This news item expired on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
On Nov. 2, Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted to maintain the Buncombe County Libraries in their current facilities, including Black Mountain, Oakley, Swannanoa, and Weaverville. The motion also keeps the current Pack Memorial Library rather than exploring a new downtown location.
The Board of Commissioners also directed staff to explore enhancements at the current locations. The Board stated they would be open to considering new library projects on a case-by-case basis if they have the support from the surrounding neighborhoods.
“We clearly heard from communities that they be involved in this process. I’m very supportive of this motion to go ahead and make sure our communities have clarity on this moving forward,” said Commissioner Terri Wells.
Commissioner Amanda Edwards also supported the motion: “After hearing from so many residents about how closely tied they are to a particular library in their community… I hope as we move forward we can look at ways we can update existing facilities. I hope we can compromise and still offer residents of Buncombe County exciting, modern amenities.”