Effingham Co. Commissioners to vote on plan to leave Live Oak Public Libraries

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Tuesday, the Effingham County Board of Commissioners will vote on a resolution to withdrawal from the Live Oak Public Libraries (LOPL) system. Both libraries in the county—Rincon and Springfield—are part of the system.

The Effingham County Board of Commissioners’ explanation

The decision comes after the county hired a consultant last December to review their current agreement with LOPL.

Officials say the goal of the review was to “make sure your tax dollars are being spent wisely while ensuring that library services in Effingham County are the very best they can be.”

Former county commissioner Wesley Corbitt presented his findings to the board in August. The following month, the commissioners released a statement, breaking down the data.

The review compared Effingham County’s library funding, which is contracted through Live Oak Public Libraries, to Bulloch County’s. Their funding is contracted through Statesboro Regional Public Libraries. It’s important to note LOPL and SRPL are both members of the PINES Library Network, which is the statewide network of public library systems serving Georgia.

Per the review, Bulloch County’s operating costs, which pays for librarian salaries, benefits, equipment and general upkeep, rang up to more than $655,000 in 2025. Operating costs in Effingham were nearly the same.

Bulloch County’s administrative costs, which funds things like human resources, IT, finance, and upper-level management, equaled around $50,000. However, the review showed that Effingham County’s administrative cost totaled over $442,000.

County officials and their consultants believe operating as a single-county library system will save them money in the future.

Effingham County Manager Tim Callanan said the commissioners considered joining Statesboro Regional Public Libraries, but they ultimately decided to create their own county system instead.

The Board of Commissioners has listed several benefits to operating as a single-county system, including cost saving, local control, tailored services and improved services.

Callanan stressed that none of the librarians or staff members working at the Effingham libraries will lose their jobs.

Live Oak Public Libraries responds

Live Oak Public Libraries is adamantly against Effingham County’s decision to withdrawal.

In a statement dated Oct. 3, LOPL Executive Director Lola DeWitt said, “communities create public libraries to provide access for everyone to truthful information and credible, sourced facts. We take that obligation very seriously.”

She continued with saying, “we believe any decision to separate the Rincon and Springfield branches after more than 80 years should be taken only after careful deliberation of the facts and services. A decision like this deserves daylight and community engagement.”

LOPL created a webpage detailing what the libraries provide to residents, as well as what the county will be losing if they leave the system.

Library cardholders have access to over 2 million digital and 430,000 physical items through PINES, more than 500 free programs and museum and state park passes.

If the county withdrawals from LOPL, 93% of the books and materials in the current collection will be removed. 90% of the technology, including computers, printers and hotspots, will also be removed.

Residents have also voiced their concerns about the potential withdrawal, especially on social media.

Lauren Lassiter, who WTOC spoke with via Facebook messenger, said, “this goes back to the board wanting to defund the library because of their views on literature being ‘perverse’ and harming children… It is my belief that this method of ‘saving the library money’ is a round about tactic of banning books and being selective of what is on display."

In late 2023, members of the Board of Commissioners raised concerns over the availability of LGBTQ+ and sexually explicit content in the two Effingham libraries. They were met with strong public opposition that pressured them to table their discussion on the topic.

LOPL officials say if the Rincon and Springfield libraries do leave the system, Georgia residents still have access to their Chatham and Liberty County libraries.

What’s next?

Again, the Effingham County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. inside the Effingham County Administrative Complex to vote on the resolution to withdrawal from Live Oak Public Libraries and establish their own library system. The meeting is open to the public.

If they vote in favor, the Rincon and Springfield Libraries will be removed from the Live Oak Public Libraries regional system by the end of June 2026.

Be sure to stick with us for more coverage.