Fiorello LaGuardia

Today, library hours and services are threatened in municipalities across the country. New York is not exempt, particularly with the proposed City budget cuts. Yet we also read and watch various news reports about increased use of libraries during this current economic downturn.

At The New York Public Library, we're seeing substantial changes in use. Not surprisingly, attendance and circulation are up. Attendance is up by 13% in the last year, and circulation has increased to 21.1 million in 2008, up from 17.2 million in 2007. Users are seeking information to help them through tough times and are also using the Library’s collections and programs as ways to escape from it all.

Three weeks ago, we surveyed participants in public programs and training classes and found that more than one third of them were unemployed and searching for jobs. In the last four months, we have documented an increase of 38% in unique users searching for and using job information on the Library’s website. And from the front lines, Library staff members are reporting increasing questions from users about all kinds of related topics, from unemployment insurance to resumé writing.  read more »