The City of Kennesaw announced that its Parks & Recreation department will host its popular annual book swap on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Ben Robertson Community Center, 2753 Watts Dr, Kennesaw, GA 30144.

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The press release for the event describes it as followings

Residents can drop off gently used hardcover or paperback books, music CDs, DVDs, and vinyl records on Thursday, Jan. 23, and Friday, Jan. 24, from noon to 8 p.m. Participants will receive a ticket for each item they donate, which can be redeemed for the same number of items during the “open swap” on Saturday.

Books must have both front and back covers intact and be in good condition. CDs, DVDs, and vinyl records must be in their original cases and fully functional. Magazines, software, VHS or cassette tapes, adult content and unauthorized or illegal materials will not be accepted.

Items will be organized into categories: fiction, children’s, teen, nonfiction, DVDs and CDs/vinyl. Participants are limited to donating up to 75 books, 40 CDs, 40 DVDs and 40 vinyl records. The swap is free, and items cannot be purchased. Any items left over at the end of the event will be donated.

About the City of Kennesaw

Kennesaw, Georgia, originally called Big Shanty, emerged in the 1830s as a railroad town along the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The town played a pivotal role during the Civil War, notably as the site of the Great Locomotive Chase in 1862, where Union spies attempted to disrupt Confederate supply lines.

Following the war, Kennesaw grew as a small agricultural community. 

The City of Kennesaw was incorporated in 1887. With a population of 34,683 according to the latest census estimates, Kennesaw is the fourth-largest city in Cobb County, behind Mableton, Marietta and Smyrna. 

The primary zip codes for the city are 30144 and 30152.

The Mayor is Derek Easterling.

The City Council is:

Council Post 1: Madelyn Orochena (Term Expires 2027)

Council Post 2: Tracey Viars (Term Expires 2027)

Council Post 3: Pat Ferris (Term Expires 2025)

Council Post 4: Antonio Jones (Term Expires 2025)

Council Post 5: Anthony Gutierrez (Term Expires 2025)

The US Census Bureau provides the following quick facts about the city:

Population
Population estimates, July 1, 2024, (V2024)	NA
Population estimates, July 1, 2023, (V2023)	34,683
Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2024)	NA
Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2023)	33,233
Population, percent change – April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2024, (V2024)	NA
Population, percent change – April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2023, (V2023)	4.4%
Population, Census, April 1, 2020	33,036
Population, Census, April 1, 2010	29,783
Age and Sex
Persons under 5 years, percent	5.6%
Persons under 18 years, percent	21.7%
Persons 65 years and over, percent	12.8%
Female persons, percent	52.4%
Race and Hispanic Origin
White alone, percent	54.9%
Black alone, percent (a)(a)	21.0%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent (a)(a)	0.3%
Asian alone, percent (a)(a)	6.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent (a)(a)	0.1%
Two or More Races, percent	11.0%
Hispanic or Latino, percent (b)(b)	15.4%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent	53.0%
Population Characteristics
Veterans, 2019-2023	2,090
Foreign-born persons, percent, 2019-2023	17.7%
Housing
Housing Units, July 1, 2023, (V2023)	X
Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2019-2023	68.5%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2019-2023	$291,300
Median selected monthly owner costs – with a mortgage, 2019-2023	$1,736
Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortage, 2019-2023	$546
Median gross rent, 2019-2023	$1,763
Building Permits, 2023	X
Families & Living Arrangements
Households, 2019-2023	13,277
Persons per household, 2019-2023	2.50
Living in the same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+ , 2019-2023	84.1%
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2019-2023	22.2%
Computer and Internet Use
Households with a computer, percent, 2019-2023	98.2%
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2019-2023	96.4%
Education
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2019-2023	92.4%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2019-2023	47.1%
Health
With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2019-2023	7.5%
Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent	13.5%
Economy
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2019-2023	68.9%
In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2019-2023	65.4%
Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000)(c)	188,701
Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000)(c)	142,150
Total transportation and warehousing receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000)(c)	99,548
Total retail sales, 2017 ($1,000)(c)	1,186,810
Total retail sales per capita, 2017(c)	$34,676
Transportation
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2019-2023	27.7
Income & Poverty
Median households income (in 2023 dollars), 2019-2023	$79,759
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2023 dollars), 2019-2023	$40,906
Persons in poverty, percent	11.9%

Businesses
Total employer establishments, 2022	X
Total employment, 2022	X
Total annual payroll, 2022 ($1,000)	X
Total employment, percent change, 2021-2022	X
Total nonemployer establishments, 2022	X
All employer firms, Reference year 2017	1,282
Men-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017	665
Women-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017	296
Minority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017	S
Nonminority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017	757
Veteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017	54
Nonveteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017	972

Geography
Population per square mile, 2020	3,400.2
Population per square mile, 2010	3,155.1
Land area in square miles, 2020	9.72
Land area in square miles, 2010	9.44