A Boon for the Bookish

It should come as no surprise that this past fiscal year has been record-breaking for the Wilton Library. What is surprising is that while other organizations fall to all-time lows, the library is booming.

According to Kathy Leeds, the library's director, there has been an “unprecedented increase” in the rise of circulation materials. This can be linked directly to the fact that, with a nine percent increase in new visitors, more people are visiting the facility than ever before.

Since it was established in 1895, the library typically sees only a one to two percent circulation increase each year. However, that number rose to ten percent for general circulation materials in 2009, while teen and children books experienced an even higher boost.

With more people looking to save money on items such as daily newspaper and magazine subscriptions, in-house use of materials has also risen. Library staff have observed approximately 19 percent more people staying in the facility to read as opposed to going elsewhere to do so. In order to determine the amount of people remaining in-house, the staff calculates how many materials are left on the desks and chairs after a patron leaves.

Leeds said that those visiting the library are generally “asking more questions," ranging from reference issues (which account for 27 percent of questions asked by new patrons) to more in-depth concerns. For Leeds, this range of inquiries proves that many patrons are visiting the library for the first time, while others are more experienced with the location but are using the offered services differently or to a greater depth.

In order to accommodate the rising demands of patrons, the library has implemented a number of new technological advancements. 

Each section of the library now has its own bank of computers, which have been used 23 percent more this year than last, and has a wireless system that is accessible anywhere on the grounds. The staff is also working towards converting their computers to Windows 2007 as well as installing SMART Boards in order to be as up-to-date and technologically prepared as possible.

Additionally, the library staff has organized a variety of community classes. For example, there are specially-tailored classes for the unemployed (resume-building, etc.) and Westport Continuing Education holds ESL classes for those who want to improve their English skills and abilities. In order to spread the word about their offerings, the library is harnessing social media and has a Facebook fan page as well as a Twitter account, both of which are updated regularly.

To help accommodate the surge in usage and new technology, the library rents various rooms and meeting spaces out for nominal fees. These facilities have experienced a 46 percent rise in use by new patrons, since “companies are trying to save money,” said Leeds.

Overall, the library's funding comes from a variety of sources; it is a “private, non-profit [organization] and relies on donations to maintain collections and services,” so although it receives an annual municipal grant for over $2 million that “covers three-fourths of [its] operating expenses,” it still needs public support to the tune of about $500,000. The Annual Friends Campaign, for instance, helps the library raise approximately 22 percent of its budget.

The library has actually been very successful over the years, even during these harder economic times, in raising money through multiple, yearly fundraisers such as the recent Ladies’ Soiree. Between donation money, state and local grants, and other financial areas (i.e., investments, book sales, late fees, facility rentals, etc.), it has maintained a zero deficit with matching revenue and operating expenses of $2.44 million for the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

Considering the vast number of services it offers and the ever-increasing number of people it hosts, perhaps the library should start offering and teaching business courses as well.