Discovery space at Gilmer library named for Ellijay native
An Ellijay native who led the Sequoyah Regional Library System (SRLS) as its executive director since 2014, after previously managing Gilmer County’s library, retired last week.
Anita Summers was greeted by family and other well-wishers during a reception honoring her 32 years with the SRLS at the Gilmer County Library Friday, Jan. 14.
The reception was held in the library’s renovated basement, which was dedicated in Summers’ name during the event.
“The dedication was a surprise to me, and I am overwhelmed and humbled by this honor,” said Summers.
The renovated library basement is used to hold various meetings, classes and educational programs. With the dedication, it is now known as the Anita D. Summers Discovery Space.
“(It) was named in honor of Anita’s 32 years of service and her dedication to the library’s vision of community growth and discovery,” said Alex Thomerson, Gilmer County Library manager.
Computer workstations have recently been set up in the discovery space. One of them will be used to run a to-digital-format converter, which will allow library customers to convert several older storage formats to digital files. The library plans to soon roll out that service, Thomerson noted.
“We’re excited about our upcoming digitizing equipment service, which can convert impossible to replace negatives, slides or videos into digital format. The library also recently featured two highly popular virtual reality programs, and we’re continuing to explore other innovative technology to bring to the community,” he added.
A 1979 Gilmer High School graduate who completed studies at North Georgia College and the University of Georgia, Summers was hired as manager of the Gilmer County Library in 1989. She was library manager in 2008, when the facility moved from Dalton Street in downtown Ellijay to its current location on Calvin Jackson Drive.
Her responsibilities multiplied as executive director of the the Sequoyah system, which includes seven public libraries in Gilmer, Pickens and Cherokee counties.
“I’ve always enjoyed going to the library,” Summers told the Times-Courier in a 1989 article announcing her coming on board as the Gilmer library manager. Her love and appreciation of what libraries can offer the public have remained strong in the years that followed.
“I have had a wonderful career, and it has been a pleasure to serve the community,” Summers said.
The regional library system recently announced that Angela Cortellino, its deputy director since 2016, has been selected as the sole finalist for the executive director position.
The library system’s trustee board will vote to make her appointment official sometime this month.