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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-19-1998 - 10bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Action Agenda Item No. ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT /0_,~ Meeting Date: May 19, 1998 REFERRED TO MAY 26, 1998 QUARTERLY PUBLIC HEARING ITEM B SUBJECT: Orange County Public Library-Carrboro Branch DEPARTMENT: Manager's Office PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) `'? BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N) e ATTACHMENT(S): Mike Nelson's Letter INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert T. Kittrell, Assistant County Manager TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - -ext. 2300 Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 227-2031 PURPOSE: To receive a report on library services at the Orange County Public Library-Carrboro Branch, as a first step in the response to the attached letter from Mayor Mike Nelson of the Town of Carrboro dated Apri17, 1998. BACKGROUND: In November, 1994 the Board entered into an agreement with the Chapel Hill- Carrboro Schools for the operation of the County Branch Library in the McDougle Middle School. On May 1, 1995, the library opened. In November 1996, the Board entered into a revised agreement with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools. The organizational structure and the operational arrangement of the library was changed. The branch library at the McDougle Middle School began to operate under the policies and procedures of the Orange County Public Library, rather than through contractual agreements with the School System. Library staff became Orange County employees, under the supervision of the County Library Director. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools began to function primarily as a "landlord" for the branch library. A contract between the School System and the County included terms under which the school facility and collection would be shared. The following charts highlight the Carrboro Branch Library for the past three years: Expenditures/Revenues/Staffing 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Projected 1998-99 Expenditures $2,000 $66,304 $72,877 $85,888 Revenues from Town of Carrboro $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 Staffing (FTE) .5 1.75 1.75 2.0 Patronage The actual number of library patrons can not be determined because door counters would not be practical at the three entrances to the library. It would be difficult to separate public library patrons from middle and elementary school students. However, other methods of measuring usage are available. Activity 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 Projected 1998-99 Carrboro's Book Collection 5,000 7,000 11,000 12,500 Library Programs 12 50 50 60 Program Attendance 416 1,500 1,550 1,700 RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that after the Board's review of the report, the following action be considered as the next step in responding to the Mayor and Carrboro Board of Aldermen: That the Manager be requested to convene the stakeholders to the present agreement on the operation of the Carrboro Branch in the McDougle Middle School, which would include representatives from the Town of Carrboro, Orange County, the Friends of Carrboro Library, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System. This group could address the questions raised in Mayor Nelson's letter and provide a report to the Board on any possible next steps. r • April 7, 1998 TOWN OF CARRBORO NORTH CAROLINA Ms. Margaret Brown, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 8181 Hillsbcrough, N.C. 27278 Dear Margaret: On behalf of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, I am writing to ask that the County Commissioners set up a task force to develop a plan for library services in Carrboro. A thorough look at the needs of library service in Carrboro has never been undertaken. It is time that such a project begin. We appreciate and are grateful for the service provided at McDougle Middle School. However, given the projected growth of the town, the already crowded conditions of the school, and the demand for more library service generally, more service needs to be provided. With no blueprint for growth, it is hard to determine what the next steps should be. We believe that along-term vision for library services would best serve the needs of the people of Carrboro. We also believe that given the county's role as providers of library service, that this study is best done under your auspices. The charge to this task force could be to report the County Commissioners within six months a vision for future library services in Carrboro. Somp questions that need to be addressed are: 1. Given Carrboro's projected population increase, what kind and how extensive should library service be here? 2. Does Carrboro need astand-alone facility? Will the library in a school be sufficient? Can the space available in the community center be utilized somehow? 4. .Given the library services already available in the area (at the University, in Chapel Hill, etc.), what types of services would best fill in the gaps and best serve the people of Carrboro? 3 301 WEST MAIN STREET. CARR80R0. NC 27510 • 19191 9428541 PAX 19191 968.7737 • TDD 19191 968-7717 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMP!.O"~R Page 2 Apri17, 1998 Orange County Commissioners One question we would like the County to answer as swiftly as possible is this: Would the space available at the new community center in Carrboro be appropriate for library services? We have space planned in Carrboro's new community center fora "resource center." It might be possible to house some library services in this space. The services/programs in which we are interested include: computers, reference materials, periodicals, a relatively small collection of books, and special programs for children, seniors, and non-English speakers. However, it is hard to determine if this is appropriate use for this facility without a blueprint for library services. Should you decide to set up such a task force, I would like to suggest that the following be included: a member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, a member of the County Commissioners, a member of the Friends of the Carrboro Library, the County Library staff, and one or two at-large members. Thanks you for your consideration. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call. Sincerely, l Michael R. Nelson Mayor 4