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<br />REVISED 9/16/03 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />.BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: September 16, 2003 <br />Action AgeSa <br />Item No. d <br />_SUBJECT: Resolution Establishin a Carrboro Library Work roup <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager's Office PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Orange County Library <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Gwen Harvey, Assistant County Manager, <br />Resolution ext 2307 <br />Brenda Stephens, Director, Orange County <br />Library, ext 2528 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To consider adopting a resolution to establish a workgroup to examine issues and <br />opportunities relative to the current Carrboro Branch Library (at McDougle) as well as the <br />creation of a "Cybrary" at the Carrboro Century Center. <br />BACKGROUND: The County Manager's recommended budget for Fiscal Year 03-04 <br />contained a proposal from the Library staff, drawn from the Library Services Task Force 2001 <br />Report, to partner with the Town of Carrboro in the development of a "Cybrary"' at the downtown <br />Century Center. A "Cybrary" is amini-library that makes maximum use of a small space, <br />technology innovation, and high-speed Internet connectivity to provide opportunities for patrons <br />to do research, receive computer training, and. access popular reading and reference materials <br />in a community setting. <br />Under theproposal, the County would establish a permanent, part-time librarian position to <br />serve as the branch manager in an effort to expand library services to the southern end of the <br />County by focusing on library science technology, Internet access, and. computer training for life <br />long learning. The projected cost to the County was estimated at $39,406 (net position and <br />startup costs). The "Cybrary" was envisioned as a complement to, not a replacement for, the <br />shared County-School library at McDougle. <br />Meetings between County staff and Town staff resulted in the Town staff presenting a related <br />budget decision package for the Town Board to consider. In that package, Carrboro would <br />support implementation of the- "Cybrary" by providing five PC compatible workstations, <br />appropriate desks and chairs, and a high quality laser printer. The cost estimate developed by <br />Town staff and. presented to the Town Board during their budget discussions equaled $25,295. <br />