Middle Georgia Regional Library opens new Cathy Ivey Community Library in Macon

The $2.4 million project expands access to literacy and learning for families, students and seniors across Bibb County.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Middle Georgia Regional Library celebrated the newest addition to its Bibb County branches with a grand opening ceremony of the Cathy Ivey Community Library on Monday.

In September, the library, located at 5494 Forsyth Road, announced the new branch’s name as the Cathy Ivey Community Library in honor of longtime volunteer and former board of trustee’s member Catherine Ivey.  

Purchased in 2021 as a former daycare center, the site of this library branch was chosen for its proximity to residential neighborhoods, schools, and senior living communities.  

Director of libraries Jennifer Lautzenheiser says the decrease in children’s literacy rates was a key factor in opening this location.

“The close proximity to a number of schools and neighborhoods really means that access to our services is really fast, easy, and convenient for families…. and we think that really important,” she said. “You know families have a lot of things happening, pulling on them with demands and making literacy easy and achievable is one of our goals.”

The $2.4 million project was funded by state major repair and rehabilitation dollars, the Macon-Bibb County board of commissioners, and the generosity of local donors. Lautzenheiser says Cathy would be so proud.

“As they mentioned, Cathy Ivey was an incredibly humble servant, very focused on libraries and literacy,” she said.

The library will provide full services, a children’s garden and easy access from north and west Macon.