Marquita Gooch-Voyd Named 2021 Georgia Librarian of the Year - South Atlanta Moms

Commissioner Felicia Franklin is pleased to announce that the Georgia Public Library System has named Clayton County’s own Marquita Gooch-Voyd as the 2021 Georgia Librarian of the year. She is the first woman of color to receive this honor.

Gooch-Voyd serves as the Assistant Director for Technology and Training for the Clayton County Library System and is responsible for its marketing.

Family, friends, and colleagues nominated her because of her knowledge, reliability, honesty, and transparency in her work.

The Georgia Public Library System acknowledges Gooch-Voyd for successfully implementing a hotspot checkout program for members and improving the library’s technology so that they could move their programming seamlessly online when COVID-19 shutdowns occurred. She then grew the library’s presence on social media to bring in new customers. She shared best practices with her peers by serving on various committees and presenting statewide and nationally.

“It is a complete honor for being recognized for doing the hard work that I love,” Gooch-Voyd says. “I have never felt more fulfilled than working in a public library.”

Gooch-Voyd shared that her primary goal in Clayton’s Library System is to continue expanding its Trade Skills Training Program to bring in both businesses and trade schools that focus on trades.

Training is available to the community to learn HVAC, Facilities Maintenance, and Commercial and Residential Electrical Repairs—all free of charge. With this program, participants receive real-world experiences while learning through modern programming with 2D, 3D, and virtual reality assimilations. “The Clayton County Library System is more than a repository of books,” Gooch-Voyd says. “We are a community-centered hub for education, exploration, and innovation.”

An Atlanta native, she received her undergraduate degree from American Intercontinental University in Business Administration and her Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University.

At the April 6th Clayton County Board of Commissioners Meeting, Commissioner Felicia Franklin presented Marquita Gooch-Voyd with a Proclamation for achieving this honor and her commitment to the Clayton County Public Library System and the citizens of Clayton County.

For more information about Commissioner Felicia Franklin, access: https://www.claytoncountyga.gov/government/board-of-commissioners/district-3 

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