Cobb Library Shop unveils The Summer '26 People's Collection
The Cobb Library Shop announced the official launch of The Summer '26 People's Collection, a vibrant 18-piece product line created in collaboration with local creators and elected entirely by community vote.
Marking the shop's 9th milestone collection since its debut in December 2025, this release represents a historic level of community involvement for the library system.
The collection is the direct result of May's "Design the Season" contest, which invited local artists to submit designs embodying summer, culture and community. The initiative drew 10 artistic submissions and rallied the public to cast 233 votes. While the initial goal was to select a single winner, an unprecedented three-way tie prompted the library to expand the project, keeping all three top designs to build an expansive, collaborative merchandise drop.
The three winning local artists are:
* Lynn Müster of Marietta took her very first watercolor class at the library's own Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center four years ago, making the collaboration a poignant full-circle moment.
* Slade Smith, a Marietta native and current senior graphic design student at the University of West Georgia, utilized principles of universal visual language to craft a recognizable and uniting visual identity meant to honor the community that raised him.
* Leilanix Ruiz channeled the whimsical joy of childhood library visits, designing a fun, familiar graphic meant to evoke the timeless happiness of reading.
Smith's cohesive, multi-symbol design serves as the official summer branding anchor for the collection's staple items. This specific logo utilizes a geometric sunrise to communicate summer and community, an open book to represent brand identity, and colored hills - inspired by Kennesaw Mountain - to signify overcoming challenges and fun. The watercolor visuals of Müster's "Summer in Georgia" and the nostalgic, playful energy of Ruiz's "Devour a Good Book" have been seamlessly integrated across custom footwear, lifestyle accessories and premium apparel.
"What makes this collection so special is the raw community involvement at every stage," said Slone Williams, Retail Operations & Creative Director for Cobb Library Shop. "We didn't just want to place art on a standard t-shirt. I intentionally selected specific products to capture a premium summer vibe, carefully adapting the artists' designs onto items that would bring their work to life in the best possible way. From the texture of the apparel to the lifestyle accessories, every piece was chosen to elevate the stories these local creators are telling."
To honor their creative contributions, each winning artist will receive a curated prize package featuring a piece of their choice from the newly debuted line, paired with an exclusive library swag bag. To commemorate the historic collaboration, the library will host an intimate celebratory reception, uniting the artists with the Community and User Engagement Team and members of the Cobb Library Foundation to present the gifts and honor the intersection of local art and public service.
The true impetus for the design contest came from a desire to elevate the voices of the library's patrons.
"The heart of this project lies in creating a collection that mirrors the identity of the community we serve, giving them the agency to shape the very fabric of our shop," Williams shared. "From its inception, our vision for the Cobb Library Shop has been to build a distinctive fashion brand that our patrons wear as a badge of honor - a tangible expression of their love for literature and learning. This collection is a love letter to Cobb County. It is a true 'People's Collection,' envisioned by our neighbors and brought to life through their collective voice."
Visit the Summer '26 People's Collection at https://cobblibrary.shop/collections/peoples-collection.
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