Our History

The History of Gwinnett County Public Library

Formation and Early Years

The State of Georgia provided financial aid to county libraries whose local support met the qualifications for state aid. Due to the fact that many counties were small in area and population, thus having limited resources for support, the Georgia State Board of Education encouraged county libraries to merge and form regional library systems. Such a merger was formed on June 1, 1956 by Gwinnett and Forsyth Libraries creating Gwinnett-Forsyth Regional Library. In 1957, the Norcross Library joined this regional system.

Expansion and Growth

Dawson County did not have any library service until June 1958 when it joined Gwinnett-Forsyth Regional Library. Because Lake Lanier was a common feature of the three counties, the name was changed to the Lake Lanier Regional Library.

The City of Buford agreed to pay the Lake Lanier Regional Library for library services and a branch was opened in 1967. Branches were also opened in Lilburn and Duluth in 1968 when both of these cities contracted for library services with Lake Lanier Regional. During the 1970’s libraries were also established in Snellville and in the community of Mountain Park. This brought the total number of branches to nine.

Challenges in Early Facilities

The majority of the libraries in the region had been constantly plagued with inadequate space and inadequate funds. Most of the branches were housed in whatever facilities could be found, such as a room in city hall, an old store, and the basement of an office building. The only branches that had buildings constructed for library use were Forsyth where a new building was built in 1967 and Norcross who occupied a remodeled building in 1971. The Dawson branch was originally built for a library and was remodeled after fire destroyed the interior of the building in 1982.

Bond Referendums and New Facilities

As the population of the region began to rapidly grow, especially in Gwinnett County, the inadequate space, materials, services, and funds became more and more critical. In 1986, a bond referendum was passed to provide funding for the building of new facilities for each of the seven existing branches in Gwinnett County and to add a new branch at Peachtree Corners.

In December 1987, the first new building was opened at Mountain Park. In rapid succession until August 1990, new buildings were opened at Snellville, Lilburn, Peachtree Corners, Duluth, Buford, Norcross, and Lawrenceville. The size of the total collection doubled and each building was approximately 10,000 square feet with additional space for a business center at Peachtree Corners, and a special needs center and regional headquarters at Lawrenceville.

The need for expanded facilities in Forsyth County became evident and a bond referendum was passed in 1988. This referendum of $2,100,000 million was for materials and equipment. The State of Georgia provided a $2 million construction grant in 1992 which enabled Forsyth County to construct a new building, approximately 26,000 square feet with greatly expanded technology and services.

Name Change and Further Developments

The Lake Lanier Regional Library continued to grow and change. By 1994, the number of items checked out exceeded 4 million giving the system the largest circulation in the state of Georgia. The funding was in excess of $8 million.

With the move of the Dawson County branch to the Chestatee Regional system on July 1, 1994, the Lake Lanier Regional Library changed its name to Gwinnett-Forsyth Regional Library.

An additional branch, Five Forks, opened in 1995.

On July 1, 1996, the partnership between Gwinnett and Forsyth counties was dissolved, and two independent public library systems were formed. The Gwinnett system changed its name to Gwinnett County Public Library.

Technological Advancements and More Branches

It was also in 1996 that the library system began offering Internet access, including access to Georgia’s virtual library, GALILEO, at all branches. Soon to become known as “Virtualville”, www.gwinnettpl.org was established as the official website and online branch of the library system.

The tenth branch, Collins Hill, opened in 1999. In 1999 the library system was named a finalist for the Library of the Year award. In 2000, GCPL went on to win this national honor.

In summer 2002, the system opened the Centerville branch. This branch shares facilities with a Gwinnett County community center. A twelfth branch opened in Suwanee on October 31, 2004, and the thirteenth in Dacula on April 15, 2006.

In August 2005, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Grayson branch. The branch opened to the public on Saturday, October 28, 2006.

The Hamilton Mill Branch opened to the public on April 24, 2010. This branch was designed to achieve LEED Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council.

On October 18, 2016, the City of Lilburn, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, and Gwinnett County Public Library hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a shared facility that houses Lilburn City Hall and a new Lilburn Branch.

Just five months later, the new Norcross branch opened on October 27, 2021. It is also double the size of its prior location. The branch sits next to a large public plaza and Lillian Webb Park. Inside, customers have access to a makerspace room, a video recording studio, an audio recording studio, a gaming room, two study rooms, and two meeting rooms.

A new branch in the city of Duluth opened on May 25, 2021. It too doubled the size of the former branch. It has an expansive meeting room with collapsing, moveable walls on each side. Also included are a smaller meeting room, 2 study rooms, a makerspace and two recording studios for audio/video creation and podcasting,

In September 2023, the new Elizabeth H Williams branch in Snellville opened. This facility is located in the city’s planned development, The Grove at Town Center, on Wisteria Drive. The new 22,000 square foot branch occupies the first floor of the two-story building. Customers have access to a large makerspace room, a recording studio, a gaming room, three study rooms, and a flexible meeting room with walls that can retract into the ceiling to make it a larger space. The Elizabeth H. Williams branch is the only branch to be named after an individual in the community. Mrs. Williams was a much loved and respected teacher in the Snellville schools.

Latest Branch: Hooper-Renwick Library

On June 16, 2025 the Hooper-Renwick Themed Library opened. It is built on the original site of the Hooper-Renwick School. In 1951, prior to desegregation, the school was established and served Black students in grades 1st through 12th. It was the only Black high school in Gwinnett County.

The 27,327 square foot building houses the library and immersive exhibits that showcase accomplishments and memorabilia related to the school. The library design incorporates the 1959 addition to the school into the new library and includes two makerspace rooms, an audio/video recording studio, a gaming room, two study rooms, a Black Studies room and permanent enhanced collection, and a multipurpose Meeting Room with space for 125 people with outdoor rooftop space.