Columbia County withdraws from regional library system to become single region
EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Columbia County commissioners have voted to become a single county region.
Commissioners said in a statement that the county will stay in the state system, but will withdraw from the Clarks Hill Library Region.
The withdrawal means the county will become a single county region, which will allow the county to “have greater autonomy to address the unique needs and preferences of our residents, while continuing to receive state funding and access to all current state library system resources.”
This raises a lot of questions for the thousands of people who use the public library and the amazing programs it has to offer, with the PINES system that includes Libby, Hoopla and more, especially heading into the summer time.
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The PINES system isn’t going anywhere. Cardholders will still have access to more than 10 million books, DVDs and other items at any library in the Pines program.
County Manager Scott Johnson made it clear during Tuesday’s commission meeting. The county will still receive state funding, and a list of resources provided by the state.
While we don’t know everything on the list, Johnson says it includes Pines and Galileo.
“We would still continue to receive state funding and access to all the current state library resources, such as Pines, Galileo and all of the things they have in place,” said Johnson.
Johnson says the biggest change will happen internally with a new board.
“We would still have a regional board that would be the governing body over the library,” said Johnson. “It would be appointed by the board of commissioners, but they would be the governing body, so nothing changes there.”
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County leaders were not available to sit down with us today because of a leadership conference, and they said they will answer our questions on Thursday.
In the statement commissioners released, they say, “The Board of Commissioners understands the importance of providing quality library services and resources to our citizens and believes that staying with the state system as a Single County Region will allow the County to continue to do so effectively.”
The process has already started and received approvals from the state.
The change will be effective January 1, 2026.
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