We'll Treat You Like Royalty!

There's a newsletter put out for friends and employees of Georgia's public libraries. We get it here at our library. It's published bi-monthly by the Georgia Public Library Service, the state agency that supports public libraries and works with them to improve the quality and variety of library services available to Georgia citizens of all ages. That means YOU!
The October issue highlighted the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogical Library as one of the three libraries in Georgia that reign as "the Georgia public library system's genealogical crown jewels." Now, to those of us who work for the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System (of which the Odom Library is a part), that just made our eyes sparkle!
The article stated that the Odom Library, "founded a scant 17 years ago, is a relative newcomer to the spotlight." Director Melody Jenkins stated: "Prior to 1990, we had a small Georgia history collection -- maybe 2,000 volumes. It was so small, my office used to be the history room!" When Mrs. Odom's bequest of $1 million was received, the south wing of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library, which became the Odom Library, was built to house several collections, including the Emmett Lucas Collection. Mr. Lucas of Southern Historical Press was planning to retire, and he was interested in selling his collection about the southeastern United States, the Civil War and migration routes west.
Melody Jenkins said, "We purchased it as a whole, quadrupling the size of our collection in the process."
The collection took another giant leap in 1994 when the local high school's Class of 1944 held a reunion in honor of the 50th anniversary of D-Day and invited everyone who had graduated within four years of 1944 to attend and bring pictures related to their or their loved ones' armed service. The majority of this material was copied, the information identified, and placed in the library. That collection became the Veterans' History Project and was recently named for Catherine Bryant, who began her career with the library in 1944 and took over the project.
In addition to these collections, the library is perhaps most famous for its collection concerning Scottish genealogy. According to Ann Glass, genealogy clerk, the Odom Library is the archival home for more than 130 Scottish clan organizations, and houses many rare books including an original edition of Scottish Perrage, as well as The Highland Papers, and several Gaelic Bibles.
Genealogist Irene Godwin notes that American highlights at the Odom Library include original bound volumes of The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, as well as colonial and state records for both Georgia and North Carolina, and historical records from many counties in Texas.
Melody Jenkins also said, "The Odom Library has earned an approved attraction rating from the American Automobile Association, which features the library in its AAA Tour Guides for Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina.
If you're out there, somewhere other than Moultrie, Georgia, and you're interested in genealogy and you haven't been to the Odom Genealogical Library, now's the time to make the trip. We draw local, regional, and worldwide visitors. All the time! Come be one of them!
We'll treat you like royalty! After all, we're a crown jewel of genealogy libraries! (Source: Georgia Public Library Service)