History
A BRIEF HISTORY OF LIBRARY SERVICES IN GLYNN COUNTY
The Marshes of Glynn Libraries, a single-county library system operating in Glynn County, was launched as Georgia’s 64th library system on July 1, 2013. Its system branches include the Brunswick-Glynn County Library and the St. Simons Island Public Library. Although the Marshes of Glynn Libraries are new as a system, the history of public library services in Glynn County can be traced back to 1883 in Brunswick and to 1934 on St. Simons Island. Over these many years, residents of both the mainland and the islands have demonstrated a collaborative spirit, a shared resolve, and an on-going commitment of time, talent and funding support to provide quality library services in Glynn County. These histories are further detailed in A Short History of the Brunswick-Glynn County Regional Library by Hildreth Taylor and A Library to Treasure by Ed Ginn. The significant events in the development of the public library system of Glynn County are outlined in the timelines below.
BRUNSWICK-GLYNN COUNTY LIBRARY
ST. SIMONS ISLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Marshes of Glynn Libraries, a single-county library system operating in Glynn County, was launched as Georgia’s 64th library system on July 1, 2013. Its system branches include the Brunswick-Glynn County Library and the St. Simons Island Public Library. Although the Marshes of Glynn Libraries are new as a system, the history of public library services in Glynn County can be traced back to 1883 in Brunswick and to 1934 on St. Simons Island. Over these many years, residents of both the mainland and the islands have demonstrated a collaborative spirit, a shared resolve, and an on-going commitment of time, talent and funding support to provide quality library services in Glynn County. These histories are further detailed in A Short History of the Brunswick-Glynn County Regional Library by Hildreth Taylor and A Library to Treasure by Ed Ginn. The significant events in the development of the public library system of Glynn County are outlined in the timelines below.
BRUNSWICK-GLYNN COUNTY LIBRARY
|
Year
|
Library Milestones |
| 1883 | The Brunswick Library Association is organized with nine members and 150 books. A small library is established in a downtown store on Newcastle Street. |
| 1894 | Library is moved to a small building on Richmond Street. |
| 1904 | Library is relocated to City Hall where it would remain until 1950. |
| 1927 | Increased recognition and support of the Library prompts the City of Brunswick to start an annual funding appropriation. |
| 1928 | Glynn County follows with an annual appropriation to the Library. |
| 1929 | The Children’s Library is established. |
| 1933 | The Library continues to grow with the addition of an historical collection by the Daughters of the American Revolution. |
| 1934 | The Library launches first direct services to schools. |
| 1936 | The City passes an ordinance that elevates the Library to an official City entity and creates the Brunswick Library Board. |
| 1939 | The Brunswick Library Board becomes the first to reach 100% membership in the Georgia Library Association. |
| 1945 | The Brunswick Library collection has grown to 8,000 books. That same year, the Georgia Library Commission sends state funds to support the Brunswick Library. |
| 1946 | The cataloguing of the Brunswick Library’s collection is completed. |
| 1947 | The first full-time professional Librarian is hired and the Glynn County Library Council is formed. The Council contracts with the Brunswick Library Board to expand library services countywide, with the exception of St. Simons Island. |
| 1948 | The Library purchases its first bookmobile. |
| 1949 | Camden requests library services from the Brunswick Library Board. |
| 1950 | The first Regional Board meeting is held in Woodbine. The Library provides bookmobile services to Glynn and surrounding communities with more than 118 stops. |
| 1950 | The Brunswick Library’s second floor location in City Hall deteriorates to an unsafe condition due to the weight of the growing book collection. Following the collapse of several walls, the Library is relocated to a former hot dog stand building on Reynolds Street where it remains for eight years. |
| 1952 | Charlton County signs an agreement with the Library, enlarging the region to three counties. |
| 1954 | Brantley County signs an agreement with the Library, enlarging the region to four counties. |
| 1955 | Wayne County signs an agreement with the Library, enlarging the region to five counties. |
| 1958 | Amid growing pressure from the public, the City offers to move the Brunswick Library to a former grocery store on Gloucester Street. The building serves as the Library home for almost two decades until 1975. |
| 1961 | The region grows with the addition of McIntosh and Long Counties. |
| 1974 | A bond issue is passed by Glynn County voters to construct a dedicated library building on Gloucester Street. |
| 1975 | The building is completed with funding and donations from the City of Brunswick, Glynn County, and the State Board of Education. |
| 2000 | The regional system is renamed the Three Rivers Regional Library System, with the Brunswick-Glynn County Library serving as regional headquarters. |
| 2012 |
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ST. SIMONS ISLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY
| Year |
Library Milestones
|
| 1937 | St. Simons Library is founded by Mrs. Abbie Fuller Graham with 50 books housed temporarily in the home of Captain and Mrs. J. C. Clark on Arnold Road. |
| 1937 | County Commissioners agree to house the library in the Casino under the sponsorship of the Cassina Garden Club. Additional materials for the move to the Casino were furnished by the National Youth Administration, the Works Project Administration, and local residents. |
| 1937 | ‘Drums Along the Mohawk’ by Walter Edmonds becomes the first book accessioned in the Library. The book still remains in the St. Simons Library. |
| 1937-1941 | The Library Commission recognizes the St. Simons Island Library as a Standard library. Many hundreds of books are loaned to the Library, with the local Boy Scouts soliciting donations for the Library. |
| 1941-45 | The St. Simons Library was operated by personnel of the Works Project Administration (WPA). |
| 1943 | The St. Simons Library reports an inventory of 3,256 books, a yearly circulation of 9,062 and 695 registered members. |
| 1946 | Mrs. Fraser L. Ledbetter appointed as Head Librarian of the St. Simons Library, a position she held for more than four decades until 1989. |
| 1949 | The St. Simons Library Board votes to remain independent and received no further assistance from the State. |
| 1950 | The St. Simons Library is moved to the vacated bowling alley in the Casino following the alley relocation to the “New Casino.” Kitchen shelves from the closed Air Base housing were donated for use in the new Library. |
| 1953-1965 | Improvements are made to the library facility to include new shelving and lighting, air conditioning and central heat. |
| 1957 | A full-time library assistant position is added. |
| 1964 | The St. Simons Library had been funded by benefit card parties, teas and book sales. In 1964, Library Directors voted to make a direct annual appeal to library members, part-time residents and friends for contributions. Glynn County continued to provide housing and a small stipend to the Library. |
| 1971 | The St. Simons Library’s collection grows from 50 books to 24,000, with an excellent genealogy collection that would later be relocated to the Heritage Room of the Brunswick Library. |
| 1987 | The St. Simons Library celebrates 50 years with an open house. Present at the celebration were authors Eugenia Price and Joyce Blackburn. |
| 1989 | The St. Simons summer reading program for boys and girls, called the Smokey Bear Reading Club, is one of the oldest programs in the state of Georgia. The genealogy collection grows to more than 1,000 books. |
| 2002 | Recognizing Eugenia Price for her historical novels about coastal Georgia, the St. Simons Library is designated a Literary Landmark by Friends of Libraries USA. Research by Price at the Library contributed to her first book in the popular St. Simons Trilogy, ‘The Beloved Invader.’ |
| 2005 | The St. Simons Library is relocated to a double-wide trailer in front of the Casino during building renovations. More than 25,000 people visit the library that year. |
| 2006 | The St. Simons Library returns to its home in the Casino building. |
| 2007 |
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