By Kelly Johnson
North Cobb Regional Library is the offspring of an arranged marriage to serve two villages, Acworth and Kennesaw. Given budget constraints and the growth of North Cobb at the time, the union of the Acworth Library and Kennesaw Library was destined. While the communities would approve the consolidation decades after both joined the Cobb County-Marietta Public Library System (CMPLS), the actual couple behind each library likely never knew just what shape their contributions to their communities or society would take.
The lass and Acworth Library:
In 1898, one Caroline “Carrie” Dyer, with six of her friends, founded a club called the Calleopeans, which is in reference to the Grecian muse of epic poetry and eloquent speech. The club’s name was in line with its focus as a literary, self-improvement, and poetry group. Calleopean is also a variant of calliopean, an adjective of the calliope instrument, which produces a loud, shrill, or piercing sound. In 1901, after Dyer’s death, the club was renamed in her honor.
The Carrie Dyer Reading Club joined the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) to become the GFWC Acworth Carrie Dyer Woman’s Club in 1908. As a historic women’s organization, the Dyer Club is the second-largest in Georgia; and after purchasing a historic house (circa 1850) and naming it the Carrie Dyer House, the club served the community of Acworth from its basement library for over forty years, before joining the Cobb County-Marietta Public Library System (CMPLS) in 1963.
The lad and Kennesaw Library:
Of the three people involved with the founding of the Kennesaw library, Dr. Lewis A. Ray was the beau that made the library happen. As chairman of the Cobb County-Marietta Public Library System and the system’s architect, he pushed for a 1965 bond to construct the library. He was supported by his “father and mother”, historian Dr. Thomas A. Scott and library service architect Dorthy Crossland, who contributed to Kennesaw Library its history and the first academic collection, respectively.
“Tying the knot” and “married life”:
The 1965 bond provided $985,000 to build Kennesaw Library and six other CMPLS libraries. Included was a dedicated building for the Carrie Dyer House library, the Acworth Library. From 1967 onward, the two libraries served their respective communities, ushering in the era of neighborhood or walkup libraries (and the library system’s change to Cobb County Public Library System, in 1969).
As the Acworth and Kennesaw communities grew and placed demand on their respective libraries, especially with growing school clusters and with consuming advancing technologies, a 1978 Renovation Wave helped the libraries keep up with people through the 80’s and into 90’s. By the 90’s, however, the digital age simply made the two libraries defunct. Tables meant for reading came to house computers; the 60’s square footage (around 5,000 sq ft each) made for cramped quarters; and integrated library system (ILS) software replaced the card catalog. Not to mention neither had the electrical infrastructure for the twenty-first century; and if the libraries couldn’t support the internet or Wi-Fi, they would become obsolete.
Between CCPLS, county commissioners, and the public, the Consolidation Debate addressed the Acworth and Kennesaw libraries in 2010. A six-year courtship ensued and led to the decision to “marry” the two libraries; and plans for their union broke ground in 2018. North Cobb Regional Library (NCRL) opened to both Acworth and Kennesaw in September of 2019.
The angular design of NCRL’s exterior is a reflection of Kennesaw Mountain in which its 25,000 square foot interior mimics the angularity of the outside but offers an outdoor openness. Combined with the infusion of today’s Dyer spirit of service, North Cobb Regional Library is the legacy of the past and future.
North Cobb Regional Library anchors two other CCPLS branches in North Cobb:
- Kemp Memorial Library (Marietta)
- Stratton Library (Marietta)
NOTE:
North Cobb Regional Library will be closed:
- Thursday, January 1st for New Year’s Day
- Monday, January 19th for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
The Cobb County website is currently under development, and so NCRL library events may be incomplete or unavailable online. Contact North Cobb Regional Library with event inquiries:
North Cobb Regional Library is located at:
3535 Old 41 Hwy NW
Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
+1 770 801 5320
As always, check out that book, and get your creativity on. Your brain will thank you.
Be sure to subscribe to the Cobb County Public Library System’s (Library System) Newsletter here.
JANUARY 2026
WEEK 1
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| January 01, 2026 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | NEW YEAR’S DAY |
| January 02, 2026 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 03, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
JANUARY 2026
WEEK 2
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| January 04, 2026 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| 13:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 05, 2026 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 – 20:00 | Mark Albertin’s Exhibit of the Okefenokee & Georgia | ||
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Girls Who Code Club | ||
| January 06, 2026 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 07, 2026 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 16:00 | Family Board Game Night | ||
| January 08, 2026 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 11:00 | Adults with Special Needs Meet Up | ||
| January 09, 2026 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 10, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
JANUARY 2026
WEEK 3
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| January 11, 2026 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 12, 2026 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 16:30 | Video Game Club | ||
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Girls Who Code Club | ||
| January 13, 2026 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 10:00 | The Robinson Perspective: A Creative Journey Exhibit | ||
| January 14, 2026 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 16:00 | Family Board Game Night | ||
| 16:00 | Whatever Wednesday | ||
| January 15, 2026 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 11:00 | Adults with Special Needs Meet Up | ||
| January 16, 2026 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 17, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
JANUARY 2026
WEEK 4
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| January 18, 2026 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| 13:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 19, 2026 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY |
| January 20, 2026 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 10:00 | The Robinson Perspective: A Creative Journey Exhibit | ||
| January 21, 2026 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 13:00 – 14:30 | Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion | ||
| 16:00 | Family Board Game Night | ||
| January 22, 2026 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 11:00 | Adults with Special Needs Meet Up | ||
| 16:30 | Marble Roller Coasters | ||
| January 23, 2026 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 24, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
JANUARY 2026
WEEK 5
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| January 25, 2026 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| 13:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 26, 2026 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 18:00 – 19:00 | Girls Who Code Club | ||
| 18:00 | Horror Book Club The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones | ||
| January 27, 2026 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 10:00 | The Robinson Perspective: A Creative Journey Exhibit | ||
| 14:00 | Cover To Cover Book Discussion The Names by Florence Knapp | ||
| January 28, 2026 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 16:00 | Family Board Game Night | ||
| January 29, 2026 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 11:00 | Adults with Special Needs Meet Up | ||
| January 30, 2026 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| January 31, 2026 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 10:00 | A Dream Rooted in the Declaration | ||
| 11:00 | Regency Ready Crafts | ||
Kelly Johnson, a resident of Cobb since 1999, wears multiple hats for Chaos Studio Seven, among which is creative writer. Outside of speculative and science fiction—and on occasion poetry—Kelly uses his skill set as a writer to report on and inform the community.
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