Today I'm going to stray from the topic of libraries to discuss the city of Durham. We make much of the fact that UNC is located only eight miles down the road from Durham/Duke, but how often do Chapel Hill-ians really take the opportunity to explore their sister city? I only have one Facebook contact who is a Duke alum, and that's only because we went to the same high school in Georgia. I can probably count the number of times I have visited Duke on both hands, and the majority of those times were to visit the gardens.

So what keeps us away from Durham? Is it something to do with the fact that the city has always had a perhaps unfair reputation for high crime levels? There was a controversial article in the DTH this past spring that essentially stated that Durhamites were responsible for various crimes committed in and around Chapel Hill. And it is true that parts of downtown Durham can be less than savory. As part of staff development day at the main library branch, staff members took part in a shooter simulation drill. I can't be positive, but I am fairly certain that this is not something that occurs at other public libraries. My roommate, who works circulation at the Southwest branch, confirmed that yes, this would not have happened elsewhere.

I didn't know much about Durham prior to starting the internship. However, a stint at the Herald-Sun following my junior year had opened my eyes to some of the interesting places and people that the city had to offer, and my work at the library has confirmed my opinion that Durham is, in fact, a pretty neat place. The library is running a series of events called "Bullish on Durham," and each one explores a different point of interest: DPAC, Central Park, etc. It's a great way to see what Durham has to offer as an up-and-coming Southern city. Many of the library's summer humanities events reveal Durham's rich cultural history as well. One series will detail Durham's history during the Civil Rights era, and an event later this month on Jews and Durham explores an aspect of the city's history that perhaps is not explored quite as often. Plus, it's difficult to not love a city that hosts an annual Beaver Queen Pageant.