GI Memorial Library releases 2003 annual report

by Robin M. Woolson
Grand Island Dispatch, July 4, 2004

The Grand Island Memorial Library has published its 2003 annual report.

In 2003, 93,237 people visited the library, 7,832 reference questions were answered, 3,713 children and adults were entertained and informed by 145 library-sponsored programs; 1,851 people attended 90 meetings held by community groups in the library's meeting room, and 4,872 individuals used computers.

Library Director Lynn Alan Konovitz said the numbers for the library change each year because the facility itself is changing due to the advancements in technology.

"Circulation used to be the barometer in calculating people visiting, but with computers, things have changed," he said. "People are going onto the Internet and visiting the library's Web site. They are also renewing books on-line."

Konovitz said the library is retooling itself because of the technology.

Numbers Increase

"People are used to coming to the library to use the card catalog to look things up, but now the card catalog is all on computer," he said. "But there is an increase in the number of people coming to the library because they want to use the Internet. They also want to take out DVDs and CDs."

He said the DVDs are popular because people who received a DVD player during the holidays can come to the library and borrow them, instead of going out to the store and purchasing them, so they are saving money.

"Another increase that we have noticed is the books on CDs and tapes," Konovitz said. "Many cars now have CD players and people are listening to the books when they are traveling to and from work. The demand for those items is on the rise."

The library has 43,554 books, which includes adult fiction, adult non-fiction and children's books. The library also has 8,487 audio-visual items such as books on cassette, CDs and cassettes, and videos and DVDs.

Also in the library's possession are 5,964 other items including magazine and newspaper subscriptions, uncatalogued paperbacks and CD-Roms.

Looking to Improve

Konovitz said that while the services and programs have been strong, the library is always looking for different ways to improve those services.

"There is a survey being done now to see how the library can be improved and to better serve the community," he said.

This year the library had a surplus amount of money allotted to them. The majority of the funding the library receives comes from Erie County which provides the personnel, books and building operations. The town of Grand Island owns the library building and the land around it. The town pays for capital building repairs and improvements.

The report said the surplus was due to the personnel costs and fringe benefits being paid by the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System as of November 2003. The surplus was $56,002.

The report also stated that the Grand Island is the 15th busiest in comparison with the 51 other town and city branches within the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System.