Southern Branch Library has a “soft opening”

COMMUNITY NEWS

The Southern Branch Library in Carrboro’s Drakeford Library Complex is open now, slightly ahead of its formal Feb. 21 grand opening.

A call to Orange County’s main library in Hillsborough confirmed the Carrboro branch is open. However, the branch doesn’t have phones yet and doesn’t have all the computers up and running. The hours, according to the Orange County Library website, are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday.

The 203 Project’s 40-year road

Back in the 1940s, Carrboro Public Library operated out of the Civic Club Building on Bim Street. City leaders began pushing for a standalone library building back in 1988. Instead, the library collection moved to McDougle Middle School in 1995. After the financial hammer blow of the 2008 recession, Orange County considered closing that branch. Instead, they authorized a new free-standing library, with the McDougle branch to stay open until the new library replaced it.

Several years of debate, negotiation, and searching for the right site followed before everyone agreed 203 S. Greensboro Street would be the location. Despite objections that including a parking deck in the project worked against Carrboro’s commitment to environmental justice and fighting global warming, the town broke ground on the “203 Project” in 2022. The town had anticipated opening the library in 2024, but didn’t make that deadline.

A lot more books

The McDougle branch included 3,200 books and other items. The Southern Branch library will have space for 40,000 books, collection Development Librarian Maureen Socha said in an email interview last year, though it will be a while before the shelves are full. Socha said she planned to include a mix of classics, past bestsellers, new titles, award winners and books of community interest in the collection.

The 203 Project will include more than just the library. The complex will provide a home for the Orange County Skills Development Center; Carrboro Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Department; WCOM radio; and the Virtual Justice Center. The construction includes photovoltaic panels in the green roof; glass in the north windows that tint automatically as sunlight increases; and EV charging stations. The complex will have added space available for live performances and other uses.

What’s in a name?

In June of last year, a joint Carrboro/Orange County committee asked the public to suggest possible names for the project. Committee member and Town Council Member Catherine Fray said the suggestions included functional names such as Carrboro Library, memorial names for thirty-three different people, and snarkier ideas such as Library McLibraryface.

In September 2024, the committee settled on Drakeford Library Complex, a tribute to Carrboro’s first black mayor, Robert Drakeford. Carrboro Town Council signed off on the new name in October. The council’s resolution says Drakeford, a council member from 1975 to 1977, was elected as mayor in 1977 and served until 1983. “A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill’s city and regional planning program, he advocated for public transit and cycling, and he developed valuable collaborations with other progressive Black mayors in the South.”

Maple Street has questions

The last surge of construction for the Drakeford closed Maple Avenue Extension in December for repaving. The two-way road reopened Jan. 11 as a one-way road southbound from Roberson Street to East Braxton Foushee Street. Maple Avenue resident Sharon Riley was one of several people objecting to the change at the Jan. 21 Carrboro Town Council meeting.

Riley said she understood changing the area’s traffic pattern to accommodate the complex. However, a two-way road gave neighborhood residents two choices when they had to leave during heavy traffic. It also helped drivers from elsewhere who entered the neighborhood and wandered around looking for a way out. Neighborhood resident Brad Bonneville predicted traffic queuing up at the parking deck would make things worse.

The speakers said if the road couldn’t be two-way, it should run north rather than south. Mayor Barbara Foushee said Town Manager Patrice Toney is collecting residents’ concerns and will report back to the council.

Fraser Sherman has worked for newspapers, including the Destin Log, the Pensacola News-Journal and the Raleigh Public Record. Born in England, he’d still live in Florida if he hadn’t met the perfect woman and moved to Durham to marry her. He’s the author of several film reference books and has published one novel and several short story collections. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocal Reporter.press.