Inquiring photographer didn't tell it all

The Inquiring Photographer opinion section in the March 20th edition of the Pike County Courier was not accurate with respect to library usage in Pike County. Those interviewed apparently believe that people don’t use the public library system as much as they used to. Their opinions are simply not supported by the facts. In Pike County, library usage has grown dramatically. Total circulation at the Pike County Public Library (PCPL) in 2008 was 165,925 items, an increase of 46% over the past two years. In fact, circulation has more than doubled since 2000. 2008 circulation included more than 112,000 books—so yes, people still read—and 53,000 audio books and DVDs, the fastest growing category of items in circulation. Why pay $75 or $100 for an audio book when they are available for free at the public library! In these tough economic times, free public library services are more important than ever to Pike County residents. There is also a common misconception that everybody owns a computer. Again this is not true. Many of our neighbors in Pike County do not, and they use the free public computers available in the Library. In 2008, patrons logged over 8,000 hours at the PCPL’s public computers. Another misconception is that the Internet has made library research services obsolete. In fact, the Internet has only increased the importance of trained library staff. “Googling” the name “Gifford Pinchot” will give you almost 300,000 hits! How do you choose the one that will give you the information you need? Ask the expert staff at the PCPL! If you are doing your research in the middle of the night, you can access “Ask Here PA” through the PCPL’s website—for one-on-one real time help on any topic, available 24/7! The PCPL also provides patrons with remote access to subscription reference databases that are not available to the public through the Internet. About 125 people per day visit our Web site, www.pcpl.org, to search our catalog, place a reserve or interlibrary loan request, or access our subscription reference databases. PCPL is committed to meeting the library needs of our growing county. In 2008, the library launched a Netflix-like pilot Library-by-Mail program that serves Pike County residents who may not be able to regularly travel to the library. Clearly, the Pike County Public Library system offers much more than just books and research. In 2008 over 300 people participated in The Big Read, sponsored in part by the PCPL. Earlier this year, over 250 people participated in The Writer’s Workshop, an eight-week series that combines literature and the arts. Each year, over 1,000 people attend our programs for children. To accommodate the increasing demand on library services, PCPL is implementing a long-range plan to build a new and much needed library system headquarters, and to continue countywide expansion of library services to better meet the needs of all Pike County residents. So, the answer to the question “Do people use the public library as much as the used to?” is YES! Visit our branches, visit our website and see all that we have to offer you! Ellen Schaffner, director Pike County Public Library