The Chapel Hill Town Council, which is moving forward with a plan to dramatically expand the public library, spent some time last week talking about how to improve the means by which people get there.

The library expansion is exciting and overdue. Chapel Hillians are voracious readers, and we have long overtaxed the library's existing space and resources.

The council is right to expand its discussion of the project beyond merely the building itself. The library sits on a wooded plot of land at the end of a long rising driveway off Estes Drive; it's a lovely spot, but it's tucked away and rather hard to get to by means other than automotive. It is, as council member Mark Kleinschmidt said, "really very car-centric."

That's hardly ideal in a town that regards pedestrian, bicycle and other forms of transportation as high values.

Only one bus route actually serves the library. Several others include stops within a few hundred yards, and there's a foot-and-bike path running from East Franklin Street to the library parking lot. But those routes aren't immediately apparent, and a few hundred yards is a long way to walk if you're carrying an armload of books or trying to shepherd a toddler or two.

So as the council continues to look for ways to improve accessibility, it might be worthwhile to explore whether any of the nearby bus routes could be amended to include a swing up to the library.