The guests pointed out to an occasionally surprised host how public libraries are an extremely valuable investment for communities, especially during an economic downturn.  Libraries offer great resume and job application help in addition to computer databases for job-hunters, and many libraries around the country are offering free or cut-rate computer skills classes and workshops for displaced workers.

Libraries’ traditional role as a resource for children is especially important for parents whose own resources are stretched thin.  A fantastic variety of children’s services and programming are available at Oklahoma County’s 17 Metropolitan Library locations, in addition to the one eternal, unbeatable function of the library:  free entertainment for budget-conscious citizens of all ages.  In addition to a book collection that easily rivals Barnes & Noble or Borders, the selection of movies and music can make it fairly difficult to stay under the library card’s limit of 30 items at a time. 

As the OkieReads blog pointed out, several other media outlets have recently noted increased library usage nationwide.

MSNBC reported on a major upswing in library card applications, and they note that the American Library Association has found the number of library users increasing even more during the current downturn than in previous economic hard times.

Newspapers around the country, like the Charlotte Observer and the San Francisco Chronicle, are noticing this trend as well.  They have also reported how the same economic and budget pressures that increase library usage are simultaneously threatening library funding across the country.  This week the municipal government of Philadelphia has been involved in a court fight over closing 11 branches due to budget pressures.

Oklahoma City is lucky to have a terrific library system to serve its growing community, but budget issues are a constant worry when communities are looking for places to cut costs.  There are several ways to help support our library system, but the best way is just to use the library whenever you can.  It’s hard to beat the price, after all, if only the ten-cent-per-day overdue fines can be kept to a minimum.