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

Browse Search

al~ Orange County Library Long-Range Fneiliry Planning unlikely that space requirements will be substantially reduced by the electronic formats.: Space-will still be required for the preservation of original valuable documents and materials not easily digitized. o That tke Ormrge County Public Library cornbir:e the collections, staff, and services presently located at McDougle Middle Sclrool acrd the Century Center, arrd establislc one branch library facility to serve tlce Toivrc of Carrboro, western rurincorporated areas of tlce Chapel Hill Township, mrrl the sorrtltern area of Bingham Township. Xt is estimated that given tlce current 20 year population projections, a newly constructed ,facility of ZS,000 square, feet wotttd be ueerled. Residents of Carrboro have for many ,years depended on the Chapel Hill Public Library for library service and have been seeking a more accessible public library facility. To respond to these requests, the Orange County Public Library first opened a branch in the media center at McDougle Middle School. More recently, with support from the Town of Carrboro, it has added a Cybrary downtown to complement hours and services at the school. Although the present facilities are innovative approaches to addressing critical needs for library services, access and resources are limited. The public library at the Middle School operates only during the hours school is not in session. The opening of the Cybrary is an attempt to increase access and extend hours available, but staffing, collections, and services are very limited. The Carrboro Library Wozkgroup has recently recommended that astand-alone branch library of 6,000-8,000 square feet replace these two facilities.. As the Orange County Library Task Force reviewed this situation with the consultant, it agreed that the need for service extends beyond the town limits of Carrboro and determined that the design population for a new facility should include the broader region of Southwest Orange County and discussed its potential role as a regional branch library similar to those in Walce County. As with the central library, the consultant developed a set of basic requirements for the branch using the proposed design population (including 20-year projections for the broader Southwest Orange population) and identified potential functions to be accommodated in the facility. Appendix A itemizes these requirements and functions. Appendix F calculates the proposed size of the facility based on the set of requirements and functions. The resulting optimal size for a newly constructed facility is 25,000 square feet. Alternatives to constructing a facility of this size immediately include the following: M Leasing a smaller facility and moving to larger facilities as needs indicate ^ Constructing a smaller facility but locating it on a site which has space for an expanded facility ^ T/tat the Orar:ge County Public Library establislc a brmcclz library to serve Cheeks Township, its size dependent on the tinrirrg of the openirsg of the library and srrbsegrrent changes in population projections for tl:e to~vrrsliip. l't is estimated that, given the current 20 year population projections, a newly constructed facility of Y0,000 square 17