For more than 60 years, the Satilla Regional Library System has provided an abundance of information services and programs to the local communities of Coffee and Atkinson counties. The Satilla Regional Library System is made up of six libraries between the two counties: Douglas-Coffee County Public Library, Ambrose Public Library, Broxton-Charles Ingram Public Library, Nicholls Public Library, Pearson Public Library, and Willacoochee Public Library. The Douglas-Coffee County Library is the headquarters library, with around 75% of the system’s total usage.
There are a number of places to visit through the library system. The state provides the libraries with passes to visit places such as the Atlanta Zoo and the Macon Museum. The Douglas-Coffee County Public Library offers some some additional passes to travel to the Okefenokee Swamp Park, Chehaw Park, Flint River Aquarium, and the Cummer Museum in Jacksonville, Florida.
The library also gives children so many fun and exciting reasons to come in and use their resources or take part in their programs. There are the spring and fall programs like the Lego Club, gaming club, story times, and movie matinees. The local library also offers several different programs for children who are out of school for the summer. Some of these programs include virtual crafts, Just Dance and Mario Cart tournaments, in person performers, and movie matinee’s. Community partners such as the Wiregrass Artists Guild, art teachers from Atkinson County schools, and the Coffee High School art teacher will be coming in for the spring and fall library art shows. During the fall, the library will be working with the Coffee County Farm Bureau to offer another family gardening program.
According to Rodney McElveen, the library’s director, a lesson they learned from COVID was that they weren’t offering enough electronic resources. He states, “When I came to Satilla Regional Library four years ago, we only had eBooks and eAudiobooks via GADD. Now, we offer anyone with our Satilla Regional Library cards free tutoring as well as job assistance, and can even connect with a live tutor to conduct mock interviews.” Rodney says they now offer Hoopla, which includes not only eBooks and eAudiobooks, but eMovies, eMusic, eComics, and eTV shows with no wait time or late fees. They also give children the opportunity to learn through streaming movies and instructional movies by using Kanopy, Tumblebooks that will read the book to the child, and the option to use ABCMouse at home with their Satilla Regional Library card.
For more information on how to access the Satilla Regional Library systems resources and seasonal programs, visit https://srlsys.org/your-library-on-the-go/