Library usage up significantly

BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

If you think libraries are little more than depositories for books, you might be surprised at what they have to offer these days.

Obviously this has resonated already with many people in Kings County, where library usage is increasing at all five Annapolis Valley Regional Library (AVRL) branches.

AVRL Regional Librarian Frances Newman, who made a presentation to Kings County councillors at the May committee of the whole (COTW) session, said 622,227 items were borrowed during the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

“We had over 3,000 new members join in the past year and we have a total of 23,954 active members,” Newman said. Active members are defined as those who have used their library card within the past three years.

She said there was a lot of additional activity last year, although there was no additional funding for the regional library. There was a four per cent increase in funding this year. Newman said funding is based on population and doesn’t take usage into consideration. For example, 173,000 more items were circulated in the Valley last year than in Cape Breton, but the Valley received less funding.

The province has struck a task force made up of municipal and library representatives to examine public library funding and a new funding formula is expected for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

Extreme increase in Kentville

“Every one of your branches has seen increased use in the past year,” Newman said about the five AVRL branches within Kings County. She pointed out there has been an extreme increase in Kentville, up more than 13 per cent over the previous year.

Newman said one bookmobile was eliminated last year as service to rural residents was re-evaluated, but the remaining bookmobile continues to be very busy. All bookmobile stops were analyzed and a tighter route was developed to serve people in outlying areas in a more cost-effective manner.

The bookmobile currently makes 145 stops throughout the region, 70 in Kings County. These include 26 community stops and 44 institutional visits on a four-week rotating basis.

They have a mini-van as well that visits retirement homes and schools to drop off book deliveries. Newman said this is a much more cost-effective way of serving rural areas.

A new Books By Mail service was introduced in September for people living 10 kilometres or further from a library or those unable to visit a library or bookmobile. Newman said this is an essential service for seniors and people with disabilities.

Patrons can order books from a catalogue and items are mailed to them with a padded postage-paid envelope to return the materials. Canada Post has a special library rate for libraries to mail books. There are about three-dozen people in the region currently using the service, 13 in Kings County.

Libraries are changing

“The nature of libraries is changing,” Newman said, pointing out there’s a lot available on the library’s website at www.valleylibrary.ca.

You can look up books in the catalogue, reserve books, check out an events calendar and look up encyclopedia articles through World Book Online, free to use with a library card. Newman said you could even learn how to fix your car through Clinton’s online database.

She said the days of overdue books are coming to an end because you can now renew books online. Online library usage has increased significantly.

They have 59 public computers available and wireless Internet available. Newman said it would be interesting to see what the level of wireless usage is, and stats will be available next year as they have installed authentication software to quantify the number of wireless users accessing the library’s network connection.

She said she wishes they were able to stay open longer hours, but this has to do with funding.

Councillor John Fuller said library funding seems to be low on the province’s priority list and the institutions are centres of the community. He asked if a strategic plan is being developed for this region.

Newman said there is a strategic plan being developed for the region and the province and it’s a priority of hers to put a strategic plan in place.

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Library usage in Kings County (courtesy AVRL)

• The Kingston branch saw 27,814 items checked out during 2007-2008, an increase of 5.2 per cent over the previous year.

• Berwick had 26,417 items checked out, an increase of 6.1 per cent.

• Kentville saw 73,580 items checked out, an increase of 13.4 per cent.

• Port Williams saw 16,716 items checked out, an increase of 4.2 per cent.

• Wolfville saw 77,639 items checked out, an increase of 3.5 per cent.