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By Mike Barnhardt

Enterprise Record

BERMUDA RUN – Readers here now have an easier way to check out materials from the Davie County Public Library.

A kiosk-type locker system opened last week at the Davidson-Davie Community College site at 120 Kinderton Blvd., next to town hall.

The project didn’t just happen. One, the library needed a location. Two, the machine cost $45,000. Three, volunteers were needed to be on site when open.

The library found a willing partner in the college, and library director, Derrick Wold, obtained an ADAPTS grant from the State Library of North Carolina to pay the cost. Civic groups are stepping up to be there when the lockers are open.

“The whole idea was connectivity,” Wold said at a grand opening celebration last week sponsored by the Davie Chamber of Commerce. “We felt like this was the best way to provide a service to a community that needs it.”

His long-term goal would be to get machines in other under-served parts of the county.

The Bermuda Run kiosk will be open Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Materials can be dropped off at any time.

Any Davie County Public Library member will be able to use the lockers. To do so, reserve books through the library website. Library staff will assign a specific locker that will hold those books on reserve. Go to the locker and scan your library card. The assigned locker door will open and your books will be waiting for you. Take your receipt so that you know when the books are due back. Those books can be returned at any time thanks to an outdoor-accessible dropoff box.

‘It gives us the opportunity to provide a service and show there is a desire and a need to have a physical library presence in the Bermuda Run/East Davie area,” Wold said. “This provides a template to provide service to underserved community members in Davie County.”

Keith Beck, chair of the executive committee of the chamber, praised Wold for sticking with the project through multiple hurdles. He was also pleased with the cooperation between the library, town, college and local civic groups.

“It’s great to see these facilities being used in a lot of different ways,” said Dr. Darrin Hartness, college president.

“We are very appreciative of Derrick Wold’s proactive initiative to provide extended access of library services to the Bermuda Run/East Davie area. The Town looks forward to partnering with DDCC and the Davie County Public Library to provide volunteers to staff the kiosk area. It’s a great testament to fully leveraging the resources of multiple agencies,” said Lee Rollins, Bermuda Run Town Manager.

“On behalf of Bermuda Run and eastern Davie County, we thank you,” said Mayor Rick Cross. “I hope we gets lots of customers.”