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Conyers-Rockdale library leaders highlight statewide reading gains, expand services and passport program
Summary
Library leaders told the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners that the system topped state peers on a children's reading metric, rolled out circulating Verizon hotspots and expanded passport-by-appointment services, and announced new early‑learning tools and park-side story walks.
The Conyers-Rockdale library leadership told the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 10 that the system has improved youth reading outcomes and is expanding services to close access gaps.
At the meeting the library director described a year-long strategy to better align collections and programming to the community. The presentation credited educators and a no-fines children's policy for increased engagement and asserted the system's reading score is about 14% higher than the next-largest system in Georgia. "We're number 1 in the state of Georgia," the director said during the presentation.
Library staff outlined several new or expanded services: a park-side story-walk for families; circulation of mobile hotspots to provide Internet access outside the building; expanded device lending (including Chromebooks); and outreach to register students for library play cards through Rockdale County Public Schools. Assistant director Bridal Osborne presented statistics showing a steady rise in new library cards and said roughly 81% of users live in Rockdale County while about 19% come from neighboring counties.
The library also described a new passport-by-appointment service that staff said has been fully booked since launch. Presenters said the library meets federal photo requirements with an on-site photo booth and has added two passport agents to help meet demand, including new Saturday hours beginning Nov. 19. A demonstration of an early-learning audio device (referred to in the presentation as the "Wazoodle"/"Lazoodle") illustrated how the library is piloting tools aimed at emergent readers.
Why this matters: County library services are a routine but visible local investment in education and digital inclusion. The board noted that passport services and circulating hotspots both reduce friction for residents who might otherwise travel to other counties for those services.
The board thanked the presenters, encouraged residents to visit the library's website for program details, and briefly invited public conversation after the meeting. No formal vote was required.
