BY BETH VELLIQUETTE

bvelliquette@heraldsun.com; 419-6632

CHAPEL HILL -- Residents of Orange County have access to two library systems -- the Orange County Library and the Chapel Hill Public Library.

The question being discussed is whether Orange County should provide greater support to the Chapel Hill Library since so many non-Chapel Hill residents use it.

The Chapel Hill Library, located off Estes Drive, is 27,300 square feet. It has been rated No. 1 in the state by Hennon's American Public Library Rating Index since 1997, which bases its ratings on public library statistics.

Chapel Hill hopes to build a 68,000-square-foot expansion next year, funded with $16.23 million in bond funds approved by voters in 2003.

Any Orange County resident may obtain a library card at the Chapel Hill Library, and it is estimated that 40 percent of the library's cardholders live outside of the city limits.

The Town of Chapel Hill provided the majority of the library's operating fund budget of $2,373,932 budget for 2009-10. Orange County contributed $249,333. Other revenue was generated from fines and fees, gifts and $36,708 from the state.

The Orange County Public Library actually consists of several libraries, including the main one in Hillsborough. The new library there, which is anticipated to open next month, is 23,500 square feet and is located on West Margaret Lane. Movers are currently moving books and equipment from its old location on West Tryon Street.

In the southern part of the county, a 7,000-square-foot branch Carrboro-McDougle Library is shared with the school library located in the McDougle schools in Carrboro. It has limited hours and activities because it is not open to the public during school hours.

There is also a 1,060-square-foot Cybrary Branch in downtown Carrboro in the basement of the Century Center. It is a small space with computers and a very limited number of books and other items to check out. Its most popular features are the computers and Internet that are in near constant use.

In northern Orange County, there is a two-room, 1,980-square-foot library in Cedar Grove located in the Northern Human Services Center, which was formerly a school.

The operating budget for the Orange County libraries is $1,567,542. It receives one-third of its operating budget through a block grant from the state.

It receives $4,000 from Carrboro and $5,000 from Hillsborough, and $1,416,402 from Orange County's general fund for its operating budget.