“I took the bus .... I like the park on the side and the other attractions nearby,” she said. “I come about once a week, at least.” Tuli, 29, isn’t waiting for the newest iPod, video-game console or concert tickets. She and the others are waiting to get into the Denver Public Library. Yes, the library.
Despite the rise of broadband Internet access in homes across the world and the ability to Google just about anything from anywhere, libraries are attracting record numbers of visitors. Nationwide, visits to and items checked out of libraries are increasing steadily. According to the American Library Association, nearly 1.3 billion library patrons checked out more than 2 billion items in fiscal year 2005, the most recent figures available. That compares with 1.15 billion visitors checking out 1.7 billion items in fiscal year 2000.
Today’s libraries are more than just shelves of books. Visitors can get music, movies, audiobooks and instructional videos. There are banks of computers with high-speed connections to the Internet and meeting rooms used by community groups and business mentors. Some libraries have coffee shops and used-book stores.
Library websites, rich in resource information, are experiencing tremendous growth now that patrons can put books on hold and renew materials online. Patrons also can access expensive databases for free online. “More people are coming to the library and using more things,” said Larra Clark, project manager for the American Library Association’s Office of Research and Statistics. The growth in usage means getting to the library early for a shot at a public computer. Late-comers get nervous because they know they can end up waiting two hours for time on a machine at Denver’s main library.
But there are other resources available. Mike Padilla, 30, recently wanted to use a phone, among other things, at Denver’s main library. “I’m going to do some Internet research,” he said. Tuli said that in addition to using the library computers to go online, she often reads through reference books related to getting her general equivalency diploma and exploring a career as a medical assistant.
Technology has helped drive library usage. Through library websites, visitors can not only search for books but also access a variety of databases. Some library systems, such as Denver's, allow those with a library card to download e-books, audiobooks, music and videos. Library patrons also can check out books through automated kiosks, without assistance of library staff.
With more services overall going digital, the role of libraries, and especially librarians, has evolved. Gone are the days of a stern-looking older woman with a pencil shoved through the bun in her hair saying, “Shhh!” through stacks of dusty books.
Now, employees are "knowledge leaders" and must be equipped to help patrons not only find an obscure book but also navigate online databases, download files, fill out online job applications, or write a letter in Microsoft Word.
NYT