Athens Clarke County Library Moves Closer to Completion in Athens, Ga.

There are meeting rooms, offices for library staff and a new mechanized book return system. There's a vending area with tables and chairs and an outdoor patio. The library store is larger. And there are computers galore, a much larger Heritage Room, a more central reference desk. The children's area is bright and happy and the storytime room is almost twice as large. Books that have been in storage are emerging. The chairs are comfy, the light is good, even the carpet is cool.

The $10.2 million price tag is covered by $8.2 million in 2005 Special Purpose Local Sales Tax funds and a $2 million grant from the State of Georgia.  The new checkout system and the materials will be covered by 2011 SPLOST funds.

Designed by architect David Moore, of the Greenville, S.C., firm Craig Gaulden Davis, the project will be LEED certified when completed.