North Gwinnett News

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) and the Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) are collaborating to enhance literacy and educational support for students in the area. With GCPS hosting 182,518 students as of October 2024, the partnership aims to leverage GCPL's extensive resources across its 15 branches.

Julie Saunders, GCPS' Director of Library Media Services, stated, "All students in Gwinnett schools have Gwinnett County Public Library cards with access to all 15 branches, all the digital resources, and eBooks for their age group." She added that students can connect their school's Beanstack Reading Platform account with the GCPL Beanstack account to earn rewards for reading both at school and through the public library.

The Branch Out program allows students to use their student ID numbers for library access without incurring fines for late materials. Additionally, homework help is available through online tutoring and drop-off services for math questions and essays. Some library branches also offer in-person tutoring by volunteers.

Duffie Dixon, GCPL Director of Marketing and Communications, explained that they provide classroom presentations about library resources aligned with GCPS curriculum standards. "Instruction on finding and using primary resources helps students and teachers with timely research and related projects," she said. The library staff works closely with teachers and media specialists to support student learning.

The partnership extends beyond students to include Team GCPS Staff. All district staff can register for a Branch Out account via the Staff Portal regardless of residency status.

Dixon encourages participation in library events and accessing resources online from home. "Our goal is to support the educational needs of students, parents, and teachers," she said. "We work to connect with each school in our service areas to better know your needs."

GCPL offers various events such as classroom visits arranged with educators, after-hours family events titled "Meet Me at the Library," a Summer Reading Challenge, and children's and teen programming tailored to community interests.

Programs include Reading Buddies for ages 6-11, Book Talks, STEM activities like Intro to 3D Printing and Code Club, sewing classes, culinary workshops, art sessions such as pointillism painting, writing programs including screenwriting workshops, gaming activities, finance education like Stock Market Simulator sessions among others.