UWG News

Happy Birthday, Galileo

September 16, 2005

CARROLLTON, GA - GALILEO turns 10 years old this week and every librarian in Georgia will be celebrating. A birthday cake and some hoopla will be served up at the University of West Georgia’s Ingram Library to cheer the event.

GALILEO, the Georgia Library Learning Online system, is a World Wide Web-based virtual library open to the University System of Georgia, K-12 schools, public libraries and other public and private schools. The Digital Library of Georgia, the New Georgia Encyclopedia and a Searchasaurus for youngsters are a few of the links available.

GALILEO is one of the most comprehensive virtual libraries in the country, said Lorene Flanders, Director of University Libraries and Ingram Library.

Flanders said she hopes to make more people aware of this unique resource by celebrating the anniversary. UWG President Beheruz N. Sethna and library officials will cut the GALILEO birthday cake at 3 p.m., September 21, at the Ingram Library. The following day public librarians and school media specialists will meet at Ingram Library for an update on the latest in GALILEO, to assess their students’ needs and do a little celebrating of their own.

“Georgia has really been at the forefront in this cooperative development, “ said Flanders. “The comments we receive when librarians spot Georgia on our nametags at national professional meetings says it all.”

In 1994 Chancellor Stephen Portch asked librarians in Georgia what they would do if they had $20 million. One year later, he presented their wish list to state legislators as “A Vision for One Statewide Library.” GALILEO became available in Georgia academic libraries nine months later.

“So many people aren’t aware of this tremendous resource,” said Flanders, who has been a librarian in Georgia since 1989. “We hope to remind everyone about the amazing GALILEO.”

To find out more about GALILEO, go to www.GALILEO.usg.edu or call 678-839-6350.

-30-