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Upsurge in local library traffic mirrors U.S. trend

Many suspect economic slump behind increase

By Brittany Anas, Daily Camera

Published September 29, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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The harsh economy has turned James Hartman, 50, into a repeat library patron.

Most mornings, he's among the first to file into the Boulder Public Library when it opens its doors at 10 a.m. so he can check his e-mail at a free Internet station.

Hartman wears a T-shirt, jeans and hat - on standby to go to work if there are any responses to his applications for handyman and painting jobs.

"I come every day, checking job applications," Hartman said. "Just trying to find a job."

An increase this year in library traffic throughout Boulder County is mirroring a larger, national trend. Some library officials suspect that a slumping economy means a surge in popularity for the Dewey Decimal System.

At the Boulder Public Library, the number of new library cards given to patrons so far this year has increased 12 percent compared with the same period in 2007. Circulation, meanwhile, is up 7 percent.

And perhaps even more telling is the 14 percent increase in circulation of materials about careers and job hunting, and the 18 percent spike in rentals that are related to writing cover letters and resumes or honing interview skills.

"We work to always remain free," said Lynn Reed, information service manager for the Boulder Public Library. "That's a profound resource in the community."

And yet the library is not immune to the poor economy. The Boulder Public Library, with a $7.2 million budget this year, has borne the brunt of deep budget cuts over the last several years, forcing some smaller neighborhood branches to scale down their hours.

"We try not to express stress in hard economic times and try to keep providing the best services," Reed said.

For some patrons, renting a DVD from the library means saving the money it would cost to buy a movie ticket, and checking out a book salvages the cost of buying one.

Michele Moses, an associate education professor at the University of Colorado, accompanied her daughter's second- grade class on a field trip to the library Friday. She said she typically takes her children to the library every three weeks to peruse the shelves and check out books, as well as attend events such as an African dance presentation and a Harry Potter party.

"They love coming here just as much as doing things that cost money," Moses said.

Nationwide, 68 percent of Americans have a library card, up 5 percent since 2006, according to new findings released last week by the American Library Association. Visits are also up 10 percent from two years ago.

"I think most that walk through our doors are pleasantly surprised by the variety of free services libraries offer," said Jim Retting, president of the American Library Association.

Libraries have bolstered their Internet services available to patrons - including online homework help, downloadable music and books, as well as e-books - according to the association.

"As the nation continues to experience a downturn in the economy, libraries are providing the tools needed to help Americans get back on their feet," Retting said.

Circulation at the Louisville Public Library is up 15 percent over the same time last year, said Karen Freiter, administrative assistant.

Staff members there have considered whether the economy is driving the increase, and they are looking at what new services and materials should be provided during the rough times.

At the Lafayette Public Library, Michele Seipp, director of community life, said the number of checkouts by the city's residents has increased 10 percent from last year.

But she's not ready to connect that to a downtrodden economy.

"I can't attribute changes in our use to any specific causes," Seipp said. "We certainly don't ask people, 'Why are you here? What are you doing here?' "

A look at library use

* 68 percent of Americans have a library card, up 5 percent from 2006.

* 76 percent of Americans visited their local public library in the past year, compared with 65.7 percent in 2006.

* 41 percent of library card holders visited their library Web site in the past year, compared with 23.5 percent in 2006.

Demographics of library patrons

* 73 percent of women use the library.

* 62 percent of men use the library.

* 72 percent of Midwesterners use the library.

* 71 percent of Westerners use the library.

* 65 percent of Easterners use the library.

* 63 percent of Southerners use the library.

Popular reasons to visit the library

* 39 percent of card holders visit the library to borrow books.

* 12 percent take out DVDs, CDs or computer software.

* 10 percent use a computer to see what the library has available.

* 9 percent use reference materials.

* 8 percent go to the library for Internet access.

Comments

  • September 29, 2008

    1:22 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SL10 writes:

    Wow! It takes a recession for people to find and use a library? I been using libraries for years. lol.

  • September 29, 2008

    2:29 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Videobarbs writes:

    This is a great article. My immigrant father thought that the American library system was the greatest thing. All the knowledge for free. I've had a card for years and it was a helpful at a time when I didn't have a computer, so the handful of terminals were great.
    It is a great gathering place, as well, for socializing and great for children to learn the magic of books and the amazing Dewey Decimal System. It's nice to know that in this contracting economy, people are finding their way to the neighborhood library once again. We should always have enough funding for these great institutions. It adds a little insurance to our continuing freedoms.

  • September 29, 2008

    10:15 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    middlekid writes:

    I needed an internship in my senior year in college in 2003, and my advisor suggested I go to the financially strapped local library who would gladly take free labor from an English major. Not only did I NOT get an internship at any library in the metro area, I didn't even get a callback from most of them. The Denver Public Library representative told me that wasn't the sort of thing they typically do and wanted to know what my qualifications were. I went to the Aurora Public Library twice and was told that the person I needed to talk to was too busy to talk to me but would not make an appointment for me because her schedule was "variable." My university advisor could not believe it! Well, believe it. The local library system gets no sympathy from me.

  • September 29, 2008

    2:14 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    happymike44 writes:

    Few people understand that the library system was founded to provide and encourage education.
    Thomas Jefferson gave his own personal library to start the library of congress.
    So we are lucky to be able to read some of the brightest minds in the free world.
    All paid for by our tax dollars one of the few things I don't mind paying taxes for.