Library usage

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, March 2013; written by Lisa Pearson.

People who know that I work at the public library often ask “How are things at the library?”. This used to be a bit of small talk, but since we opened the new facility I realize that this has now become a real question. The community is genuinely interested in how the new library is doing and whether it’s getting used.

I could answer this with a barrage of statistics. We issued 223% more new library cards in January of this year than we did in January 2012. Circulation of children’s nonfiction books is up 139% over last year. We’re currently averaging over 2,000 people a week coming into the library, with an average of 570 a day on Saturdays. Adult fiction circulation is up 47%. The use of the ListenAlaska ebook & audiobook download service has increased 49% compared to last year. And so on and so on. A more interesting way to explain how we are doing in the new building would be to describe the different ways people are using the library.

The new library has become an enjoyable place for elders to come spend time. There are easy chairs by the fireplace, lots of lighting and plenty of large-print books to browse. They chat with friends and neighbors, or just watch the comings and goings. People who haven’t checked a book out in 30 years (by their own admission) have come in to get a library card. When some residents of the Pioneer Home came to visit, they said they loved all the space and light.

The new library has become a place for learning. The two study rooms are being heavily used by people taking distance classes, UAS and Kayhi students needing to study, and parents helping their kids with their homework. The rooms are also working well for proctoring exams and doing tutoring. We have done library tours for 5 different school groups, the KIC Tribal Scholars program has brought their students up to use the library for research projects, and we have students from the Kayhi Special Education program who volunteer at the library every week. Since the goal of a library is to promote life-long learning, we are very happy to see such a range of students using the new building.

The new library is a place where children fall in love with books. As a 4-year-old painstakingly wrote her name across the top of her brand new library card, her mother had tears in her eyes. Kids come in to find the hidden characters in the fabric tree in the Children’s library. Storytime is a wonderful chance for parents to go somewhere fun with their little ones. The children get to sing songs, hear stories and play with the toys while their moms and dads have an opportunity to talk to other grown-ups. The library has over 3 dozen people coming to our storytimes on Thursday and Friday mornings. We also do storytime four times a week for the Saxman and Ketchikan HeadStart programs.

The new library has become a place to relax. We’ve had a local group of knitters hold their weekly gathering in front of the fireplace and the windows, where they could chat and knit in comfort. Parents whose kids are busy at the Gateway Rec Center with swim lessons and basketball practice come to the library to spend a little quiet time by themselves. People use the warm, cozy library to get out of their house and combat the cabin fever that afflicts us all this time of the year. The best way to summarize the role that the new library is playing in Ketchikan is to say that it is now a community gathering space. In the words of one patron “This building makes me want to read”.