The library as a tranquil oasis
By Tom AdamsEUGENE, Ore. -- People are looking to save money in this unsettled economy, and one place is getting much more use than folks may realize. It's the public library. Since the Eugene Downtown Library opened its new headquarters in 2003, the number of users has tripled. But officials say something else has driven the numbers up recently: the down economy. Wendell Lewis is a big customer of the Eugene Library, but even he can't believe these numbers. "$2,200; that's a lot of money," Lewis said as he gazed at the computer screen. On the newly installed library value calculator, a new feature of the library's Web site, Lewis plugs in the numbers and comes up with $2,200 per month of library services used. When you read 4 or 5 books a week like Wendell, it adds up. "I appreciate the fact that it's here because I use it every day, 7 days a week," Lewis said. Library directors said it's no surprise that circulation is up 10 percent this summer compared to summer 2007. Total foot traffic is up 23 percent, and just the last 2 or 3 months, the uptick is noticeable. "The fact that people are staying home a little more," said Connie Bennett, Eugene Library director. "That people come to the library for practical help like looking for jobs." Another one of the high-use areas in the library is the Business and Career Center "People come here to research potential job opportunities," said Scott Herron, who runs the center. "They come here to look at our resources for how to craft a resume." Herron said recent activity has been higher with the announced layoffs by Hynix. Bennett said something else is at work here during turbulent economic times. "Where you see people in times that are unsettled, they choose to come together in a sense of community and a sense of reaffirming their humanity, and I think that's a fabulous element that the library adds to Eugene," Bennett said. It seems when it comes to an affordable life-line to people, librarians write the book. "It's vital," Lewis said. "It's very vital to the community." |
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