Proposed cuts to public libraries are starting to draw protests in the Triangle.

Why it matters: Libraries are a small slice of county spending, but local leaders hoping to avoid steep tax hikes see an opportunity to save some cash.

By the numbers: All three of the Triangle's county managers recommended changing library budgets, even as circulation grows.

• In Wake County, a budget proposal would move about $2 million in housekeeping-related funding from the library system to General Services as part of an operational shift. County spokesperson Alice Avery said the change is not a cut to library services.
• Durham County's proposal drops spending 3.6% from what was budgeted last year, saving around $500,000. Library locations count nearly 700,000 visits a year, with circulation around 4 million.

Zoom in: Orange County is considering making a different kind of cut — phasing out its annual payments to Chapel Hill Public Library over the next two years, eventually saving over $600,000 a year.

• That's around 12.5% or 14.4% of the town's library budget, depending who you ask.
• The county is also considering cutting over $100,000 this year from the budget for its main library in Hillsborough and the newly opened Carrboro branch.

Driving the news: Wake County librarians rallied outside a Board of Commissioners meeting Monday night, saying the growing population is already straining the library system.

• Librarian Zac Morgan said over the past year, "we've been struggling to keep the same level of service going" and "it's wearing a lot of people out," per Indy Week.
• Chapel Hill residents also voiced frustration this week, ABC11 reported.

State of play: Local government budgets tend to grow every year, and county managers say tax revenue isn't growing fast enough to keep pace.

• Tax increases are proposed in all three counties, with managers citing the economy and the state's approach to funding public schools.
• "It's a very tight budget year," Orange County spokesperson Wil Glenn emphasizes.

The bottom line: Trimming money for discretionary services like libraries can be more palatable than shrinking programs that deal with education or public safety.

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Americans are spending more time at home, yet many have become strangers to their neighbors — especially young Americans, who are increasingly unlikely to socialize with those living feet away.

Why it matters: Without casual conversations with neighbors, people risk becoming more isolated and more dependent on superficial, algorithm-driven digital communities.

By the numbers: In 2012, 51% of young Americans regularly engaged with neighbors, according to a new AEI report. Today, that number has plummeted to 25%.

• By contrast, 56% of seniors socialize with neighbors, a seven-point drop since 2012.

What they're saying: Daniel Cox, head report researcher and director of the Survey Center on American Life at AEI, tells Axios that technology deserves some of the blame.

• He says that homes have become entertainment bunkers letting Americans stream, scroll, get directions and find recommendations without knocking on a neighbor's door.

The intrigue: Young people who grew up in the pandemic or entered the workforce as remote employees missed out on the everyday interactions that build confidence and community, Cox notes.

Go deeper

🛞 The Goodyear tire plant in Fayetteville will close next year, causing 1,700 people to lose their jobs. (WRAL)

🏨 The Umstead Hotel's general manager has left the luxury hotel to run the Margaritaville Resort in Alabama. (Triangle Business Journal 🔒)

🦠 Coronavirus researcher Ralph Baric is retiring from UNC-Chapel Hill. (The Assembly)

Staffers of U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards revealed new details about drinking outings, casino trips and unwanted attention directed at young female staffers. (Axios)

The lineup is now out for this fall's Raleigh Wide Open music festival, bringing together legendary and up-and-coming acts for a weekend of Americana music.

Why it matters: Tens of thousands of people are expected to turn out for free three-day event, put on by the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, aka PineCone.

Zoom in: Here are some names catching our eyes:

• Jim Lauderdale: The Americana singer and songwriting legend is a two-time Grammy winner. Before his music career, he went to Durham's Carolina Friends School.
• Shinyribs: We expect an extremely danceable set from Shinyribs. It's a large band, whose sound is described by lead Kevin Russell as "celebratory bayou funk/R&B/soul."
• Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road: A young bluegrass group hailing from the North Carolina mountains.

Check out the full lineup

It's been a beautiful spring here in the Triangle, but we all know what's waiting for us — the hot, humid heart of summer.

🥵 The latest: Weather forecasters predict temperatures will climb into the 90s this weekend.

• Days like that feel a lot better out on the water.

🛶 Driving the news: Wake County has free boat rentals at Lake Crabtree starting this weekend and extending into September.

🚣 How it works: Adults can bring an ID and use one of the county's boats for two hours.

• Options include kayaks, canoes and pedal boats, as well as stand-up paddle boards.
• Rentals are available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus Memorial Day and Labor Day. Hours are 10aBm-5pm.

Situational awareness: The state is monitoring a 1.1 million-gallon sewage spill upstream from the lake that contractors working at the airport reported yesterday.

The musician David Byrne spent some time at the Raleigh Denim shop in downtown Raleigh after his show at the DPAC on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Receiving a custom jacket or pants from Raleigh Denim founder Victor Lytvinenko has become a tradition for artists visiting the Triangle, with everyone from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and rapper J. Cole getting pieces.

• Lytvinenko made Byrne a jacket, and Byrne worked with the shop to make a custom skirt for one of his band's dancers.

What they're saying: Lytvinenko said it was "pretty bonkers" to have Byrne come by the shop after his show.

• "He's one of the most creative people alive and one of my favorite inspirations," he said.

Between the lines: It appears Byrne enjoyed his time around the Triangle while performing two shows at DPAC.

• During the concert, he even shared photos he took along the Raleigh Greenway before the show.