SR 487: Ray City Community Library; membership in state-supported public library services; support

The Ray City Community Library in Berrien County has operated as a municipal library for more than 20 years without support from the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Because it lacks that state support, the library cannot access programs like interlibrary loan, the statewide PINES catalog, facilities planning help, or professional development, and it cannot receive certain state and federal funding. This resolution does not change any law. It states the Senate's support for the library becoming a full member of the Coastal Plain Regional Library System, which Berrien County already belongs to, and urges the Board of Regents, the Regents Public Library Advisory Committee, the Georgia State Library System, and local library boards to approve that membership. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies of the resolution to those bodies and other officials.

• Formally states the Senate's support for the Ray City Community Library joining the Coastal Plain Regional Library System.
• Urges the Board of Regents, the Regents Public Library Advisory Committee, the Georgia State Library System, and county and regional library boards to approve full membership for the library.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to those boards, the Georgia State Librarian, and other elected officials.
• Recognizes the library's role in preserving local heritage but creates no funding, mandate, or change to library law.

The Ray City Community Library, the City of Ray City, Berrien County residents who use the library, the Coastal Plain Regional Library System, and the Board of Regents' Georgia Public Library Service, which oversees state library funding and membership decisions.

Membership in the Coastal Plain Regional Library System would let the Ray City Community Library access state programs like the PINES catalog, interlibrary loans, and facilities planning, plus state and federal grants, potentially improving its collections and services for local residents.

• States the Senate's support for the library's membership in the Coastal Plain Regional Library System to become eligible for Georgia Public Library Service support.
• Recognizes the library's contributions to preserving local heritage and its importance to community growth.
• Urges the Board of Regents, the Regents Public Library Advisory Committee, the Georgia State Library System, the Regional Library Board, and the Berrien County Library Board to grant full membership.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to relevant library boards, the Georgia State Librarian, and elected officials.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
3. 2025-03-27Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Carden Summers (R, SD-13)Primary sponsor
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-8)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
• Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)
• Freddie Powell Sims (D, SD-12)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-15)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-14)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-50)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-21)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-49)
• Colton Moore (R, SD-53)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)

• public libraries
• Ray City
• Berrien County
• library funding
• PINES catalog