Local Government and the Public Library: A Case Study of the Creation of the Carrboro Cybrary

by Weiss, E.

Public libraries provide important services to their communities; however, many communities do not receive sufficient public library services. This case study will examine one community, Carrboro, North Carolina, which advocated for increased library services through the creation of the Carrboro Cybrary, a small branch of the Orange County library system that focuses on providing access to Internet based resources. The author interviewed participants and leaders in the effort to create the Cybrary and analyzed town, county, and library task force documents to learn how community leaders successfully advocated for the Cybrary. This paper describes the effect of town/county relationships, what conflicts arose, and what factors influenced the community's success. One of the most significant findings was that the local government was as much a driving force as the public's desire to have a library. This study will be useful to other communities that want to advocate for increased library services.