The public is cordially invited to join with civic and community representatives as the South Columbus Public Library kicks off it’s long awaited renovation with a ground-breaking ceremony. 

The festivities, which will also commemorate the temporary relocation of the branch to Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Torch Hill Road, will take place on Tuesday November 15^th at 4:30pm at the Library, located at 2034 South Lumpkin Road in Columbus.

The South Columbus Public Library first opened in 1992 and has only had cosmetic updates since that time. This expansion will more than double the size of the public and work space and will allow Library staff to better serve the community, including the many children and teens from nearby South Columbus Elementary and Eddy Middle Schools who participate in after-school programs each weekday. Features of the new Library will include a larger children’s department and dedicated teen space for expanded collections and programming, a 75-seat public meeting room, enlarged computer area equipped with updated technology, and additional study rooms to serve as distraction free spaces.  Library Director Alan Harkness commented,  “We can’t wait to give the South Columbus community the Library they deserve.  Everything about this expanded branch will be about providing custom service to our local residents.”

To facilitate construction the current location will close on Thursday November 10. The temporary location at the neighboring Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 1973 Torch Hill Road, is expected to open to the public on the following Thursday November 17. The temporary location will maintain the same phone number (706-243-2805 or 706-683-8805) and hours of operation which can be found atwww.cvlga.org/south-columbus-public-library.

Construction is expected to take 12-14 months with the renovated branch re-opening in Spring 2024. General Contractors for the project are Gordy Construction Company of Columbus, GA. The project is made possible through Muscogee County ESPLOST, the Georgia General Assembly, and the Muscogee County Library Foundation.