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It is simply a "quality of life" issue. To put a library in a retail strip center on Duraleigh is simply unacceptable. IF this was a temporary fix that would be fine but it is not. If you visit it first hand you would know what I am talking about. We can all see millions being spent on roads and new government centers,etc, while the libraries with a few exceptions are second rate.. It's all about a communities priorities. Do we as a community want to continue to attract the PHD's for the RTP? I would be willing to bet that these types value libraries highly and without them they could seek jobs elsewhere. Think about, Raleigh Durham needs to present the "complete package" in the future. Up until recently, the Triangle could get away with it, but in the future it very well may not. The solution?
as the great Andrew Carnegie once said and did: Invest in the brain infrastructure (Read: libraries).
It is simply a "quality of life" issue. To put a library in a retail strip center on Duraleigh is simply unacceptable. IF this was a temporary fix that would be fine but it is not. If you visit it first hand you would know what I am talking about. We can all see millions being spent on roads and new government centers,etc, while the libraries with a few exceptions are second rate.. It's all about a communities priorities. Do we as a community want to continue to attract the PHD's for the RTP? I would be willing to bet that these types value libraries highly and without them they could seek jobs elsewhere. Think about, Raleigh Durham needs to present the "complete package" in the future. Up until recently, the Triangle could get away with it, but in the future it very well may not. The solution?
as the great Andrew Carnegie once said and did: Invest in the brain infrastructure (Read: libraries).
I'm completely at a loss as to why you think nothing is being done. As I said in my previous post, Wake County voters approved a $45 million bond issuance for the libraries in 2007. It's impossible to spend all that money in one wave of the wand. The master plan I originally linked to seems to have disappeared, but this year's action plan is here: WakeGOV.com - Library Mission
Among other things, they plan to build a new Leesville Road library which I imagine would serve some of the same market as the Duraleigh Branch.
I've seen new additions to the library facilities every year since I moved back to this area 5 years ago. Of the ones I've been to, Eva Perry, Western Wake, and Cameron Village are all huge and beautiful. While Cary is small, it has a nice community feel and the librarians are very nice.
Yes, libraries should be a priority. And for many of us, and for the voters of this county, they are. ALL the services of Wake County have struggled to keep up with the massive growth here. I think the libraries are doing a good job of working to catch up.
Don't think of the library in downtown Cary as the Cary Library. It's a Wake County Library that is located in downtown Cary. Long ago it was the only library, but that was a population boom ago. Eva Perry and West Regional also really serve Cary. We live a few blocks from West Regional and I can't imagine it being any better. We were there the day it opened and it was freaky how every single book was brand new. It was like going to Barnes and Noble, but free!
I don't see what is wrong with the Duraleigh branch at all. Are you unable to find a resource that you need because it's located in a strip mall? I've spent a good chunk of my life in that library and have never had a problem. All you have to do is order a resource and pick it up.
That branch was never intended to be a main, regional library. It is what it is. It's like the difference between a small satellite office for a bank that has a few tellers and an ATM machine, versus a regional bank with all the bells and whistles. The satellite office is just there as a convenience so that people on that side of town don't have to drive all the way over to Cameron Village to pick up a paperback or use the internet.
My husband and I and our 24 yr old daughter check out books all the time from libraries. I think its so sad that everyones playing online and not reading anymore. On the library topic tho, being new to the area and state I dont know why they arent nicer inside and offer more, being from California the libraries were all amazing to look at, weddings were held in them every weekend, all of them, not just one. The articles someone listed above tho explain in detail why, they need money much like so many other organizations all over the USA. I also go to the one on Duraleigh and when we first walked in a month ago, my thought was "ew this isnt a library, my high school one was better and had more books than this" lol
I think everyone should read more, not just students. There are so many topics out there, too many people chat or play online and forget what they did before internet and cable tv came along!
regarding Lamish' reply...it all depends what youre looking for at the duraleigh center. Every book Ive wanted to check out to read is never in and they only have 1-2 copies of each and a million people waiting. I have no idea yet where the other libraries are, I just put my name on the waiting list to pick up what i want, its still cheaper(free) than buying the book!
ahhhh Im blonde today, I totally forgot about ordering online lol
So what type of books do all of you read anyway? I read anything as long as it holds my interest for more than the first chapter! (no no i dont mean i only read Cosmo or Vogue) haha
I also have been quite pleased with our libraries here in Durham. I'm always in there picking up reserved books. I also take plenty advantage of inter-library loan. It saves me literally TONS of money. Southwest is about to close temporarily for renovations soon and I think Parkwood is too, but don't quote me on that one.
mia78, in regards to Parkwood, I had heard a rumor they were going to close during the time that SW was temporarly closed, so I emailed a couple of folks on the Library Board. I found out that Parkwood is going to close, but not until the new South Regional Library is open near Lowes Grove. There will be a few days that the Parkwood location closes to get books from Parkwood over to the South Regional Library. But they are not planning to close Parkwood during the construction at SW.
Of course there are always circumstances that the county can not always predict. The building space that Parkwood is in is leased by the County. I've heard the owner is is in bankruptcy or something. So this may have an impact.
BTW, frogandtoad, mentioned that Chapel Hill has the highest item check out per capita in the Triangle. I see LOTS of Durham Library users on City Data. I think we need to give Chapel Hill a run for their money. Considering the length of my last check out receipt, I whole heartedly plan to do my part in that friendly rivalry.
It is simply a "quality of life" issue. To put a library in a retail strip center on Duraleigh is simply unacceptable. IF this was a temporary fix that would be fine but it is not. If you visit it first hand you would know what I am talking about. We can all see millions being spent on roads and new government centers,etc, while the libraries with a few exceptions are second rate.. It's all about a communities priorities. Do we as a community want to continue to attract the PHD's for the RTP? I would be willing to bet that these types value libraries highly and without them they could seek jobs elsewhere. Think about, Raleigh Durham needs to present the "complete package" in the future. Up until recently, the Triangle could get away with it, but in the future it very well may not. The solution?
as the great Andrew Carnegie once said and did: Invest in the brain infrastructure (Read: libraries).
You seem to forget that Chapel Hill is full of PhDs and has a great library, so that might be a problem where you are, but don't generalize about the "RTP" problems with libraries. Oh, and not sure why you're singling out "PhDs". Plenty of heavy readers/library users are not PhDs. That degree does not make you use the library more or less frequently than anyone else!
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Parkwood Library Info
