Free Movie Screenings in East Cobb

The East Cobb, East Marietta and Mountain View branches are showing family- and children-oriented films in October.

October film screenings at Cobb County Public Library System branches include entertaining and thought-provoking movies for all ages. Films are in the lineup for the Central, Mountain View, East Cobb and East Marietta branches. For more information on film screenings and other events at the libraries, visit the Programs section of cobbcat.org or call any library branch.

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East Marietta Library Maintenance Work

The branch's outdoor book drop is temporarily unavailable because of repairs.

Improvements to the parking lot of the East Marietta Library will close off access to the branch's outdoor book drop bins early this week. On Sunday morning, the Cobb County Library System notified patrons of this change on its Facebook page: "Parking lot maintenance at the East Marietta Library will block access to the book drops for the next 2 days. We apologize for the inconvenience." The branch is located at 2051 Lower Roswell Road, next to Sewell Park.  

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Banned Books Week: What You Need to Know

Censorship is alive and well, as highlighted by Banned Books Week—and you might be surprised by who the most vocal challengers of books are.

The importance of the First Amendment and the concept of "intellectual freedom" might not always be readily apparent to most kids, but Banned Books Week is a great opportunity to make those lessons come alive for children—and adults. Banned Books Week is held annually during the last week of Sept. (Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2012). The week is an occasion for libraries and bookstores across the U.S. to help folks realize just how real and ongoing a problem censorship is. In East Cobb, you can show your support for the freedom to read by visiting the Mountain View Regional Library, the East Cobb Library or the East Marietta Library. More than 11,000 books have been challenged (though not necessarily successfully censored) since 1982, the inaugural …

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East Cobb POV: Rob Maynard

Middle School and The Teenage Years

Your humble columnist is about to find out the difference between stereotype and reality when it comes to feeding and caring for a teenager under his roof.

I exited my old car and hustled up the steps of my neighborhood East Marietta Library branch, two books to bring back and new ones beckoning from the shelves. I picked up Thackeray, Philip K. Dick, and James McPherson’s most recent Civil War paen to Lincoln’s military genius. My tastes are diverse; it’s true. My family sometimes laughs at my obscure choice of books to read at night before I sleep. But now that my daughter has a Kindle Fire, books made out of paper and ink and cardboard and glue begin to seem a relic, like phone booths or turntables. She’s a digital native you see. Dad is an immigrant. Our little rosebud turns 13 this fall, on the precipice between bud and blooming flower. The thought of living with a teenager moves from …

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Kids Discover Heroes at Cobb Libraries

The East Marietta branch is participating in art workshops for kids as part of the End of Summer Reading Celebration.

The Cobb County Public Library System is partnering with Kutz4Kids Incorporated, a nonprofit organization, to offer a series of art workshops for children designed to help them discover their own heroes. These inspirational events will be offered during the months of June and July at various library locations, and the resulting art gallery will be on display at the End of Summer Reading Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Central Library. The concept of the workshops, developed by Kutz4Kids founder Justin Tutt, is to empower children to see that their own hero lies within themselves. Tutt, a recent Kennesaw State University graduate, was inspired to create the event when he saw the opportunity to help children in his own community. He …

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Go Green, Donate Books

If you have some gently used books, the Cobb County Public Library System is gladly accepting them.

Are your books collecting dust? Donate them to the Cobb County Public Library System. Donations from the public support the ongoing and special book sales held by the Friends of the Cobb County Public Library System, which in turn support the library system’s book budget. The Friends’ book sale raises money for the library system’s existing book budget, which has been reduced 17 percent in the past 12 months. “We have had a substantial decrease in our funding from the state and from Cobb County,” library director Helen Poyer said. “The Friends organization is helping the library make ends meet at a time when demand for books has increased dramatically. And by recycling their books by donating them to the library, the public is helping not …

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Reduced Hours for Cobb Libraries Announced

Cutbacks go into effect May 1, including East Marietta, East Cobb and Mountain View branches.

Although they were spared the chopping block during the recent county budget deliberations, the East Cobb and East Marietta branches of the Cobb County Public Library System will be open fewer hours starting next week.  Reduced operating hours for all Cobb branches were announced on Wednesday. The East Cobb branch will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. The current hours for the location at the Parkaire Landing Shopping Center are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday.  The new hours for the East Marietta branch on Lower Roswell Road near Sewell Park will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Friday …

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Bill

9:37 pm on Wednesday, April 27, 2011

There is nothing wrong with reducing hours, it is better than closing branches or terminating employees. In my opinion the main library in Marietta could use a few less employees, I seldom get there but last week I was there and it seemed overstaffed. All county departments need to be trimmed and in fact ALL levels of government need to be reduced, either will cut back hours, furlough days or …   more ›

Moms Talk

Here for the Books, and More

East Cobb moms say that Cobb County’s public libraries provide more than books but a connection to the community and cost-effective access to media

Just days after Cobb County commissioners amended the county budget and avoided a massive system-wide proposed closure of 13 library branches, East Cobb Patch wanted to talk to moms about their use of the library’s resources and what they’d do without them. Dee Swann is a work-from-home mother of three who range from pre-K to fourth grade. Swann, who works as a trainer in the insurance industry, says she has found books at her local branch that she encourages her staff members to read. For her, borrowing books from the library also lessens the environmental impact of purchasing an increasing number of new books rather than sharing existing ones within the community. She frequents the Mountain View Regional Library. Sharina Gandy is a new …

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East Cobb POV: Tim Langley

Before You Close the Libraries . . .

One Libertarian's perspective on how to close the Cobb budget deficit.

Amazing! The solution for closing our significant spending gap in Cobb County government is to close libraries? Holy cow! Hey, I'm of the Libertarian bent and would like to reduce every level of government to the absolute smallest degree. But, after police and fire departments, I think libraries are one of the most cost-effective and beneficial services our county government can provide. Once the money has been invested in the physical plant, the cost to operate our public library system can't be that great. Has Chairman Tim Lee really taken an in-depth look at other areas where spending could be cut? Or has the focus been purely on cutting expenditures without considering other ways to reduce expenses and increase revenues without …

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Lee's Budget Cuts Would Close East Cobb, East Marietta Libraries

Commissioner Ott upset over proposed East Cobb branch closures.

A year after the East Cobb Library opened and just as plans for renovating the East Marietta Library are proceeding, both branches could be shutting their doors by the end of the month.  The Marietta Daily Journal is reporting that all but four library locations in the county would close by May 1 under Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tim Lee’s budget-balancing plan.  The MDJ says Lee’s proposal to close a deficit in the current fiscal year estimated at more than $31 million would close 13 of 17 libraries countywide, three senior centers, two swimming pools and the Mable House amphitheater, as well as cutting back on other services. Each county department would be asked to cut its budget by 3.5 percent, and the millage rate …

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