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Receive the 2023 Library Task Force Final Report and Authorize the Manager to Pursue a Library Funding Agreement with Orange County.
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Staff:
Department:
Susan Brown, Executive Director
Chapel Hill Public Library
Meeghan Rosen, Assistant Director
Overview: Staff will present information from the Final Report of the 2023 Library Task Force.
In April 2021, the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Board of County Commissioners jointly created a Library Task Force to study Orange County funding for Chapel Hill Public Library and examine the issue of interoperability between library systems.
Staff are scheduled to present the Task Force's Final Report to the Board of County Commissioners at the Board's 4/18/23 business meeting.
Recommendation(s):
That the Council receive the 2023 Library Task Force Final Report, thank the Library Task Force for their work, and authorize the Town Manager to pursue an agreement with Orange County regarding funding for library services.
Background:
In April 2021, the Board of County Commissioners and the Chapel Hill Town Council jointly approved creation of a Library Task Force to study County funding for Chapel Hill Public Library and examine the cost/benefit of increased interoperability between library systems. The Dispute Settlement Center was hired to act as facilitator to the Task Force.
From January 2022 through February 2023, the Task Force met eight times to explore and discuss both funding and interoperability. Members considered historical information, statewide best practices, different funding formulas, future impacts and expenses of the Southern Branch Library, potential cost/benefit scenarios, and the current systems, services, data, and operations of both the Orange County Public Library and Chapel Hill Public Library.
Based on their work, the Task Force strongly recommends that:
1. The County consider entering an MOU with the Town to fund library services for County residents who live in the Town o...
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