Agenda - 04-20-2004-7a - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 Carrboro Library Work Group Vision for a Orange County Branch Library in Downtown Carrboro Recommendation for a Carrboro Branch Library in Downtown Carrboro The Carrboro Library Work Group reconunends to the Orange County Conunissioners that plarming go forward for afree-standing branch of the Orange County Library System in downtown Carrboro and that both the county and the town of Carrboro incorporate this concept into their° long-range plamiing. A flee-standing librar°y located in downtown Carrboro would provide opportunity for members of the underserved population of southwest Orange County. (See attached statistics). The library would provide pedestrian access and is well served by public transportation- A library in its own space could be open at more convenient hours than in the present location of the Carrboro branch library in McLougle School. The library would serve as an economic development tool for the downtown area and increase the quality of life of residents of southwestern Orange County. The movement of Chapel Hill Public Library away Flom the downtown area leaves a gap that could be filled by a newly located Carrboro branch library. Some general characteristics of the proposed library are as follows: • Size would be between 6-7,000 square feet • At least one meeting room would be part of the plan and possibly more • The building would preferably be owned by Orange County rather than leased • The Cybrary in the CenrinyC.enter and the current branch library in McDougle School would be consolidated in the new facility • Opening day collection should be about 2Q000 volumes (currently about 1.3,000 at McDougle • Public access to the Internet should be provided at minimum of 10 computer terminals. • Access to the NC LIVE databases provided by the State Library of North Carolina to public libraries should be provided. • The library should be open a mininnun of 40 hours a week. • The library should be staffed with professionally trained library personnel • Library Services needs assessments should be conducted with target populations, e,g. senior citizens; Latinos; middle and high school youth; Neigbor°hood organizations in Broad/Lloyd Street, Carr Court, and Northside. • The library should provide an active outreach program with. services to the following groups: hrterFaith Council clients, Orange County .Job Skills Center, downtown neighborhood organizations (e.g. Broad/Lloyd, Car- Court, Northside), Carrboro Community Clinic, EI Centro, local book clubs. While the recommendation For 6-7000 square feet for a library serving a population the size of Carrboro is drawn from state supported guidelines for library space, the library might start with a smaller space and be scaled up over time. The Wodc group