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Orange County Library Long-Range Facility Planning . `~ b <br />NB: These figures include overlap, in recognition that residents will likely use znoz•e than <br />one facility because of complementary services and ease of access to their particular <br />residence, <br />a Tltat the Orange County Public Library develop a conrprelrerrsive 3-5 year strategic <br />action plan, which places priority arr achieving a vision of cornrtyrvide library service <br />acrd contirrrres to address the inequities in service and resources available in the <br />CO/rtrty. <br />This particular study and its recommendations focus on facilities, not on resources and <br />services. A major finding in this study (and in the 2001 study) is that facilities and the size of <br />staff and collections are inadequate to serve .the population outside of Chapel Hill, A strategic <br />planning process to develop an action plan to address inadequacies in resources and to <br />establish service priorities over the next three to five years as new facilities are developed is <br />an essential step that should begin very soon. <br />o Tliat a new Orar:ge County Central Library be corrstrrrcted adjacent to or zvitlrin the <br />Town of Hiltsbororrglr. The proposed library'fvould continue to serve as headquarters <br />for the Hycorreecliee Regional and Orange C'orrnty Library systems and serve as a <br />reference services center, for the county, as well as provide general public library <br />services, pragranrs, and collections serving all ages. It is estimated that given t1:e <br />cnrrerrt 20 year population projections mrd a design population of 100,000, a 65,000 <br />square foot facility would be needed: <br />^ Tlrat the County prrrsrre locating the proposed facility irr the Waterstone <br />development <br />^ Tlrat tl:e proposed library provide library services for strrdeuts of Drrrl:aru <br />Technical Corrtrurrnity College, deper:rling au frrrtlier negotiations between the <br />County and DTCC <br />^ Tliat an Orange County Heritage Center be established in Hzllsbororrgh's historic <br />district to make accessible the local history materials now located in the central <br />library as well as apprapr•iate rrraterials franc other archival collections irr the <br />county. <br />^ Tliat, if t/ie proposed cerrtr•a1 library is located outside of rlowntorvrr Hillsborortgli, <br />the Heritage Center include rreiglrborltood branch library services for the residents <br />of downtoivrt Hillsborough: Internet access, a small popular coltectiorr acrd <br />children's materials for check-orrt, and clrildrerr's programs. <br />There is an immediate need for a new headquarters library facility for Orange County that <br />also serves as the central library providing in-depth reference resources as well as general <br />public library services. As mentioned, the existing facility was too small when it opened 2.3 <br />years ago. Deficiencies cited during the planning process included, among others, lack of <br />shelving space (for atoo-small collection), shelving too high for children, cramped space that <br />interferes with work efficiency and public comfort, inadequate restroam facilities, and <br />structural weakness 1zmiting usability of space. Parking is limited, inconvenient, and unsafe. <br />The facility is on aloud-locked site with no room for expansion. <br />13 <br />