At Monday's meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council, a historic decision was made that will empower our community for years to come. The Town Council voted to issue the bond of $14.2 million to begin construction of a much-needed expansion to the Chapel Hill Public Library. Over six years ago, the voters of Chapel Hill overwhelmingly approved the sale of these bonds for this purpose. In the intervening years, other projects took center stage and the library expansion was put on hold. Now, as the bond issue was about to sunset, the mayor and council members wisely approved the project.

As several of the council members acknowledged, it is "scary" to sit in their chairs taking a vote of this magnitude on any capital project. But leadership requires courage and vision. After careful consideration, due diligence, research and discovery, and a desire to honor the will of the voters, the decision was made to move forward on construction of the library expansion, enlarging the space from its currently inadequate 27,000 square feet to a much-needed 62,000 square feet. During the upcoming construction phase, our elected officials, town staff, and dedicated, motivated citizens will work together to (1) increase the funding we receive for library service from Orange County; (2) keep our operating costs of the new facility as low as possible; and (3) increase private support that supplements public funding.

The Chapel Hill Public Library is the busiest library in the state, circulating 19 books per capita - more than four times the state average. This month our library will break its own records and circulate its one millionth item within a year. There is no ambiguity in these numbers. Our community uses and values its library. And fortunately, our policymakers fully recognize and support the role our library plays in workforce development, education, health and wellness, and the delivery of government services. In 2009, as the nation struggled through a recession, people relied on library technology to find work, apply for college, secure government benefits, learn about medical treatments and connect with their communities. This trend is continuing unabated in 2010 - the Chapel Hill Public Library welcomes over 1,100 users per day.

Those who say that libraries and books are Byzantine relics of the past deny the facts. Libraries do place a high value on books and printed materials as a tool for learning and self-discovery. But libraries are adaptable and innovative and ahead of the curve. Over the past year, The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation has made grants in excess of $135,000 to the library for the purchase of books, e-books, DVDs, and database subscriptions. This summer, using a Foundation grant of $10,000, the library will debut three new computer Early Literacy Stations serving children ages 2-10. Digital learning resources are revolutionizing education across the board. Our library is on the move.

In 2012 Chapel Hill will dedicate a new library - one that will rightly and brightly reflect the value that Chapel Hill's citizens place upon education. This library will make Chapel Hill proud because it will be a living space where people come together to experience the world of ideas through books, technology, presentations and discussions. In a world of rapidly developing technologies and ever changing lifestyles, the library will serve us all.