Agenda - 04-29-2004-9c - Laserfiche WebLink

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7 Carrboro Library Worlc Group Vision for a Orange County Branch Library in Downtown Carr°boro Recommendation for a Can•boro Branch Library in Downtown Carrboro The Carrboro Library Work Croup recormnends to the Orange County Commissioners that planning go forward for afree-standing branch of the Orange Comity Library System in downtown Carrboro and that both the county and the town of Carrboro incorporate this concept into their long-range plamling. A free-standing library 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 McDougle Schooh 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 from 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 CenturyCenter and the current branch library in McDougle School would be consolidated in the new facility • Opening day collection should be about 20,000 volumes (currently about 13,000 at McDougle • Public access to the hiternet 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 minimum 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; Neigborhood organizations in Broad/Lloyd Street, Carr Court, and Northside. • The library should provide an active outreach program with services to the following groups: InterFaith Council clients, Orange County Job Skills Center, downtown neighborhood organizations (e.g. Broad/Lloyd, Carr Court, Northside), Carrboro Community Clinic, El Centro, local book clubs. While the recorrunendation 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 Work group