Agenda - 12-12-2006-9e - Laserfiche WebLink

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~~ Orange County Library Long-Range Facility Planning The jurisdiction of the Orange County Library system includes all areas of Orange County exclusive of the Town of Chapel Hill, altlxough services are extended free of charge to Chapel Hill residents. The system includes a central library located in a 12,650 square foot facility in Hillsborough, the Cedar Grove Branch Library located with other Orange County services on Highway 86N, the Carrboro Branch Library co-located with the media center in the McDaugle Middle School, and tlae Carrboro Cybrary recently opened in downtown Carrboro. An analysis of registered borrowers of the Orange County Library system by township residence in 2001 indicated that the luglzest percentage of library borrowers lived in the Cheeks, Hillsborough, and Chapel Hill Townships, with the majority of the Chapel Hill Township registrations representing Carrboro Library borz~awers. Furkher analysis indicates that not only do the borrowers from Cheeks and Hillsborough represent a large percentage of the total library borrowers, but a relatively high percentage of the total populatian of these townships (46% and 50% respectively). Although the central library is housed in a facility with other Orange County government offices, it has gained an identity as "Hillsborough's library," rather than "Orange County's Library." It is the sense of the Task Force that this identity has contributed to the lack of understanding among tlxe public of library governance and funding responsibilities. The progress made in the last several years to extend aiid improve services to the Town of Carrboro has been the result of approaches from Carrboro residents directly to the Board of Commissioners. Although the resulting services are under the auspices of the Orange County Library administration, acompetitive tension appears to leave developed that could interfere with library progress overall if the Caunty does not assume a more comprehensive approaclz to library service alld facility development. Tlie developrrreut of library services for Orar:ge Caunty residents leas Geen fragrrrented at best, resulting irr great disparity in the level of IiGrary services provided tltrouglrorct the carry:ty. a Tlie, facilities and resources of the Orange Caunty .Public Library system are sigrrifcarrtly belofv the standard required to provide effective prrGlic IiGrary services. Library staff /ras been creative arrd resorrrcefrrl in "nrakirrg do" fvitli very lirrrited resor~rces. Chart #1 compares the resources available in 2002-2003 to Orange County residents from tlae Central Library with those at the Chapel Hill Public Library and in the State as a whale,. It demanstrates the disparity in available resources and the inadequacy ofresources in relatian to state averages and professional standards, 2002-2003 is the most recent year that comparative figux'es are available for North Catalina as a whole. 8