SR487: SR487 Ray City Community Library; membership in state-supported public library services; support

25 LC 112 3520 Senate Resolution 487 By: Senators Summers of the 13th, Goodman of the 8th, Watson of the 11th, Williams of the 25th, Anderson of the 24th and others A RESOLUTION Supporting the Ray City Community Library's membership in state-supported public library1 services; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, the City of Ray City anticipates that funding opportun ities for local facilities3 will be available under President Donald Trump to Expand Educat ional Freedom and4 Opportunities for Families; and5 WHEREAS, the Ray City Community Library has long been a vital c ommunity resource,6 operated by the municipality for over 20 years as a municipal library without support from7 the State of Georgia via the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents8 of the University System of Georgia; and9 WHEREAS, citizens have benefited from the library's dedicated s upport of numerous10 community volunteers who have contributed their time and talents to its operation; and11 WHEREAS, state support as provided by the Georgia Public Library Service is a necessary12 prerequisite for the Ray City Community Library to access valua ble library services,13 including interlibrary loan programs, the PINES catalog, facilities planning, and professional14 development opportunities; and15 S. R. 487 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3520 WHEREAS, state support as provided by the Georgia Public Library Service is also essential16 for the Ray City Community Library to be eligible for state and federal funding17 opportunities, which will enable the library to update its facilities, services, collections, and18 programs for the benefit of the community; and19 WHEREAS, under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-305, the Board of Regents of the University System of20 Georgia is authorized to distribute state and federal funds "to county and regional public21 libraries in proportion to the area and population to be served by such libraries…all such22 funds shall be distributed directly to the regional or county library boards"; and23 WHEREAS, Ray City is located within Berrien County, which is a member of the Coastal24 Plain Regional Library System.25 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body26 express their strong support for the Ray City Community Library 's membership in the27 Coastal Plain Regional Library System in order to be eligible for support from the Georgia28 Public Library Service.29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body recognize the significant30 contributions of the Ray City Community Library to preserving t he local heritage and31 emphasize the importance of its continued growth and development.32 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body urge the B oard of Regents,33 the Regents Public Library Advisory Committee, the Georgia Stat e Library System, the34 Regional Library Board, and the Berrien County Library Board to favorably consider the Ray35 City Community Library's facility and grant it full membership in the Coastal Plain Regional36 S. R. 487 - 2 - 25 LC 112 3520 Library System, thereby enabling the library to better serve the informational and educational37 needs of citizens.38 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed39 to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the Regents Public40 Library Advisory Committee, the Georgia State Librarian, the Coastal Plain Regional Library41 System, the Regional and Berrien County Library Boards, elected officials, and other42 relevant parties.43 S. R. 487 - 3 -