Communication in small communities rarely flows through just one channel.
In Oglethorpe County, official information is often shared through posted agendas, city government websites and Facebook pages. But with a population of just over 16,000, residents say information still travels in more traditional ways: through personal connections, word of mouth and local news.
As residents rely on different channels to stay informed, city officials face the challenge of reaching people who may never see an agenda or government post online.
Lexington City Council member Ronnie Boggs said the city often relies on county-level communication rather than issuing its own announcements, especially during emergencies.
“We’re such a small town, we kind of rely on the county to be the platform to get information out,” Boggs said.
He said while the city maintains a website and Facebook page, he doesn’t see social media, particularly the Facebook groups, as a reliable way to share official information.
“You get 10 different answers, and one of them might be correct,” Boggs said. “The speculation just runs rampant.”
Instead, Boggs said residents often turn to familiar points of contact for information, including city clerk Kim Bradford.
“Everybody knows the city clerk,” Boggs said. “She’s ground zero for Lexington.”
At the Oglethorpe County Library, branch manager Nicole Hensley sees the mix play out daily. The library relies heavily on Facebook and Instagram to promote events and services, posting consistently and using Facebook’s “events” feature to reach residents.
“We use social media pretty heavily,” she said. “That’s mostly how we try to get the word out about what we’re doing here at the library.”
However, digital outreach is only part of the strategy. Hensley said the library also depends on direct, personal conversations with patrons who regularly stop by the front desk, an approach that reflects the county’s smaller size and close-knit nature.
“When people come in, we try to let them know, ‘Hey you came to this thing last time, this is going on next,’” Hensley said.
That familiarity reflects a broader pattern across Oglethorpe County, where information often moves more quickly through personal networks rather than formal announcements alone.
“If we don’t know, we probably know somebody who does,” Hensley said.
Social media, particularly Facebook groups, has become one of the county’s most active information — and misinformation — hubs.
From road closures to local business hours, community events and birthday wishes, these groups contain a wide array of information. Hensley said the groups are more reliable than they once were, but still require some discretion from readers.
“You have to tell the difference between someone who’s working for an organization sharing true information versus someone just ranting,” she said.
Local news still plays a significant role in how residents stay informed. Hensley said many library patrons regularly pick up The Oglethorpe Echo, which the library receives every week.
She said The Echo is an important way for organizations to share information with the community.
“We have several (people) that come in every week just to sit down for a minute, look through it and see what’s going on,” Hensley said.
The reliance on personal networks is common across the county, said April Moore, the coordinator of Oglethorpe County Family Connection.
Moore, who lives in Sandy Cross, said word of mouth remains the primary way information spreads across the county, but local news continues to reach residents who may not use social media.
“People actually still do get The Echo,” Moore said. “A lot of seniors started getting it years ago and they never stopped.”
Moore said the paper remains a trusted source for parents and longtime residents looking to stay informed.
“When you’re born in an area, you kind of know people,” Moore said. “It’s a very rural, very small town. The population here is very small, so a lot of it is just knowing people.”
Moore said while social media plays a role, it’s not always the most effective tool for reaching everyone in the county.
“Some people in our county still don’t have internet,” Moore said. “Even internet that’s reliable has really only gotten better in the last few years.”
She continued, saying that it can create barriers during situations when information is shared primarily online, such as weather emergencies or road closures.
“I do think it could be a barrier,” Moore said. “Not everybody has social media, and not everybody has the same access to technology.”
Lexington resident Alvin Clark said he doesn’t use Facebook or Instagram and instead learns about what is happening through conversations with others. Clark added communication throughout the county is generally effective, but said some information lacks clarity.
“I get information from word of mouth,” he said.