This September, 精东 will recognize National Recovery Month with two events that celebrate Statesboro鈥檚 recovery history and community.

Organized by the Center for Addiction Recovery (CAR) in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH), these activities include a monthlong library exhibit highlighting the origins and evolution of recovery in Statesboro and a recovery tailgate before the Sept. 26 home football game.

The explores the community鈥檚 history of supporting individuals in recovery from substance use and mental health disorders. Through photographs, journals, audio testimonials and more, the exhibit traces Statesboro鈥檚 history of recovery back to the 1950s and highlights the people and organizations that have shaped it. 

The exhibition, curated by Georgia Southern Libraries and Center for Addiction Recovery staff, begins with the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous as a national organization and its arrival in Statesboro, and follows the expansion of local support services, including the founding of , which has become a nationally recognized addiction treatment center. 

鈥淩ecovery has long been part of the fabric of this community,鈥� said David Gerber, CEO at Willingway Hospital, the title sponsor for the library exhibition. 鈥淔or generations, people in Statesboro have supported one another in finding hope, connection and a path forward. Willingway is proud to have played a part in the rich history and tradition of recovery in Statesboro.鈥� 

The activities will continue on Sept. 26, when Georgia Southern鈥檚 True Blue Recovery program hosts a recovery tailgate before Southern鈥檚 home football game against the University of Houston. True Blue Recovery at the Center for Addiction Recovery is Georgia Southern鈥檚 collegiate recovery program that supports students in recovery. 

The event will be a stop on the , a statewide initiative led by the that travels across Georgia throughout September to celebrate recovery and connect communities with resources and support.

鈥淭he Georgia Council for Recovery is proud to partner with our local recovery community hosts to bring a uniquely Georgia message of the hope and joy of recovery,鈥� said Brian Kite, recovery community organization development program manager of the Georgia Council for Recovery.

The free tailgate is open to students and community members and will feature live music, food and drinks, entertainment and recovery resources.

鈥淐ollege football and tailgating are such a big part of the student experience, and we want people to know that you can still be part of that excitement without alcohol or other substances,鈥� said Julia Curiel, coordinator of True Blue Recovery. 

Together, these events highlight both the deep roots of recovery in Statesboro and the growing network of resources available to those struggling with addiction. Most importantly, they offer a reminder that recovery is not only possible, but is worth celebrating.  

鈥淩ecovery is about more than overcoming substance use, it鈥檚 about building a life that is full, connected and worth celebrating,鈥� Curiel said. 鈥淲e want people to see that there is a community here for them, and that choosing recovery doesn鈥檛 mean missing out on the fun. It can mean finding an entirely new way to belong.鈥�

精东 Libraries staff members Lee Bareford and Kelli-Anne Gecawich have been selected to participate in the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2023 .  

Both located at the Lane Library on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah, Bareford, associate professor and head of the Learning Commons, and Gecawich, media and circulations associate, are two of only 50 participants selected from a nationwide pool of candidates each year.

鈥淚 am so proud that Kelli-Anne and Lee have been selected among hundreds of candidates as emerging library leaders and that they will represent the University Libraries and 精东,鈥� said Lisa R. Carmichael, Ph.D., dean of University Libraries. 鈥淲e look forward to seeing how Kelli-Anne’s and Lee’s participation in this renowned program benefits them, the libraries and the University.鈥�

The ALA Emerging Leaders Program is a leadership development program that enables library workers across the country who are new to the field to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts participants on the fast track to ALA committee volunteerism, as well as other professional library-related organizations.

Bareford and Gecawich will take part in leadership workshops during the annual in New Orleans in January. Following, they will collaborate in groups over the next five months on special projects that will be presented at in Chicago next June.

In addition to being selected to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program, Bareford and Gecawich were also awarded sponsorship by the Association of College and Research Libraries and the Georgia Library Association, respectively, to cover conference expenses. 

精东 Libraries has been designated as a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.聽PTRCs comprise a network of 84 libraries nationwide that disseminate patent and trademark information and support the diverse intellectual property needs of the public.聽Georgia Southern Libraries is one of two officially designated PTRCs in Georgia.

鈥淭his designation places the Georgia Southern Libraries as a local face of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and helps to cultivate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship,鈥� stated Georgia Southern鈥檚 Henderson Library Research Services manager John Schlipp. 鈥淥ur PTRC designation enables the research customers of Georgia Southern Libraries to access the vast resources provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This new library service helps inventors and entrepreneurs to protect their intellectual properties ranging from patents, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights.鈥� 

Inventors or entrepreneurs utilizing the new PTRC service at Georgia Southern will be able to determine the potential for their patent applications and federal registration for a trademark on their products or services. 

Schlipp will also partner with the University鈥檚 Business Innovation Group and other regional like-minded organizations. With three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah and Hinesville, and two major libraries 鈥� Zach S. Henderson Library in Statesboro and Lane Library in Savannah 鈥� Georgia Southern is poised to join with its other partners in advancing innovation throughout the region.

Visit the Georgia Southern Libraries for upcoming workshops and sessions for students and community inventors, entrepreneurs and business professionals to learn more about patents and trademarks.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment or class instruction, please contact John Schlipp at jschlipp@GeorgiaSouthern.edu or (912) 478-7818. 

精东 Libraries is partnering with the Liberty Campus and the Live Oak Public Libraries鈥� Hinesville Library to introduce a new part-time library technical assistant position that will support students and faculty on the Liberty Campus and the Hinesville community.

The assistant will move between the Hinesville Library and the Liberty Campus, which are adjacent to one another, to help students and faculty access the University’s library resources and make referrals to librarians across Georgia Southern鈥檚 three campuses. In addition, this person, alongside public library colleagues, will work with the Hinesville community. 

鈥淪uch collaborations bring the best of both worlds together, and 精东 Libraries is excited for the future connections this position offers,鈥� said Lisandra R. Carmichael, Ph.D., dean of University Libraries. 

This marks the first time University Libraries and Live Oak Public Libraries have collaborated in order to better serve the community of Georgia Southern students and faculty, in addition to public library patrons.

Live Oak Public Libraries is a system of 16 libraries providing programs and services in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties with a mission to provide excellent, responsive service to enrich people鈥檚 lives, support lifelong learning and build and enhance our communities. More information can be found at  

The University Libraries support 精东鈥檚 mission by providing access to information, collections, and services designed to meet the scholarly needs of the University and its diverse community. The libraries advance independent lifelong learning, information literacy, intellectual and creative discovery, and student success. We foster a welcoming and innovative learning environment, both physically and virtually, for research, collaboration and preservation of resources.