20th Anniversary Celebration Honors Library

Twenty years ago this summer, Forsyth County launched its own independent library system. With just one branch located at what is now the Cumming Library, patrons checked out over 560,000 books, tapes, and other materials in the first year.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners adopted a
Resolution honoring the Forsyth County Public Library's
20th anniversary.  Library Board Secretary/Treasurer Kristin
Morrissey (second from left), Library Director Anna Lyle
(third from left) and Library Board Chairman Mary Helen
McGruder (fifth from left) accepted the Resolution.

Today, the Forsyth County Public Library manages a system of four branches plus an administrative headquarters, serves over 71,000 library cardholders, and circulates about 2.5 million physical and digital materials annually.

These achievements were honored at Forsyth County Public Library’s 20th Anniversary Celebration held August 25 at the Cumming Library.

The event included behind-the-scenes tours of the library and the Friends Bookstore, as well as the Materials and IT departments at the adjacent Jon McDaniel Administration Building. Following celebratory remarks from Library Board Chairman Mary Helen McGruder and Library Director Anna Lyle, patrons were invited to participate in a bilingual Spanish-English storytime in the Children’s section.

Cumming Library Branch Manager Denise Leeson (far left)
leads a behind-the-scenes tour, beginning
with the library’s art exhibit.

Among other dignitaries and library partners in attendance were Forsyth County Board of Commissioners Chairman Pete Amos, District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills, and Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO James McCoy.

More than just providing access to an ever-growing number and diverse selection of materials, the library system is a place for the community to gather.

“You can just come here because you like to read or you want to hang out and have a nice space. Libraries are much more community-focused than they used to be,” Lyle told members of the media at the event.

To view additional photos from the event, check out the FCPL Facebook Page. For more information about programs and materials available through the Forsyth County Public Library, please visit www.forsythpl.org.