A Dream for a New Chatham Library

      What if we could create . . .

·     a state-of-the-art Library Headquarters providing books and services for all Chatham citizens  

·    an exciting new gathering place for children and teens  

·    the county’s first public space designed with energy-saving “green technology” 

·    a showcase for local art and artisans  

·    a visionary collaboration between community college and public library  

·    a destination for cultural events for Chatham County  

    The dream is at hand . . . 

The Friends of the Pittsboro Memorial Library has been working with county and library leaders to learn how we can make this dream come true.

 The budget is set. The architect has been selected. (See below)

All we need is your help to make this extraordinary dream a reality.

Click HERE for Donation Form

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Meet the Architect for the New Library

Louis Cherry

Architect Louis Cherry introduced himself to the Chatham County commissioners with a vision provided by the ancient Roman statesman Cicero: “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” 

It’s a vision that Cherry hopes to make come true for the county. The selection committee chose him last month to design and build a new, $5.1 million library on the campus of Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro. 

“It’s a wonderful, pastoral setting,” Cherry said, one that can provide both indoor and outdoor learning opportunities and a chance to showcase local artists and artisans. 

Louis Cherry is a partner in Cherry Huffman Architects, a Raleigh firm specializing in civic projects and sustainable buildings, chosen from six applicants to build both the new library and a classroom building at the college. The library is an unusual collaboration that will serve both as the Chatham County headquarters library and as the library for the Pittsboro branch of Central Carolina Community College. 

He said that the design for the Chatham library will strive to balance the durability needed in a building that will get such heavy public use with the need to create “place of great comfort and attraction to the public…A public building has a higher imperative to provide a sense of place. It’s what gives life to a community, a place where the community comes together.” 

The new library will also be a “green” building designed to be as energy-efficient as possible, following the standards established by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED). 

“We want to be as energy-saving as we can get that’s economically viable,” Commissioner George Lucier told Cherry. 

“We want to be on the cutting edge,” agreed Commissioner Tom Vanderbeck. “We want to be quite the example, for the county, in the state, and maybe nationally.” 

Cherry praised the amount of community input that has gone into the library project and said that his firm wants to “continue this collaboration with the public.”

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From Renee Paschal, Assistant County Manager

"An email I received asked if libraries have a role to play in the 21st century? Although this question is not up to me to answer, I see the role of public libraries becoming more vital. As information is increasingly our most important commodity, public libraries help insure access for all people.  The county commissioners have said yes (by setting aside $5.1 million), the CCCC trustees have said yes (by agreeing to provide the land), hundreds of Chatham residents have said yes (by describing what they want in the new facility though surveys and charettes), the Friends have said yes (by launching their largest fundraising campaign to date)."

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New Libraries Committee
Report from Chris Farnan, chair of the New Libraries Committee (NLC) and Reece Jones, president of the Friends.

Click HERE for Donation Form

As you know, Chatham County is going to build a new library on the campus of the Central Carolina Community Campus.  This will be a joint use library for the community college and the public library. The Friends of the Pittsboro Public Library formed a sub-committee to research libraries and determine what features should be incorporated into the new library. 

The Friends of the Pittsboro Library formulated an informal Survey to determine what the citizens of Chatham County would like to have  in the new joint-use public/community college library.  Many thanks  to those of you who took the time to fill out a survey and return  it.  The results of these surveys as well as the public input  charettes have provided information to the county decision makers.   Over 420 Surveys were received. The results have been collated and  recorded, and  the remarks and suggestions were all read and noted.   A copy of the remarks are available from the Friends of the Library.

Participants rated 11 items on their importance from not important to  very important.  They then indicated which three of the 11 items were  most important to them.  The results from the Surveys indicated that  the three most important items for the new library are:  a  sustainable design; a colorful and cheerful children's room;  and a  special room for teens.

Now that the Library Design Consultant has completed 3 of the  planning documents and the process of selecting an architect has  begun, the Friends of the Pittsboro Library is planning a capital  campaign to enhance the library beyond a bare-bones budget. Visit  www.co.chatham.nc.us/LibraryBuilding/default.htm to view current  planning documents and to contact the planners.

 An important first step was the signing of a joint-use operating agreement defining the relationship of the public library and the CCCC.  Since the dissolution of the North Central Regional Library of Alamance and Chatham Counties, the new library will become the headquarters of the Chatham County public libraries.

"What does the Library Leadership Team have to say?"

Linda Clarke, Director of Chatham County Public Libraries:
"Laying the foundation for the public library's working relationship 
with CCCC has been a very positive experience because the staff is 
committed to having a true partnership.  Everyone involved in the 
planning process is focused on the missions of our organizations in 
providing excellent library services to all patrons whether they are 
students of the community college or members of the community at large."

Karen Allen, CCCC Provost for Chatham County:
"This joint library plan expands the general library resources 
available to CCCC students and at the same time brings to the general 
public more technical resources of a community college library 
collection.  Therefore, it is a very exciting win-win proposition.  
In addition, we are pleased about the new classroom building which 
will be constructed adjacent to the library.  We plan to expand upon 
our sustainability programming, which includes fuels, building, water 
use, and agriculture, as well as addressing training needs yet to be 
determined.  This will provide valuable training and educational 
resources to the citizens of this county which will in turn 
positively impact economic development."

Renee Paschal, Assistant County Manager:
"Our process so far is a reflection of where we hope to go.  By 
agreeing up front on how the library will be operated, we have gone a 
long way towards laying the foundation for a true partnership.  We 
plan to continue that by sharing an architect and contractor for the 
two buildings.  The result should be better service for our customers 
and greater efficiency for the county taxpayers."

Dan Lewandowski, Chair of Chatham County Library Advisory Board:
"The new library will be completed not a minute too soon to serve 
Chatham County's expanding and rapidly changing population.  The 
joint-use facility will be both a symbol of the county's new vibrance 
and an invaluable resource for the its diverse population."

Reece Jones, President of the Friends:
"Having researched the potential pitfalls of running joint-use 
libraries, we recognize what a vital first step the joint operations 
agreement is in designing a combined Chatham County Public Library 
and CCCC Branch Library."

Click HERE for Donation Form