Let’s stand together for:
​ Community. Access. Efficiency. Choice.

Our library is more than a building—it’s a hub for learning, connection, and opportunity. A small group is pushing for us to leave the Fontana Regional Library System. But the facts, our neighbors’ experience--say we should stay.

Let’s Move Forward Together
Leaving the Fontana Regional Library system would hurt our community financially, educationally, and socially. The smart, community-centered decision is to stay in the system, just as Macon County wisely chose to do. Let’s preserve what works, improve where needed, and stand up for a library that serves all of Cashiers.

Contact Commissoners and others

1. Honor Our History and Community Roots

• Libraries were founded to provide free access to knowledge, serving everyone regardless of background. That mission still matters today.
• Macon County—one of Fontana’s original founding members—chose to stay after a thoughtful review. Their decision affirms the value of shared resources and community collaboration.

2. Fiscal Responsibility Matters

• Leaving the Fontana system would create new costs for Jackson County taxpayers, requiring us to duplicate services, staffing, and technology.
• Macon County's library trustees called the financial burden of leaving “staggering” and concluded there would be no benefit to citizens or patrons. The potential cost to Jackson County taxpayers is hundreds of thousands of dollars.

3. Local Control and Parental Choice Already Exist

• Parents can set borrowing restrictions for their children under the current system. We should focus on improving communication about these tools, not undermining a system that works.
• We are neutral politically and believe decisions about what children read belong to families, not to local government or activist groups.

4. Respect and Our Neighbors

• Our Highlands, Franklin & Bryson City neighbors remain committed to Fontana. Their continued participation shows trust in regional partnership and dedication to serving all residents.
• Macon County, after extended public debate, chose the path of compromise and cooperation. Their example provides a clear and reasonable path forward.

5. Keep the Library a Place for Everyone

• Libraries reflect the diversity of our communities. Every person deserves the opportunity to see themselves represented in books—and to explore different perspectives.
• No one is forced to read a particular book, but everyone deserves the freedom to choose what they read.

6. Support the Freedom to Read

• The “Freedom to Read” isn’t just a slogan—it’s a founding principle of public libraries and an American value worth protecting.
• A small group of voices may want to limit what’s available to everyone, but most of our community supports access, inclusion, and choice.

7. Strong Libraries Strengthen Communities

• The Fontana Regional Library system supports job seekers, students, businesses, families, and seniors with digital access, educational programming, office space, and professional staffing.
• Keeping our library in Fontana ensures continued access to high-quality services and broader collections. Libraries thrive through regional cooperation, not isolation.​

Leaving Fontana would mean:
 X Higher costs
 X Fewer services 
 X More division

​Staying in Fontana ensures:
✔️ Lower taxes
✔️ More resources
✔️ Community unity
✔️ Continued access for all