Booking on better times

OXFORD HILLS — Consumer spending may be grinding to a halt — President-elect Barack Obama admitted this week that the economy is “getting worse” — but that doesn’t mean locals have forsaken entertainment.  They’re just not paying for it.

Instead, people frequenting area libraries in greater numbers than ever before. 

In Paris, head librarian Michael Dignan notes that circulation is up almost 14 percent since the beginning of the fiscal year, starting July 1, 2008.  Month-to-month numbers are even more dramatic, with circulation in December outpacing December, 2007, when the recession started, by 33.7 percent.

“I was shocked when I ran the numbers,” said Dignon, Monday.  “You spend all your time checking things in, and checking things out, and you get so involved you almost don’t notice the increase [in traffic] until you see it on paper.”

Among the most popular items in Paris, up 33.7 percent and now accounting or almost 40 percent of all circulation, are DVDs.  However adult and juvenile fiction book use is up more than 43 percent in both categories, while juvenile nonfiction is up a whopping 99.2 percent.

Paris already has the largest circulation of any library in seven Western and Northern Maine counties, says Dignon. At more than 90,000 items circulated annually, it loans out almost twice the volume of the Norway library, he says.

Still, even with that amount of users, Paris is signing on more all the time.  Dignon issued 43 new library cards in December, more than twice as many as in December, 2007.  In the current fiscal year, people are signing up for library cards 30 percent faster than they did in the first six months of 2007.

The numbers are similar, if less dramatic, in Norway.  There, library director Ann Siekman says circulation is up 10 percent since July 1.  In Norway, however, video circulation is flat, meaning the increase is almost entirely in books, primarily adult fiction.

“I think it’s definitely because of the economy,” says Seikman, noting that Norway saw an even grater jump in circulation during the last recession, in the early 1990s.

However, one thing both libraries have now that they didn’t have then is internet access.  Siekman says computer use at the Norway library is up 26 percent since July 1 and, while Dignon did not have exact numbers, he points out that his computers are “in use almost constantly.”

Neither librarian could tie computer use to the economy however, as might be indicated by a spike in traffic to help wanted web sites.  Internet use in both places, they say, is confidential.

However, one possible measure might be the noticeable increase in the number of people visiting the library with laptops, to make use of free wi-fi connections.  The evidence is anecdotal, but both librarians say there has been a large jump lately in the number of people using the library for that purpose alone.  Some even make use of the wireless network after hours, by accessing the public internet from vehicles in the parking lot.

Siekman says Norway library directors have not yet made any changes in programming to accommodate the increased traffic.

“We haven’t figured out how we might program relative to the economy,” she said, Monday.  “Things seem like they are so up in the air.  We just don’t know where the economy is going, or what’s happening, yet.”

“My board hasn’t had a change to look at these numbers,” adding that Paris library directors meet next on January 15.

However, Siekman does note that, starting later this month, the Norway library will begin to lend out kits used to measure home energy usage.  The systems will be donated by EfficiencyMaine.

Paris has adopted a new circulation system, and rearranged shelves to make better use of available floor space.  New children’s programs have been added, says Dignon, along with children’s activity room, in the basement.

Smaller libraries in Buckfield and West Paris also report increased usage.  In Buckfield, librarian Everett Tilton says his experience mirrors that in Paris, with modest spikes in computer use and DVD circulation.

West Paris has seen a jump in library use of 50 percent among adults and 151 percent among children, according to director Janet Fournier.  However, there, the spike is largely attributed to community involvement in a $400,000 expansion project, as well as a focus by directors on creating new programs.

Still, all area librarians express concern that town meeting voters might be tempted to cut book budgets in a tight year, even though usage is up.

“Obviously, we are concerned about this coming year,” says Dignon.

Paris voters “flat-funded” their library last year.  With a concurrent spike in energy costs, that budget translated to the loss of six hours per week and a freeze on the purchase of new books.  All seven employees went without pay raises.

“Another year like that will make it hard to retain staff,” says Dignon.  “They can get paid a lot better doing other things, if they can get a job.

“This isn’t a job you do if you want to get rich, anyway,” he joked.  “It’s a calling.”