In 2021, a condition analysis of Buncombe County facilities reviewed 38 locations and evaluated them on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). With a rating of 1.69, the Swannanoa Library ranked 38th out of the 38 locations. With that, Buncombe County identified more than $635,000 of repairs needed at the Swannanoa Library to maintain life safety and continue providing regular operations. The library building is currently leased, and as of June 29, 2024, the County will not renew that lease and will reallocate library resources. This reallocation will allow the County to improve library access across the system.
“Change is never easy. We know this may be disappointing for those neighbors who utilize this library, but operationally, we just can’t justify these extensive ongoing costs,” said Assistant County Manager DK Wesley. “While we will no longer operate this leased property as a library at the end of the fiscal year, we are planning to grow our services at the East Asheville and Black Mountain Libraries in ways that will ensure the Grovemont and Swannanoa communities have great options to support their love of reading and connecting. We’ll also explore mobile programming in conjunction with our CORE programming from Parks & Recreation this spring and summer.”
The Swannanoa Library serves just more than 20,000 visitors each year, and with 3,276 square feet, has the smallest footprint of any Buncombe County library.
Staff members at the Swannanoa Library will be reassigned to other library locations in their current classifications. These reassignments will help facilitate additional hours at other libraries beginning this summer, and that information will be made available soon.
Additionally, a community celebration for the Swannanoa Library will be held, and details on that celebration are forthcoming.