Libraries See Record Traffic During Recession

Posted on March 16, 2009

As the recession drags on, libraries are seeing record numbers of visitors. Book lovers are still reading, but it's cheaper to check out books from the library than to buy an author's new book.

Libraries are booming. Indeed, the bad news on the economy is good news for libraries across the New York region, so long as they can escape the budget ax that is falling on many municipal services as cities and towns struggle with declining revenue.

People are flocking to libraries after forsaking Barnes & Noble or ditching their HBO service and subscriptions to Netflix, library officials said, because libraries' books, DVDs and CDs have a significant advantage: They are free.

Some people are showing up at libraries for the first time for free entertainment - movies, lectures, concerts and puppet shows, library officials said. Still others are capitalizing on their newspaper racks, books and free Internet service for job searches and investment advice or advice on a topic that the title of a much-thumbed book makes obvious: "Surviving a Layoff: A Week-by-Week Guide to Getting your Life Back Together."

There is an incongruity in libraries' providing such a wealth of free services because libraries themselves are vulnerable to the economy. Towns and school districts have started to make cuts, and library hours and employees are frequent targets.

Budget cuts in many cities have caused libraries to cut back on acquisitions and on staff just at a time when visitors are increasing at a record pace. Many librarians feel they can't keep up with the demand for computer time and assistance in using the library. We love libraries, but they need adequate budgets to keep up with rising demand.

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