Wednesday, Feb. 03, 2010

Residents don't want library to close

Residents and town leaders are coming together to send Wake County officials a message: Don't close the Southeast Regional Library.

To meet anticipated budget cuts, Wake's library system has suggested the county close the regional branch in Garner.

But some residents say the county should find other ways to save money.

"Seeing how crowded and active that library is, and how much the community needs it ... I can't imagine how this could be a good idea," said Becky McNeill of Garner.

McNeill has started a group on the social-networking site Facebook. Already, "Save Garner's Library" has more than 1,800 members. And more than 1,400 people have signed an online petition through the group urging Wake County Commissioners to keep the branch open.

"The library really is a center of our community," said McNeill, a former teacher and mother of two.

Mayor Ronnie Williams, who has served in town government for more than two decades, said he had never seen a public outcry like this in Garner.

More than a dozen people addressed town leaders at a Town Council meeting on Jan. 26, he said. The next day, Williams said, several home-schooled children protested outside the library, which is next to town hall.

To rally support for the library, town leaders are hosting a public meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at First Presbyterian Church of Garner. Williams is hoping for a big turnout.

Some library supporters say the Garner branch is especially important because many people in the working-class community don't have computers. Also, Garner doesn't have a big-name bookstore.

In a letter to County Commissioners, Garner's elected leaders point to the town's high number of poor students as one reason the library should stay open. Many children have no other learning source outside of school, the letter says.

Libraries have become more popular in the sour economy, said Ann Burlingame, interim library director for Wake.

More people are using computers at libraries to search for work and prepare resumes, she said.

The Garner branch saw about 650,000 visitors last year, Burlingame said. She expects that number to increase this year.

The library system presented a budget proposal to the county that includes a 7 percent cut, which amounts to about $1.1 million. Closing the Garner branch would save about $800,000 a year, Burlingame said.

Last year, county officials talked about closing five smaller branches to cut costs, but all remained open. This year, Burlingame said, library officials suggested closing the Garner branch instead of smaller branches to reduce the effects in communities.

Suzanne Snyder, a Realtor in Garner, said she's not happy with that explanation. Garner's library is important in attracting new families to the area, she said.

"Any asset Garner has for people moving in is a plus," she said. "People in Cary can afford to go to the bookstore and buy books."

County Commissioner Lindy Brown, who represents District 2, which includes Garner, said she's dedicated to keeping the library open. She wants commissioners to consider other options, such as closing each branch one day a week or cutting one employee from each branch.

"Yes, these are tough times, and there will be some tough decisions," Brown said.