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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: April 18, 2023 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 7-a <br /> SUBJECT: Library Services Task Force Report <br /> DEPARTMENT: County Manager <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Library Services Task Force Presentation Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager, <br /> 919-245-2306 <br /> UNDER SEPARATE COVER Erin Sapienza, County Library Director, <br /> Full Report Available Electronically at: 919-245-2528 <br /> https://orangecountync.gov/DocumentCe Susan Brown, Chapel Hill Library <br /> nter/View/23714/Library-Services-Task- Director, 919-969-2034 <br /> Force-Final-Report <br /> PURPOSE: To receive the Final Report from the Library Services Task Force regarding issues <br /> related to library funding and interoperability. <br /> BACKGROUND: In April 2021, the Board of County Commissioners and the Chapel Hill Town <br /> Council jointly approved creation of a Library Services Task Force to study County funding for the <br /> Chapel Hill Public Library and examine the costs of expanding interoperability between library <br /> systems. The Dispute Settlement Center was hired to act as facilitator for the Task Force. <br /> Task Force Members are: <br /> • Tiffany Allen, Chair of the Chapel Hill Public Library Advisory Board <br /> • Karen Curtin, Chair of the Friends of Chapel Hill Public Library <br /> • Diane Kelly, Chair of the Orange County Friends of the Library <br /> • Nerys Levy, Chair of the Carrboro Friends of the Library <br /> • Jess Anderson, Chapel Hill Town Council Liaison <br /> • Amy Fowler, Orange County Commissioner Liaison <br /> Chapel Hill Public Library Director Susan Brown and Orange County Public Library Director Erin <br /> Sapienza served as staff support for the work of the Task Force. <br /> The Task Force worked from April 2022 through February 2023. Task Force members explored <br /> and discussed County funding for the Chapel Hill Public Library and expanding interoperability <br /> between library systems in depth. Members considered historical information, practices among <br /> other library systems across the state, future impacts and expenses of the Southern Branch <br /> Library in Carrboro, thoughtful/equitable/sustainable funding formulas, potential cost/benefit <br /> scenarios, and the current systems, services, data, and operations of both the Orange County <br /> Public Library and Chapel Hill Public Library. <br />