Library Sets New Circulation Records

Library users borrowed more than 169,000 items in the first half of 2010, nearly a 10 percent increase over the previous record-breaking year, according to Summit Free Public Library Director Glenn Devitt.

What are they checking out?

"DVDs are always in high demand," Devitt said in a press release, adding that DVDs accounted for nearly 30 percent of all the items borrowed.  The Library's collection of more than 7,800 DVDs includes a wide selection, from children's cartoons to box-office hits to foreign art films.  Music DVDs range from Aida to ZZ Top, and the educational titles include exercise, travel, cooking, and college lectures.

Two of the library's newest collections haven't generated any record-breaking statistics–yet.  Blu-Ray DVDs and video game discs have been flying off the shelves.

"Summit is a community that embraces new technology," Devitt said, "and that's something we bear in mind when making buying decisions."

Buying new formats doesn't mean abandoning traditional items that are very popular.  Books for adults and children circulate almost as heavily as DVDs.  The most popular category: Picture books.

"Parents take those out by the armload," said Children's Librarian Lynn Thompson.  "Reading aloud to young children–even babies–helps build language skills and prepares them for school.  And once they get to be school age, reading year-round is important."  According to a recent study, children who have access to books over the summer avoid the "summer slide"–a decline that can put them as much as 3 months behind when they return to school. 

This is one of the motivations behind the Library's Summer Reading Club, which is open to Summit children of all ages, from toddlers to teens.  Children keep logs of the books they've read (or had read to them, in the case of pre-schoolers).  Older children in grades one through nine bring their logs in to collect small prizes, and fill out raffle tickets for a chance to win larger prizes at summer's end.  Although the summer is only half over, the number of children signed up for the Reading Club is close to last year's total.

Library computer resources are also heavily used.  Every month, library users log more then 2,000 sessions on the Internet terminals, while visitors with laptops enjoy nearly 900 free wifi sessions.  Many services are available 24/7 online.   Summit cardholders with home computers can check their accounts, reserve and renew items, and download free audiobooks for their Mp3 players.

Inside the Library, banners hanging from the balcony railing display a six-digit number: 327,475.  This is the total of items borrowed in 2009, which was the busiest year ever in the Library's history.  If the first half of 2010 is any indication, that number will be replaced by a larger one at year's end.

"I wouldn't be at all surprised," Devitt said.