The role of the public library continues to change, and residents in Chattooga County and Trion have access to services that go well beyond checking out a book.

Both the Chattooga County Library on Farrar Drive in Summerville and the Trion Public Library are part of the Sara Hightower Regional Library System, which serves Chattooga, Floyd and Polk counties.

At the Chattooga County Library, technology has become an increasingly important part of what the library provides.

In addition to its traditional collection of books and other materials, the Summerville branch offers public-access computers, Chromebooks and computers available for checkout, along with mobile Wi-Fi hotspots that can help residents who do not have reliable internet access at home.

Those services can be particularly valuable in a rural county where internet access is increasingly necessary for everything from completing school assignments to applying for jobs and accessing government services.

Makerspace And S.M.A.R.T. Room Offer Hands-On Learning

The Chattooga County Library also includes a Makerspace, providing opportunities for patrons to learn, create and work with technology rather than simply consume information.

Another feature is the library’s S.M.A.R.T. Room, with the acronym standing for Science, Math, Art, Reading and Technology.

The specialized space reflects the growing emphasis libraries are placing on hands-on educational opportunities, particularly for children and young people.

For residents interested in the past rather than the latest technology, the library also maintains a Georgia History Room, providing resources for local and state history and genealogical research.

All of those services are offered alongside the library’s traditional role of providing books, reading programs, research assistance and community programming.

Trion Library Focuses On Accessibility

Meanwhile, the Trion Public Library has been working to make library services more accessible to residents with disabilities.

The Trion branch was awarded a $10,000 competitive grant from the American Library Association through its Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities initiative.

The national program was created specifically to help small and rural libraries better serve people with disabilities.

The initiative provides funding for libraries to work with their communities to identify accessibility problems and make improvements that allow more residents to fully use library buildings, programs and services.

Trion’s grant focused particularly on improving accessibility for people with mobility disabilities.

The Sara Hightower Regional Library System was selected for funding in more than one round of the American Library Association initiative, placing the regional system among libraries nationwide receiving money to address accessibility needs in smaller communities.

Libraries Filling New Roles In Rural Communities

The developments at the two Chattooga County branches illustrate how public libraries have evolved.

For generations, the primary reason for visiting a library was relatively simple: to find and borrow books.

Books remain at the heart of the local libraries, but today’s facilities are increasingly serving as community technology and education centers as well.

A resident without dependable home internet may be able to borrow a hotspot. Someone without a computer can use library technology to complete an application or conduct research. Children can participate in activities combining science, mathematics, art and technology, while residents researching their families can turn to historical and genealogical resources.

At the same time, efforts such as the Trion accessibility project are aimed at making sure those expanding services can be used by as many members of the community as possible.

Both the Chattooga County Library and Trion Public Library are part of the Sara Hightower Regional Library System, connecting local residents not only with services available at the two branches, but also with the larger Georgia public-library network.

The result is a local institution that still provides the service generations of Chattooga County residents know best — books and reading — while increasingly providing technology, internet access, educational opportunities, historical research and greater accessibility for the communities it serves.