Learning to Love the Library
In a 1977 episode of the hit TV series Happy Days, Richie took Fonzie to the library to meet some girls. Millions of young viewers heard Fonzie
exclaim, "Hey Richie, you can get a library card, and they're free!" According to series creator, Garry Marshall, the following weeks saw
requests for library cards increase by more than 500 percent nationwide. Those were certainly "boom days" for the nationwide library system.
With today's uncertain economy, those "boom days" are back, but with a different twist. And, it's not only kids flocking to the library. This time,
adults also are heading to the library to take advantage of a tremendous assortment of free services.
According to the American Library Association (ALA), the number of Americans with library cards today is at an all-time high. In the last year,
Americans visited their libraries nearly 1.3 billion times, checking out more than 2 billion items. According to Paul LeClerc, president of the New York Public Library, its branches had 40 million visits over the past year, the greatest ever in a 12-month period.
In Kansas City MO, attendance at the library’s computer skills class reportedly tripled compared to a year ago.
One of the biggest attractions at libraries today is access to computers. In Kansas City, MO, attendance at the library’s computer skills classes reportedly tripled compared with the same three-month period a year ago. At the Morris County Library in Whippany, NJ, attendance in Career Resource Seminars jumped from 472 in 2007 to 745 in 2008.
A second service in great demand – and one that goes hand-in-hand with computers – is free Internet access. The ALA reports that 73 percent of libraries nationwide are the only provider of free Internet access in their community. In rural areas, that number is 83 percent.
A need for computers with Internet access – primarily so job seekers can update their resumes and search for jobs online – is causing major “traffic jams” in some libraries. In the Randolph County library in North Carolina, an average of 230 people a day line up to use the library’s 27 computers. To be fair to all the computer users, the library now limits use to one-hour per person.
In Arlington Heights, IL, volunteer professionals review resumes, set-up networking groups and assemble online resources for unemployed patrons.
Beyond computers, libraries nationwide have introduced a multitude of mostly free products and services that people of all ages value. In addition to the availability of thousands of books and reference materials, virtually all libraries now offer DVDs, video games, audio tapes and dozens of classes and other events. Here is just a sampling of what some libraries across the country are now offering:
At the Johnson County, KS, Public Library, you’ll find book discussions, lectures and performances, live tutoring, family story time and resources to help children learn to read. In addition, there is free assistance in preparing for PSAT, ACT and SAT testing, as well as free online help with homework. The Johnson County Libraries also have an extensive photo exhibit.
The Kansas City, MO, Public Library is helping patrons set up eBay accounts, assisting those studying for the civil-service exam or a GED certificate, and providing classes that teach the basics of Web design and presentation software. One of the library’s facilities even offers Friday Night Family Fun events.
On the West Coast, the Los Angeles Public Libraries now offer downloadable music, podcasts, videos, language classes, maps and thousands of e-books, in addition to access to over 65,000 historic photos and more than 100 databases for researchers.
Next to the welcome desk at the Arlington Heights, IL, Public Library, there is a job-search desk where volunteer professionals help library patrons by reviewing resumes, setting up a support and networking group for the unemployed and assembling a Web site offering of its online resources. Library officials are seeing doubledigit increases in the circulation of DVDs, CDs and books on tape. Plus, its children’s programs and cultural arts events are filled to capacity.
With renewed appreciation for the resources it provides, it appears as though the public library has found a niche with individuals and families looking for new ways to trim their expenses and bring their budgets into balance.