NE Ga. Library System, T-SC Library Continue Moving Forward on Partnership Plan

The Northeast Georgia Regional Library System is moving forward with a planned partnership with the Toccoa-Stephens County Library to make it the central headquarters location for the region.

Northeast Georgia Regional Library System Regional Director Delana Knight said that the state has approved a change in its funding formula for libraries that would provide more money for salaries, but less money for materials and other regional operations.

As a result, Knight said the Northeast Georgia system is looking at this plan as a way to help fund regional operations.

She said under the plan, the Toccoa-Stephens County Library would simply be designated as the central library for the region.

According to Knight, that means that the region would pay salaries of two employees at the Toccoa-Stephens County Library, the manager and the children’s specialist, and the Toccoa-Stephens County Library would pay the regional library system back a percentage of that costs that could then be used for regional operations.

Knight said the new plan is also contingent on Stephens County maintaining its same funding level for the Toccoa-Stephens County Library.

She told Stephens County Commissioners that the library system appreciates the county’s constant support of the library.

“We have chosen, out of all the counties in our region, Stephens County because of the steady financial support you have shown our financial support over the past several years,” said Knight last week. “I am here to ask that you continue that support.”

She also said that this plan would not result in any reduction in services at the Toccoa-Stephens County Library for patrons.

Currently, the Northeast Georgia Regional Library system has offices in Clarkesville, but is not located in the Clarkesville library.

The Northeast Georgia Regional Library System works with libraries in Stephens, Habersham, White, and Rabun counties.