SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — Effingham County has begun working with the City of Rincon on plans for a new library branch and is exploring the potential for a second facility in South Effingham as part of a proposed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum expected on the November ballot.
County Manager Tim Callanan said the proposed projects are separate from the ongoing transition from the Live Oak Public Libraries system to the Statesboro Regional Public Libraries system. The county’s existing Rincon and Springfield branches will continue operating through the transition, which must be completed by June 30, 2026.
“The most important thing right now is taking care of the transition,” Callanan said. “There’s still a lot of work involved in that. But while that’s going on, we’ve promised to reinvest in our libraries and make them better than they are today. And with that, we’re looking at expanded services and new facilities.”
Planning for Rincon’s busiest branch
A new Rincon library could replace the current branch on West 17th Street, built in 1984, with a modern facility designed to meet growing demand at the county’s busiest branch. Callanan said the county is consulting with Rincon officials on potential locations and partnership opportunities, including whether to renovate an existing building or build a new facility.
“There will always be a library in Rincon. We are concentrating on the transition with the county and working as a team to cross the finish line,” Rincon Mayor Kein Exley said.
Callanan said the county will rely heavily on community feedback.
“We’d like a larger facility, because when programs like the summer reading program happen, the attendance is so large the Rincon branch can’t accommodate it. We have to find somewhere else to go,” he said.
He added that any new branch will be designed to meet current demand while also accommodating growth in the coming years, including securing enough land to allow for future expansion if needed.
South Effingham and new service models
In addition to Rincon, county leaders are evaluating the need for a new library presence in South Effingham, an area that has seen sustained residential growth in recent years. The proposed facility would expand access to residents who currently must travel to Rincon or Springfield for services.
Callanan also discussed the potential for unmanned facilities that would function similarly to Amazon Hub Lockers — secure, self-service kiosks typically located in public spaces such as grocery stores or shopping centers. Patrons would receive notifications when their requested books arrive and could retrieve them using a code without needing to visit a full library branch.
“These remote sites work hand in hand with the PINES system,” Callanan said, referring to Georgia’s statewide library lending network. “People can order a book online through PINES, and when it arrives at a locker, they get a notification and can pick it up at their convenience.”
He noted that this approach could serve areas where population density doesn’t justify a full branch.
“Communities like Guyton don’t currently have a library, and it might not make sense to build a traditional facility there,” Callanan said.
The county is also exploring ways to integrate library services with broadband access in northern Effingham, where reliable internet is limited.
“We could place these lockers in a community space that also provides library broadband access,” Callanan said. “That way, people can pick up books and use computers even if they don’t have internet at home. These are options that simply weren’t available five years ago.”
Funding and next steps
The projects could be funded through the next SPLOST cycle if voters approve the measure in November, as well as through state grants, Callanan said. SPLOST funding would allow the projects to move forward without increasing property taxes.
Before any decisions are made, Callanan said the county would like to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to evaluate population growth, service gaps, facility size requirements and long-term library trends before finalizing design and cost estimates. Public input will be encouraged.
“We want to make sure we’re building what the community truly needs,” Callanan said, noting that the assessment will help determine appropriate square footage, programming space, technology capacity and future expansion potential.
More details about the proposed projects are expected in the coming months, following the transition and as the county finalizes its SPLOST package for voters.
