; in 1989 the regional library system was disbanded and each of the three counties established its own separate library system.