By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
In preparation for a Sept. 23 move to temporary quarters at University Mall, the Chapel Hill Public Library has made a few changes at its current location – and while the new digs will be smaller and only house the library for a short time period, patrons can expect to see a number of improvements there.
The library will reopen at a location near Dillard’s in University Mall in early October, with the move expected to take about two weeks, and library services will be provided at the temporary location while the library’s permanent home on Library Drive is expanded. The expansion construction is estimated for completion in December 2012 and is funded by a $16.23 million bond approved by Chapel Hill voters in November 2003.
During the move, the library will install new computer lab equipment, though the temporary site will only be able to accommodate 17 stations. The temporary site also will feature self-checkout; if patrons bring their library cards, they can use self-checkout stations instead of standing in line.
In addition, library visitors will be able to pick up and checkout reserve materials on their own at a shelf to the left of the entrance. Patrons can be sure that no one else will be able to check out what has already been reserved because the automated system will match materials to users’ library cards.
Because the temporary site is much smaller than the permanent location – 10,500 square feet down from 27,000 – library staff have had to make a number of adjustments. Library meeting space won’t be available to the public until the library reopens in its renovated facility.
“We’re hoping that we can lean on our neighbors at the mallfor use of some space,†said library director Kathleen Thompson. The temporary location will, though, have some space for children’s programs.
About 26,000 of the library’s least-used volumes will be kept in storage while the library is housed at University Mall, but library patrons will be able to view the titles of the items in the library’s database and request to check them out. Twice a week, library staff will bring the requested items from storage for checkout.
However, Thompson said, “The most often-used items will be on the shelves.â€
Library staff also had to determine which larger items – bookshelves and the like – would be sent to the new location, to storage or to surplus, and marked the items with colored stickers, which created some excitement among younger library patrons.
“We had children running around the library moving the dots because they thought it was some kind of mystery game,†Thompson said, laughing. Luckily, the situation was easily straightened out.
Thompson encouraged library users to check out lots of books before Sept. 23, and stressed the importance of returning the books on their due dates, rather than on the day of the opening of the new location, so that staff aren’t overwhelmed with a huge influx of books.
While the library is closed, Orange County residents can use county libraries, including the Carrboro Branch Library at McDougle School and the Cybrary in Carrboro, as well as the Orange County Main Library in Hillsborough.
When the library reopens on Library Drive next year, the renovated facility will include a meeting-room complex, youth-services library, teen activity room and computer learning center, in addition to collection areas. A paved trail around the building will provide pedestrian access and an opportunity for public art.
The project is designed to be certified as a LEED silver building, including extensive day lighting, high-efficiency ventilation systems and solar hot-water and photovoltaic panels