Libraries Face More Patrons and Less Money

The Conway Public Library is just off Main Street in a brick building built in 2004.

It has everything a public library should – a good collection books, DVDs, computers, Wi-fi.

And, as a recent addition, crowds.

“We are booming. Business is booming.”

That’s Margaret Marschner, the director at the Conway Public Library.

She says she saw a twelve percent increase in traffic and a twenty percent increase in circulation last year.

And the increase isn’t just in Conway.

State librarian Michael York:

“This is a standard situation when we get into difficult economic times.”

People are using the computers to search for jobs, accessing the free Internet service instead of paying for it at home, and borrowing DVDs instead of renting them.

The increase in traffic, however, has its downsides.

Andrea Masters is the director at the North Conway Public Library.

Her staff is primarily volunteers.

“It’s a stress. It’s very stressful for them because business has gone up so much.”

Because libraries don’t charge for their services, more business doesn’t translate into more money.

Most libraries get the bulk of their funding from their town, and with budgets tight it is unlikely libraries will get more money.

Again, State Librarian Michael York.

“All of the libraries in the state are under the same economic stress that virtually everybody in the country is under.”

The Jackson Public Library has seen the economic stress first hand.

“It’s a 1901 building, and it was built originally to house 1,000 volumes. And now we have nearly 10,000.”

Susan Dunker-Bendigo had been planning to move into a new building within a few years.

She’s the librarian in Jackson.

Last month the she saw the library’s endowment drop 50 percent.

The town had already told the library the new building wasn’t affordable this year.

So the plans have been scrapped.

Libraries nationwide have been facing similar challenges.

Some have had to reduce hours and cut staff.

Others, like nearly a dozen branches in Philadelphia, have been closed.

In New Hampshire the situation isn't that bad… yet.

State Librarian Michael York.

“I’m not hearing from librarians that they’re having difficulties right now, but I expect that they will be.”

For NHPR News, I’m Erik Eisele, in Bartlett.