Commissioner: Timothy C. Ward

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

Emanuel Mitchell Promoted

FORSYTH, Ga. – The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) Interim Commissioner Timothy C. Ward announced the promotion of Emanuel Mitchell to director of library services for Inmate Services Academic Education Unit. In this role, Mitchell will oversee all offender library services throughout the state.

“Mitchell’s seventeen years of experience in library services will help us to develop our offender library services program,” Ward said. “We look forward to benefiting from his knowledge and expertise.”

Mitchell started his career as a paraprofessional in 2002 with Atlanta Fulton County Public Library System (AFPLS). In 2005, he was promoted to children’s librarian at the Ponce de Leon Branch of AFPLS. He also served on the advisory committee with Emory University Hospital Children’s First Step Program, teaching new parents the importance of reading aloud to newborns.

In 2010, Mitchell accepted the branch services manager position with Coweta Public Library System (CPLS). With his knowledge and passion for libraries, Mitchell helped complete the building of and develop the core collection for the Grantville Library within the CPLS. 

Most recently, Mitchell served as executive director of library services for West Georgia Technical College and Atlanta Technical College. During his tenure, he completed the construction of the Coweta campus library of West Georgia Technical College and Atlanta Technical College 16,000 square feet library, established a library advisory board, managed staff of five different library locations throughout the State Georgia and completed two successful SACS reaccreditations for Libraries.

He joined the department in December 2018.

About the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees. For more information on the GDC, call 478-992-5247 or visit https://gdc.georgia.gov.