Chapel Hill Library sees increase in usage, support ahead of 2013 expansion

Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library are paving the way for the library’s new site — literally.

The Friends are selling pavers for a walkway that will be installed in front of the library as part of the building’s renovations.

The library’s $16 million expansion is expected to open to the public in February 2013.

So far, nearly 50 pavers have been sold. The walkway can accommodate up to 320 pavers.

Martha Brunstein, president of the Friends Board of Directors, said at $150, the pavers are an affordable way for residents to contribute to their local library.

The 6-by-9-inch gray pavers, which will be sold through Aug. 31, can be engraved with a message of 14 characters or fewer.

“This is one way to show your support for the library and also to honor someone or remember someone,” Brunstein said. “There aren’t that many ways in Chapel Hill to get your name on something permanent.”

Brunstein said the money from the paver project will go to meet a specific need in the library, but she’s not sure what yet.

“We’ll use it for a special project, hopefully in the children’s area,” Brunstein said.

Raleigh-based Clancy & Theys Construction Company was hired to direct the renovations.

Vice President Scott Cutler, said the project is about 20 percent complete and on budget.

Cutler said the grading and earth work, like utilities, has been completed.

He said work on the foundation was started this week.

Because of the renovations, the library has been temporarily relocated to a site in University Mall.

Mark Bayles, assistant director of the library, said the relocation has not decreased residents use of the library.

In fact, he said the University Mall location saw a 6 percent increase in visitors in February from February 2011. November and December 2011 also saw an increase in usage.

“People are finding us and using us heavily,” said Bayles.

Bayles said he doesn’t know for certain why more people are using the library now that it is at University Mall, but he said one possible cause is that the library has been in the public eye since the relocation.

“It could be to some degree that we put out a lot of publicity that we were moving to the mall,” he said. “It may have sparked people’s interest that haven’t been to the library in a while.”

Though the library is in transition, it is still hosting a number of programs.

The library will celebrate National Library Week from April 8 to April 14.

Maggie Hite, head of the circulation division, said the library is also co-hosting a program with the Justice in Action Committee called “From Counters to Camps” on April 29. The program will be part of a series of community events meant to encourage discourse about civil disobedience.

“Libraries are a safe place for discussion,” Hite said.

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