Traffic up at library

By Lauren Radomski | The Daily Journal

Published 01:40 p.m., June 27, 2009

Library traffic is up in Fergus Falls as residents look to capitalize on budget-friendly reading material and Internet availability.

Libraries historically see a boom in business during tough economic times, said Peg Werner, director of the Viking Library System. People may end magazine subscriptions, drop home Internet service and stop movie rentals, only to turn to libraries for these services instead, Werner said. Computer and Internet availability becomes especially important to job seekers looking to update their resumes and apply for jobs online.

“Libraries during a financial time such as this are absolutely the best deal in town,” said Walt Dunlap, director of the Fergus Falls Public Library.

In Fergus Falls, library patronage is up by every measure, from the day’s visitor count to the number of people enrolled in children and adult programs, Dunlap said. Part of the growth is from cyclical summer traffic, which brings visiting lake residents to the library every year. The library also gets travelers off of the Central Lakes Trail, like the cross-country bicyclist from Boston who stopped to check his e-mail earlier this month.

But this summer the library feels busier than ever, particularly when it comes to computer usage. Dunlap has also observed a three-fold increase in the number of people accessing wireless Internet on their own laptops. In fact, it’s to the point where library staff have had to rearrange furniture to meet the demand for outlet access.

Demand for a spot at one of the library’s permanent computer stations is so high that staff have imposed a time limit: no more than two 30-minute sessions daily. Users must wait 60 minutes between sessions.

Lynn Haagenson brings his laptop to the library weekly because his Elizabeth home gets only dial-up.

“It’s always busy here,” he said. “I’m surprised by the number of seniors who use it, who actually bring their laptops here.”

Baby boomers make up an increasing number of library patrons across the country, Dunlap said. Those visitors may have decent pensions, he said, but the state of the economy means they, too, are attempting to save where they can.

Increasing library traffic comes at a time when there are fewer dollars available to fund library services, Werner said. Sometimes that means fewer staff, shorter hours and a backlog of backroom work.

It also means the library’s expansion project is on the back burner, Dunlap said. The $5 million project would add 12,500 square feet to the building’s south side and put it in compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Supporters have proposed funding the project through a combination on fundraising, grant and city dollars.

But a work session in late March, members of the Fergus Falls City Council said they believed the library project could wait a year or two. Some questioned what effect a college at the Regional Treatment Center would have on library usage and whether a new building at a new location may be a better option in the future.

In the meantime, library staff are working with the space they have and encouraging patrons to keep the expansion project on the minds of local leaders.

“We continue to look for the library community to let the council and the mayor know how they use the library,” Dunlap said.

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