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| Written by Kristen Waggener | |||
| Wednesday, 25 February 2009 08:00 | |||
 Patrons job searching on the library’s computers, children petting Stealer, the reading therapy dog, families picking out DVDs and books for their children. Saturday mornings are busier than ever at Louisburg Library. But so is every other day of the week. Library Director Kiersten Allen has seen a steady increase in the number of people who use the library and the number of items they use and check out on a monthly basis. The past few years, more items are checked out each month than the month before, a trend seen across the state, according to the State Library of Kansas. In 2008, 82,466 items were checked out of the library, a 13.16 percent increase over 2007. Overall, libraries in Kansas reported a 19 percent increase in circulation. “We have noticed an increase in circulation for five solid years. Every year has been more than the next,” Allen said. Family timeKim Carter traveled from Gardner to Louisburg Library so her children, Grant, 5, and Kameron, 4, could spend some time with Stealer, the library’s reading therapy dog.“I came here when I was a kid, and I happened to see Stealer’s picture, so I brought them,” Kim said as Kameron led Stealer around by the leash and Grant spent a few minutes reading with Stealer’s owner, Karen Hutcheson. Stealer visits the library the first and third Saturday of each month to spend time reading with the children. Around the corner, Kerri Spillman plays an educational video game on one of the library’s computers.  The 8-year-old said the best part of the computer games is “that I kind of learn about stuff.” Kerri and her grandmother, Phyllis Peterson, spent a few minutes Saturday morning browsing the children’s DVD collection at the library in one of the bi-weekly trips to the library, Peterson said. Children’s programming is one of the library’s most popular, especially summer reading, Allen said. Free entertainmentIn a time when the effects of the recession are being felt by just about everyone, the library seems to be a welcome respite for patrons.“People are rediscovering the library as a source of information and Internet access,” said State Librarian Christie Brandau. “This increase in usage is unprecedented. Kansans are definitely relying on libraries to get them through these difficult times.” That certainly is true in Louisburg, where programs the library offers are consistently busy. “We just started this year speaking towards the economy — Resume Fridays and Job Search Saturdays,” Allen said. “Resume workshop sessions have been filled every time.” Other resources patrons take full advantage of include the library’s computers, laptops and free wireless Internet. “We have people who sit out front and they can get wireless service from the parking lot when the library is closed,” Allen said. “We have people bring in laptops every day. We see them every day of the week, we see them using the computers.” Louisburg Library has also partnered with the Kansas Humanities Council to bring cultural programming, including events such as Stephen Douglas two weeks ago. “We’ve attended a lot of those, and those are always really good,” Peterson said. Anticipated growthBecause patrons have been using the library more and more over the last several years, Allen said plans had been in place to keep up with that growth.“We have anticipated this circulation and have anticipated people using library more often. We were ready for that,” Allen said. Numbers for 2009 are already starting to continue and build upon that growth. Allen said circulation in January 2009 was 4 percent higher than in January 2008, and circulation numbers to-date Thursday were higher than Feb. 19, 2008. “People don’t realize what the library can do for them until they come in here,” Allen said.
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