The central branch of the county's library system and another branch in Carrboro would see improvements under the recommendations of a task force charged with examining the state of local facilities.
The Orange County Library Services Task Force met Tuesday to put the finishing touches on its suggestions. The task force is considering improvements to the Orange County Library in Hillsborough -- its central branch -- and a branch in Carrboro.
These improvements could involve renovation or relocation of the county library.
Though Hillsborough town officials want to keep the library in the town, task force members say they want a more central site everyone in the county, especially those in rural areas, can reach easily.
Mike Gering, a Hillsborough town commissioner, suggested that the renovation of an existing building might be more practical than the construction of a new one.
But Nerys Levy, a member of the Friends of the Carrboro Branch Library, said that if officials choose to renovate, they need to provide for a temporary facility while construction is in progress.
"In the process of planning, we must not underserve one generation as we plan for the next," said Levy. "There has to be a sense of consistency."
The task force, which was created in January 2004, is also working to pursue the creation of a new facility by combining the Hillsborough library with the Orange County campus of Durham Technical Community College, scheduled to open in fall 2006.
Another idea raised by the task force is possibly combining the new Carrboro Cybrary and the McDougle Elementary School library.
