Live Oak Public Libraries

Mission: Inspiring the community to Grow, Create, Discover and Explore.

Strategic Priorities: Literacy: Supporting community efforts to increase literacy for all ages Engagement: Deepening and enhancing engagement between the libraries and our communities Spaces: Providing inspiring, accessible and inviting spaces for our community Staff: Cultivating a workplace culture where staff thrives and is continually learning Stewardship: Creating a legacy of growth and success for generations to come

History: The Savannah Public Library was established in 1903 in a room at the Georgia Historical Society and contained 23,000 volumes. The main library building on Bull Street was opened in 1916. In 1945, Effingham County Library joined Savannah Public Library to form The Chatham-Effingham Regional Library, and in 1956, the regional library expanded to include Liberty County, establishing The Chatham-Effingham-Liberty (CEL) Regional Library. The library’s name was changed to Live Oak Public Libraries in 2002 to reflect the personality of the region as well as the life and growth of its branches.

Live Oak Public Libraries is a system of 16 library locations serving a 3-county region in southeast Georgia.

In the year ending June 30, 2024, the Library hosted more than 635,982 visitors, checked out more than 1 million items, answered in excess of 260,600 questions, registered more than 853,000 computer sessions, and presented programs to more than 90,000 patrons in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties.