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SWANNANOA LIBRARY TO REMAIN OPEN
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
On February 13th, Buncombe County officials made a surprise announcement that they intended to close the Swannanoa Library permanently by the end of June. Through the tireless efforts of many concerned Swannanoa residents, Buncombe County commissioners looked favorably upon these efforts and passed a motion at the March 7th commissioner meeting that stalled these plans of closure. The motion implied that the library will remain open while a long-term plan to expand library services in Swannanoa is formed.
What has happened since the March 7th commissioners’ meeting?
Members of the Swannanoa Community Council (SCC), FOTSL (Friends of the Swannanoa Library), FANS (Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa) have been meeting regularly to process the Commissioner's March 7 decision, and formulate a plan for next steps. While this initial victory is cause for celebration, much work remains to be done in order to achieve our ultimate goal of expanded and improved library services in Swannanoa.
We’ve compiled a list of FAQs for this new phase of the library and will continue to update this page as we are able to share additional information.
Who owns the library building?
The SCC owns the building, and has leased it to Buncombe County for library usage since the 1960s. The building was built in 1952 and originally served as the Swannanoa Community Center. The library started out in the building’s basement, and was later moved to the upper floor.
What is the Swannanoa Community Council?
The SCC is an all-volunteer 501c3 nonprofit organization. In addition to the library building, the SCC owns and manages Grovemont Park and Playground, the Historic Grovemont Square, and Fox Creek Park. The SCC has been in existence since 1969 and serves Grovemont and Swannanoa with community greenspaces, play areas, and community events like Groovin’ on Grovemont and Swannanoa Winterfest.
Was the Swannanoa Community Council involved in the decision to close the Swannanoa Library?
No. On the afternoon of February 13, the SCC, FANS and FOTSL were notified, via email, that the county planned to permanently close the Swannanoa Library at the end of June. This shocking announcement was released to the press at essentially the same time, and came without any prior warning that the county was considering such a closure. In fact, SCC had been in good faith discussions with the county for more than a year in an effort to bring about significant improvements to the Swannanoa Library's facility and services. These discussions included a possible transfer of ownership of the building to the county. The county made the decision to close the library without consultation with SCC or, to our knowledge, with anyone else in our community. SCC, FANS and FOTSL learned about the decision just as the community was learning about it.
If the Swannanoa Library leaves, is the park and playground also going away?
No! The park, square, playground, and building are not going anywhere. In fact, the SCC was recently awarded grant funding to add accessible exercise stations along the rubberized walking track this summer. The SCC is also gearing up to celebrate Grovemont’s centennial anniversary in 2024 with some exciting things coming down the pipeline. The park isn’t going anywhere!
The county says it would cost $635,000 to make the necessary repairs and updates to the building. How could it be this much for such a small building?
Although it’s a small building, it is old. The building was constructed in 1952, and as we all know, buildings of this age require constant repair and maintenance. The building was also not originally designed to be a library, so the facilities are not currently up to modern library standards. That being said, some of the items included in the county estimate have been addressed and taken care of by the SCC, so we feel that the county’s cost estimates are overstated. We will continue to look into this issue.
What will happen to the building if the Swannanoa library is no longer there?
This remains to be determined. We need to have additional conversations with the county, and will also seek community input when the time comes. It’s too soon to talk about fundraising, but at some point we may need to apply for grants and raise funds from the community to help upgrade the building and pay for ongoing maintenance. The SCC and the community have invested tens of thousands of dollars and countless volunteer hours to the repair and improvement of the library building over the years, but the SCC is a small community nonprofit and does not have the resources to make the more extensive upgrades that are now needed. The important thing to know right now is that there are no plans to sell the building or use it for any purpose other than to benefit the Swannanoa community.
What can I do to help?
Utilize the Swannanoa Library! Encourage and support library staff members. Your presence impacts the statistical profile that the County reviews.
Write to the County Commissioners, thanking them for the action they took to keep the Swannanoa Library open, but also urging them to continue giving our library and our community their attention as we work with the County government on options for the library going forward.
You can click this link to easily send an email to all County Commissioners at one time using the county’s online form: https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/commissioners/default.aspx
Or, you can reach our County Commissioners at the email addresses and phone numbers listed below. Copy the County Manager and Assistant County Manager on your emails.
County Manager
Avril.Pinder@buncombecounty.org
828.250.4100
Assistant County Manager Dakisha (DK) Wesley
Dakisha.Wesley@buncombecounty.org
828.250.4059
County Commission Chair Brownie Newman
Brownie.Newman@buncombecounty.org
828.243.0107
County Commissioner Al Whitesides
Alfred.Whitesides@buncombecounty.org
828.250.4006
County Commissioner Terri Wells
Terri.Wells@buncombecounty.org
828.250.4008
County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara
Jasmine.Beach-Ferrara@buncombecounty.org
828.250.4004
County Commissioner Martin Moore
Martin.Moore@buncombecounty.org
828.250.4010
County Commissioner Amanda Edwards
Amanda.Edwards@buncombecounty.org
828.250.4005
County Commissioner Parker Sloan
Parker.Sloan@buncombecounty.org
828.231.4784If you have a library sign in your yard, keep it there as a way to increase visibility of this issue and encourage your neighbors to continue giving the Library their attention and support.
Write a letter to the editor of local news outlets, expressing your desire that they continue to cover the Swannanoa Library as our community’s engagement with the County enters this new phase. Thank them for their coverage so far. Personal stories of what the library means, or has meant, to you and your family are also very helpful. Send your letters to the Asheville Citizen-Times at letters@citizen-times.com, or visit static.citizen-times.com/submit-letter-editor to submit using the AC-T’s online form (250 words or less); the Black Mountain News at news@blackmountainnews.com; and the Mountain Xpress at letters@mountainx.com (300 words or less).
Volunteer with one or more of the SCC, FOTSL, and FANS. All three organizations are open to those interested in serving on their boards and/or volunteering at their events
Attend a County Commission meeting and speak in the Public Comment period held at the beginning of each meeting. Meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 5 pm, at 200 College Street, Suite 236. Contact us via email if you are interested in speaking: contact@grovemontpark.org
Share this information with your friends and neighbors.
I still have questions. Who can I contact?
Send your questions and suggestions to contact@grovemontpark.org.
Stay tuned for more information on ways to get involved. Check GrovemontPark.org and the FANS Facebook page for updates. In the meantime, SPEAK UP SWANNANOA!
FAQs Compiled By:
Swannanoa Community Council (SCC)
Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS)
Friends of the Swannanoa Library (FOTSL)