Newnan, GA, Reopens Carnegie Library

City shifts some funds <del>Library broke</del> from county system to focus on local needs

Lynn Blumenstein -- Library Journal, 09/21/2009

• Early literacy, adult education a priority
• Not a full-service library
• Designated city sales tax helps fund effort

[Note corrections as of 11/2/09]

The Newnan Carnegie Library (NCL), GA, is unique in several ways. The building recently returned to its original use as a library (it had been used as a courthouse and jail since 1987) and is only one of two libraries in the state not aligned with a county library system.

Newnan, a city of 27,000, is about 40 miles southwest of Atlanta.

Rebirth a grass-roots effort
As a city-funded library in the state of Georgia, it isn’t eligible to request state library funds, NCL spokesperson Foundation board member Carol Burke told LJ. But that fact didn’t deter Burke and other volunteers from bringing back a local library serving local needs.

They convinced the City of Newnan that funds allocated for inclusion in the Coweta County Library System (CCLS) could be better used locally. While citizens of Newnan still have membership privileges at the Coweta County Library System (CCLS), they now have an easily accessible facility that offers the specific services they need.

Springing from local service groups, the NCL Foundation, established as a 501(3)c, grew to more than 100 members. The nearest county library facility was three miles from downtown Newnan and supporters wanted to bring back the Carnegie library that served the downtown from 1904 to 1987.

County, city cooperation
The City Council and CCLS agreed to a timetable for withdrawal a reduced contribution. Over three years, Newman reduced its annual contribution to CCLS from $500,000 to $150,000 to $200,000, at the same time building up funds for the local library. Additionally, voters approved a one percent sales tax.

Eventually, some $1.5 million was saved to renovate and reopen NCL. The two-story,4800 9600 square foot building isn’t large enough to be a full-service library, acknowledged Burke, but it was designed to focus on specific local needs, as determined by surveys—preschool literacy services, adult education, and "a quiet place to come and read."

Local service focus
With a annual city contribution of $200,000 plus the sales tax proceeds, the library focuses on providing resources for early literacy, including books and storytimes. It also offers adult lectures (the second story has been resurrected as an auditorium.) NCL is staffed by an accredited school media specialist state certified librarian and a part-time employee, said Burke.

There are several preschool groups near the library, five involving day care, one from a school, and one from Head Start, said Burke, and they all visited the library during the opening week last week. "We want to make reading a happy experience for them," she said.

Also during opening week, NCL sponsored history lectures. U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson participated in a "you tell me" forum, questioned about current issues by high school students.

For now, NCL is open Monday through Friday,8 9 a.m.to 5 p.m., a schedule that Burke vows to alter. In the meantime, there is a separate entrance to the second-floor auditorium.