DeKalb County Public Library marks 100 years; county leaders praise free access and services
Loading...
Summary
Commissioners issued a proclamation celebrating the DeKalb County Public Library’s centennial, cited local milestones including elimination of overdue fines and mobile internet initiatives, and invited trustees and partners to a year-long commemoration.
DeKalb County celebrated 100 years of its public library system at the Board of Commissioners’ April 22 meeting, where officials read a proclamation recognizing the library’s history and ongoing services.
Former Lithonia mayor and DeKalb Library board co-chair Deborah Jackson joined commissioners at the podium to thank staff and trustees. “For 100 years, the library has served generations of residents by serving as a source of books and a champion of reading for all ages and interests,” Jackson said.
The proclamation recounted the system’s origins in 1907 and the formation of a library association in 1925. Officials noted that the county system now operates 23 branches across 268 square miles, holds a collection of more than one million items and serves more than 170,000 cardholders who borrow more than three million items annually.
Speakers highlighted programmatic milestones: DeKalb’s public libraries were named Georgia Library of the Year in 2018, the system eliminated overdue fines in 2022, and the DeKalb Library Foundation supports early-literacy programs and mobile internet access initiatives. The county clerk read the proclamation and attendees posed for photos.
Why it matters: County leaders framed the library as a civic institution that advances literacy, digital access and community services (including summer reading programs, advanced polling sites and services for the blind). Several speakers warned of federal-level threats: Deborah Jackson and others referenced an executive order affecting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and urged advocacy to preserve federal support.
What wasn’t decided: The proclamation is ceremonial; no budget or policy changes were proposed during the April 22 presentation.
