The first day of fall term at the Georgia Highlands Douglasville location marked the campus’s first semester to have a physical library.

The campus, which has been in operation since 2009, had subsisted with a virtual library until this semester. Previously, students who wanted to check out a book or speak to a librarian had to log-on to the school’s virtual library system.

While the advanced virtual system was useful, the Douglasville campus still lacked the advantages of a physical librarian and readily available books.

As students delved into their fall courses and got acquainted with their new professors, they also dug into their new library resource, finding help through Sumer Lang, the campus library associate.

In addition to the one full-time library associate,  Paulding librarians Suzanna Smith and Christen Collins come to Douglasville periodically to give classroom instruction concerning the college’s online library resources.

“It’s helpful to have a physical person to speak to about library needs. Ordering books through the internet from other campuses was a bit of a hassle,” said middle grades education major Angela Ray.

She continued, “It’s nice to be able to go to the library and actually see the books and to know that there is someone there to assist us if we need it.”

Excited about the campus’s circulating collection, Lang stated, “The library has 65 reference books, 41 new and popular best sellers and 23 books reserved by campus professors.”

The library currently holds 937 titles, both fiction and non-fiction, and is always growing.

Lang said, “If we find that a book is popular or requested enough, we will purchase it to be a part of the library’s permanent collection.”

Students needing assistance at the Douglasville library can consult Lang in person during the library’s normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday or by email at [email protected].