One business booming: local libraries
In slow economy, residents finding free entertainment at Naperville locations
How do you know we're in a recession?
Well, you can try and bring up the consumer confidence polls, the credit crisis, the unemployment rate, the housing market crash, the unsightly gas prices, the market volatility - or you can take a stroll through your local library.
(Danielle Gardner / Staff photographer)
What: The Naperville Library added its new, $500,000 online catalog that will allow readers to search authors by the first name or pull up a magazine article, much like the searching technology found in popular search engines like Google and Yahoo.
Demonstrations: Residents who would like to see a demonstration of the new catalog at www.naperville-lib.org can visit one of these locations: Naper Boulevard Library, 2035 S. Naper Blvd.; 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive; or Nichols Library, 200 W. Jefferson Ave.
Call: 630-961-4100, Ext. 2223, or e-mail sgreenwood@naperville-lib.org
Not that the Naperville Library's attendance numbers are going to set off a market rally at the New York Stock Exchange, but the library is experiencing what has been a historical tendency for usage to go up as the economy is going down.
"We would say that we have been very busy. I've spoken with the managers at all three (library) buildings, and they have reported the facilities and usage has been up considerably," said Susan Greenwood, community relations coordinator for the Naperville Library. "Certainly more people have been through here from January through March than last year."
Greenwood said the library does not currently have circulation numbers at this point, but reports a 47 percent spike in digital media usage this year.
"I would directly attest to the fact people are checking out DVDs, videos and downloads from the library because they are clearly trying to save money," Greenwood said. "I think people in Naperville are an exceptional example of how technology has been instituted in our lives. People here who use technology are finding that they can get DVDs and videos and also do downloads right from home. It's a form of double-saving because they don't have to pay for the videos, but they also can save gas on driving to the branch."
Nationally, the trend is even more clear.
A study was performed by the Chicago-based American Library Association in conjunction with the University of Illinois Library Research Center in 2002 to observe the use over a span of five years at the 25 U.S. public libraries serving populations of 1 million or more. Using data from 18 of those large libraries, the study found that circulation has increased significantly since March 2001, when the National Bureau of Economic Research pegged the beginning of the latest recession. Circulation in March 2001 was 8.3 percent higher than would be expected from the trend observed since January 1997.
Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, circulation in October 2001 exceeded the trend by 11.3 percent.
Though there might be debate about whether the country is stuck in a recession, there is little argument that people are willing to spend more time in libraries than spend money on luxury items.
"I think that's possible," said Lisa Zimbrek of Naperville, when asked whether more people were using the library to save money. Zimbrek was about to enter the Nichols Library in downtown Naperville on Thursday. "Whether we know it or not, it does save money - especially if you don't have to buy a new magazine or book every time at Barnes & Noble."
Greenwood said she expects high usage to continue through the summer.
"Especially the online activity," she said. "For example, audio books can be downloaded at audible.com for a monthly fee, but we offer e-audio books to residents for free."