Lola DeWitt, executive director of Live Oak Public Libraries, updated the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on the library system’s strategic plan, community programs and building projects during the board’s public meeting.

DeWitt said the system, which serves Effingham, Chatham and Liberty counties, completed a year-long strategic planning process and received “over 1,300 responses” from the public that informed five priorities with literacy as the top goal. “Our new mission and values were developed by a strategic planning committee that consisted of a group of 15 staff across the system,” DeWitt said.

The plan emphasizes literacy and community engagement. DeWitt highlighted the system’s summer reading work—“our summer reading challenge with over 8,000 sign ups”—and said 2,117 people attended kickoff events and roughly 24,000 people attended system programs over the summer. She said the system served “over 2,000” lunches in partnership with America’s Second Harvest.

DeWitt described new and expanded services: ready-to-read centers funded in part by Saint Thomas Thrift and the Green family at five locations (three in Chatham County); student play cards developed with Savannah-Chatham County Schools that let students check out up to five items without fines and provide after-hours access; circulating hotspots, Chromebooks, NASA kits and museum passes; and a new partnership to circulate blood-pressure monitors with the American Red Cross. She also said nine Live Oak employees completed LETRS (the science of reading) training and are using that training to develop programs and teach coworkers.

DeWitt outlined capital projects and recent repairs. She said Chatham County provided funding through the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to repair a leaking roof and damaged exterior wall at the Southwest Chatham Library. She also said SPLAS and state of Georgia funding has begun renovations at the Carnegie Library to address flooding and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance issues. DeWitt said the system is soliciting architect proposals for an Oglethorpe Mall replacement library and the Pooler replacement is in a design concept phase.

DeWitt recommended the county and public follow the library’s capital projects page for timelines and documents and noted September is library card sign-up month; the Chatham County ambassador for the campaign is Mia Mance, executive director of the Savannah Downtown Association.

Commissioners asked questions after the presentation. Commissioner Tanya Milton congratulated staff and confirmed event dates; Commissioner Taj asked for examples of nonbook items and DeWitt listed hotspots, Chromebooks, ukuleles, NASA kits and museum passes.

The presentation concluded with the board thanking DeWitt and library staff for their work.