Cary’s oldest library will be closed until this fall. Here’s why.
There haven’t been many slow days at West Regional Library in Cary.
For 19 years, students have gathered at the library on Louis Stephens Drive for homework groups or to meet with tutors. Hundreds of children visit each week for storytime readings, while their parents check out books and other items.
Over the years, the library has logged millions of visits. The soft seating and couches aren’t as comfortable as they used to be. The carpet is stained from foot traffic, and the bookshelves, tables and chairs are showing their wear and tear.
“There’s a lot of demand on the furniture throughout the library,” said Katrina Vernon, the assistant library director for Wake County Public Libraries.
This week, West Regional closed to start a months-long $2.4 million renovation.
Sometime this fall, the library will reopen with new flooring, fresh paint, an interactive layout, and upgraded couches, tables and chairs.
Vernon said there will be bigger tables with built-in plugs for group work and chairs designed for people who need a private, quiet place to read or study. There will also be an added play area for children and their caregivers.
“We are trying to improve the layout of the building to make it more reflective of the way the building has actually been used, by both library staff and patrons,” Vernon said.
The renovations to West Regional are not part of the county’s $142 million library bond, which voters approved in November to add, expand, and renovate 13 libraries in the county.
Deputy County Manager Ashley Jacobs said the money will come from the county library system’s maintenance budget, which will allow the library and Holly Springs Community Library to be renovated before the bond projects begin in 2026.
Cary residents will still have a library in town during West Regional’s renovation. Cary Regional Library, which overlooks Downtown Cary Park, opened in 2019, replacing the former Cary Library that had operated since 1960.
An improved library for a growing area
West Cary has grown with new homes and mixed-use development.
The area is getting a new Apple campus. The Walnut Creek greenway will add about five miles of trails. Last year, a developer bought 19.5 acres in west Cary for a 330-unit apartment complex.
The county estimates since West Regional opened in 2006, over 5.7 million visitors have checked out over 16 million items. Last year, the library offered 800 programs with over 250,000 attendees.
The library offers book clubs, virtual events, public computer access, printing, Wi-Fi, and public meeting spaces.
Vernon said, aside from the aesthetic changes, the library will replace its HVAC system and add LED lighting throughout the building.
Wake County’s improved library system
Wake County has over 1.1 million people, and Jacobs said the library bond projects were carefully chosen.
Most of the county’s residents live within a 20-minute drive of a library, but some communities lack one.
In Apex, the Friendship community will be getting its first library making it the second in town after Eva Perry Regional Library. In Raleigh, the Athens Drive Community Library will move from the high school to its own building.
Rolesville, the eastern Wake town of about 11,200 people, will get its first library.
Two libraries, Fuquay-Varina Community Library and Wendell Community, will be expanded to accommodate the growth of the areas.
Eight other libraries will see renovations:
Express Library on Fayetteville Street
Green Road Community Library
Leesville Community Library
Library Administration Building
Northeast Regional Library
Richard B. Harrison Community Library
Southeast Regional Library
Zebulon Community Library
“Investing in our libraries ensures that we continue to provide top-notch services to our residents,” said Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings.
This story was originally published January 9, 2025 at 9:46 AM.