There's a small library in downtown Clayton that I know of. Another one, which I think it's nicer and bigger, is Garner, right next to the Garner Police Department building. You'll have to drive, like 20 minutes, to get there. Downtown Smithfield have one and I believe it's the same driving distance as Garner.
There's a small library in downtown Clayton, and a much larger one on the main street going through Smithfield, across from the Courthouse. If you live in Johnston County, you'll have to pay an annual fee of $25 to use the Garner library.
Too true! Not sure how it is in other states, but in North Carolina you only have free access to the library system in the county you reside in. Johnston is getting better, but you still often have a long wait for popular books.
How does it work? Do they charge you at the door? I've never been asked at the Clayton or Smithfield libraries what county I lived in.
Wake County charges a fee for residents who live outside of Wake County. It comes in to play when you are getting a libraray card. That is when they ask ( and you have to show proof of address ) if you live in Wake County.
So you can use the library without living in the county (and paying a fee), you just can't check out a book?
When I moved here years ago I lived in Garner - wake county, and that's when I got my library card. A couple months ago I went back to the Garner library and they updated my new address - Johnston county - in the system. But they never asked me to pay anything and we took out a bunch of books.
I held onto mine but one day in the F-V library the nice lady asked me if my address was still the same. I was not then aware of the out of county cost so I told the truth. Never been back.
I was at the opening ceremony for the new addition to the Clayton Library a month or so ago and it was brought up that our Library is one of two municipally run libraries in the state. From what I have seen they do a pretty good job. Most of my book collection has gone there and according to my wife, we will be dropping about 9 more boxes of books off there this weekend.
http://www.johnstonnc.com/mainpage.cfm?category_level_id=885&content_id=2375 Above is the link to Clayton's library. I don't see where they charge an initial fee. They are open until 8:00 pm tonight if someone wants to call. My daughter uses it but I cannot remember if we paid a fee way back when. Grace