Could The East Cobb Library Check Out of Its Current Strip Mall Location?

Cobb County officials want to replace the East Cobb Library with a $25 million freestanding facility on county-owned land, ending more than a decade of leasing space at a shopping center.

What’s Happening: The East Cobb Library is the only branch in Cobb County’s library system that leases space instead of owning its building. It has operated inside Parkaire Landing Shopping Center since 2010.

County officials included a new library building in the proposed 2028 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax project list submitted by department heads. The project carries a $25 million price tag.

What’s Important: The county has not chosen a location for the new library. Officials are reviewing several options for county-owned property.

The current library occupies 17,000 square feet and includes study rooms, meeting rooms, and community space. Officials said they plan to expand the facility beyond its current size.

What Changed: The East Cobb Library opened at Parkaire Landing in 2010 after operating at Merchant’s Walk Shopping Center since 1979. The shopping center’s redevelopment company paid the county to relocate the library.

Officials said high land prices led them to lease space instead of building at that time.

The Process: The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is a one-percent sales tax that funds county projects. Voters must approve it through a referendum.

Cobb County commissioners could vote to call for that referendum as early as April. If approved, the referendum would appear on the November ballot.

County officials and leaders from Cobb’s seven cities must finalize their project lists by April. The tax would fund roads, public safety facilities, parks, libraries, and maintenance projects.

What’s Next: Public meetings on the proposed tax begin next week. The first meeting is scheduled for Thursday at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center in East Cobb. Another meeting in the area will take place January 29 at Fullers Recreation Center.

Meetings continue through March 10. Officials said public input will help shape the final project list.

Catch Up Quick: The East Cobb Library faced a closure proposal in 2018 as part of county budget cuts. Public opposition stopped that plan.

At that time, the branch circulated more than 250,000 items per year. The county paid $263,000 annually in rent.

Why do libraries matter?: In the era of ebooks, Amazon, and digital reading, you may wonder why news coverage of libraries is still important. Libraries are about more than just books. If you think all you can do at a library is check out books, you haven’t been to one in a while. Your local library is a community center that offers classes and programs, and more to individuals and families.