Some links to share...
First off, a post from one of my favorite blogs, The Consumerist:
The Poverty-Stricken Masses Are Flocking To Libraries
And a couple of stories linked in that post...
Boston Globe Op-Ed from January 3:
The library - a recession sanctuary
New York Times, January 7:
Freakonomics: The Public Library Renaissance
Monday, January 12, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Director's Report: December 2008
• Statistics
For the month of December, both library locations posted strong increases over the same month in 2007. Circulation of materials at the Main library rose 24.8% over 2007, while circulation of Branch materials increased 21.5%. Spot checking other Minerva libraries, it seems that most posted increases of 20% to 30% for the month, compared to the previous year.
In December of 2007, the Main library processed 2,812 transactions with 10,353 items checked out and, this year, there were 3,525 transactions with 13,401 items checked out. The Branch processed 512 transactions with 1,968 items in December of 2007 and 658 transactions with 2,545 items this December.
December of 2007 and 2008 each had 24 days of business for the Main Library while the Branch saw 21 days of business this year, compared to just 19 days last year. Each library lost a day's worth of business due to weather - the Branch was closed on Sunday, December 21 and the Main on Friday, December 12. The Main library also lost a day of business on December 24, due to the combination of the library's Wednesday scheduled opening at 1pm coinciding with the City's early closing of departments at 1pm on Christmas Eve.
• Meetings
Kevin attended two Minerva meetings in early December - the Users Council meeting held at the Topsham Public Library on 12/3 and a Circulation Users meeting at the Wells Reserve held on 12/5.
There were two meetings between the City and the AFSCME staff union, working toward a first contract, on 12/8 and 12/23.
• Miscellaneous
Amy Sinclair, a reporter for New England Cable News (NECN) visited the Branch library on 12/31 to film a news segment about library usage in tough economic times. The visit caught the Branch at a very busy time with lots of activity and a variety of "library stories." The piece aired across New England on NECN (locally on Channel 42) several times that day and the next. It was also carried across Maine on WMTW, channel 8. The video can be viewed online in yesterday's post.
For the month of December, both library locations posted strong increases over the same month in 2007. Circulation of materials at the Main library rose 24.8% over 2007, while circulation of Branch materials increased 21.5%. Spot checking other Minerva libraries, it seems that most posted increases of 20% to 30% for the month, compared to the previous year.
In December of 2007, the Main library processed 2,812 transactions with 10,353 items checked out and, this year, there were 3,525 transactions with 13,401 items checked out. The Branch processed 512 transactions with 1,968 items in December of 2007 and 658 transactions with 2,545 items this December.
December of 2007 and 2008 each had 24 days of business for the Main Library while the Branch saw 21 days of business this year, compared to just 19 days last year. Each library lost a day's worth of business due to weather - the Branch was closed on Sunday, December 21 and the Main on Friday, December 12. The Main library also lost a day of business on December 24, due to the combination of the library's Wednesday scheduled opening at 1pm coinciding with the City's early closing of departments at 1pm on Christmas Eve.
• Meetings
Kevin attended two Minerva meetings in early December - the Users Council meeting held at the Topsham Public Library on 12/3 and a Circulation Users meeting at the Wells Reserve held on 12/5.
There were two meetings between the City and the AFSCME staff union, working toward a first contract, on 12/8 and 12/23.
• Miscellaneous
Amy Sinclair, a reporter for New England Cable News (NECN) visited the Branch library on 12/31 to film a news segment about library usage in tough economic times. The visit caught the Branch at a very busy time with lots of activity and a variety of "library stories." The piece aired across New England on NECN (locally on Channel 42) several times that day and the next. It was also carried across Maine on WMTW, channel 8. The video can be viewed online in yesterday's post.
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