SYRACUSE -- With the hard economic times we are all facing, many of us are cutting back. Businesses are seeing a slowdown and people aren’t spending as much money, but one place that has seen a boost is your local library.
Many more people are signing up for a library card, which is free, and taking full advantage of what the libraries have to offer. The Onondaga County Public Library has seen jumps across the board. Card registrations are up 5%, library computer use is up 20%, and people logging on at home to reserve materials is up 27%. That is good news for the library.
One section that seems to be popular is the DVDs. They have a wide selection, everything from old films to new releases.
“We certainly feel we can coexist with the Blockbuster’s and Barnes and Noble's. It’s another way of stretching your budget,” says interim executive director Elizabeth Loftus.
Many of the patrons we spoke with say they have had a library card for years, but for some it wasn’t until recently that they started using it for movies and DVDs. “I stumbled on it by accident because I didn’t know and then I came in here and said ‘Oh they have DVDs,’ and I’ve been hooked on it ever since,” says James Thompson.
Thompson has had his library card with the Onondaga Public Library for three years. “It’s a place to relax, to escape the day to day stresses and I’m a DVD fanatic. I love DVDs,” says Thompson. He also takes out books and says the mind is a terrible thing to waste so more people should get their library cards.
Another plus to having your library card, you can get books, DVDs and magazines from all the libraries in the county. That way if one doesn’t have what you want, they can request it.
For more information on how to get your library card and what library is closest to you click on the related link below.
