Sandy Springs residents have about two weeks left to join the Fulton County Library System's free "Unearth Your Story" Summer Reading program, which wraps up Saturday, August 1. The program is open to children, teens, and adults, and the Sandy Springs branch at 395 Mount Vernon Hwy. has upcoming events on the calendar for readers of all ages.
Registration and reading logs are available through Beanstack at fulcolibrary.org/beanstack or via the Beanstack app. The Summer 2026 edition of Library Access, the system's quarterly magazine, includes a four-page pull-out guide with recommended titles and event highlights. Print copies are available at all Fulton County branches.
What's coming up
Two events are scheduled at the Sandy Springs branch:
- Saturday, July 18, 3 p.m. — Author Pamela Sampson discusses her memoir "The Boy with the Backward Heart" at the Sandy Springs Library, 395 Mount Vernon Hwy.
- Thursday, July 23, 11 a.m. — "5 Senses with Blue Heron Nature Preserve," a hands-on nature program at the Sandy Springs Library.
The system-wide Summer Reading Finale takes place Wednesday, July 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Central Library, featuring dinosaur stories, music, games, art, and performer Jerry G. White.
A dinosaur at the Northside branch
Families near the Northside branch at 3295 Northside Parkway NW have an extra reason to visit. Staff introduced a Summer Reading mascot named Derrick, described as a "wild human-dino hybrid" who plays hide-and-seek throughout the building.
"We aren't sure how much longer Derrick plans to hang out with us, but he always makes us laugh playing hide-and-seek," Northside Library staff wrote on the system's blog on Tuesday, July 15. The dinosaur theme ties into the system-wide "Unearth Your Story" branding, which features prehistoric imagery across its summer materials.
The Northside branch, renovated in 2020, features dedicated spaces for children and teens. Families are encouraged to visit soon, as staff indicated Derrick's stay is temporary.
How to participate
Executive Director Gayle H. Holloman encouraged residents to take part in a message in the Summer 2026 Library Access magazine, noting that the system's "Year of the Book" initiative is underway across all 34 branches.
The program uses a color-coded event guide: green for kids, blue for adults, orange for teens, and yellow for all-ages events. Full details are available at fulcolibrary.org.
Upcoming community calendar
- Saturday, July 18, 3 p.m. — Author Pamela Sampson, Sandy Springs Library, 395 Mount Vernon Hwy.
- Thursday, July 23, 11 a.m. — 5 Senses with Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Sandy Springs Library
- Wednesday, July 29, 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. — Summer Reading Finale, Central Library
- Saturday, August 1 — Last day of Summer Reading; register at fulcolibrary.org/beanstack
