The town of Elon has begun discussing building and financing plans for a new library, potentially located at Beth Schmidt Park on Cook Road, less than two miles from campus.

At its agenda setting meeting Tuesday, Sept. 4, the Elon Board of Aldermen opened discussion about how it will field construction costs for the proposed 15,000 square foot building. At $200 per square foot the building will cost the town between $2.5 and $3 million.

The board voted on planning issues and how to fund the new library at their meeting on Sept. 11. At press time, the results were not available.

Town Manager Mike Dula raised the issue of funding at the meeting on Sept. 4, stating that the board should start making decisions so that construction on the building can begin.

The town will most likely look to private donors, foundations and fundraising through the community to cut as much of the out-of-pocket cost as possible.

“I’d like to raise three-quarters to $1 million, and then fund the rest ourselves,” Mayor Tolley said. “We have a healthy fund balance, plus we own 73 acres of land that we could sell any time. We hope to achieve this project without any tax raises.”

The Alamance County commissioners unanimously approved the library project at their meeting in early August. At that point, the town of Elon had not officially committed to funding the building. Typically, the town covers costs of new building construction; though once the building is constructed the county pays for upkeep and the cost of employees.

Elon University Dean and University Librarian Kate Hickey and other staff members, including Dr. Earl Danieley, are on the advisory committee pushing for the new library.

Of the six libraries in Alamance County, none are on the western side. Mayor Tolley explained that most residents in Burlington and Elon choose to drive to Graham, about 15 minutes away, because the library in downtown Burlington has limited parking.

The new library will provide the residents of Burlington, Gibsonville and Elon with resources that cannot be met by the university library. According to Hickey, there are only 106 registered community borrowers at Belk Library.

“We don’t have what they want,” she said. “But this is very exciting; it’ll be a great resource for all of us, especially the faculty and staff with children.”

The new library will include an extensive children’s section, programming for children, teens and adults, as well as more popular music, movies and best sellers.

The committee first tried to get a library in the western part of the county 12 years ago, when the commissioners voted down the project because of expenses. Now with the county expanding and developing so rapidly, the time seemed right to build a library that may attract more people to the area.

“We want people to want to live here,” Hickey said. “The quality of your schools and the quality of your libraries are why people decide to move here if they have the choice.”

Elon students will be welcome to use the library facilities, but will need to obtain a county library card.

Copy Edtior: Bethany Swanson - 09/12/07