The Midway-Riceboro branch of the Live Oak Public Library is closed to allow staff to set up the new branch housed in the Liberty County Community Complex on Highway 84. The new library facility is expected to open Oct. 21.

Besides the library branch, the complex will feature a swimming pool set to open next summer and a kiosk for citizens to access county services online. Court, tax, property and other information will be available and plans call for services like paying taxes and registering to vote to be offered.

County officials are hoping for a formal opening of the complex facilities in early November.

The complex includes a meeting hall available to rent. The room has tables and chairs for 160 people.

Keep Liberty Beautiful is located at the complex, and the Recreation Department has plans to conduct classes in one of the large classrooms.

The renovated building had been last used as Liberty County Elementary School but was built as Liberty County High School in the days of segregated schools. The Liberty County High School Alumni Association is working to establish a museum and historical classroom there that will be open for public tours.

The county acquired the complex site through a land swap with the Liberty County Board of Education. The BoE wanted to use county-owned land at the site of the old Liberty County airport for its career academy, and an exchange between the two bodies was arranged.

Plans are under way for the replacement of Hinesville’s branch of the Live Oak Public Library. It will be sited next to the existing library at 236 W. Memorial Drive. Architects have been selected and design is in progress, but no specific timeline has been set.

Both libraries and other county complex projects were mostly funded by the voter-approved special-purpose local-option sales tax.