JOSLIN MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2008 Annual Report

We enjoyed a groundswell of visitors to the library in 2008.  With people doing all they can to save money during this economic downturn, more and more people are borrowing rather than buying their books and audio books.

It's been really interesting to see what people have checked out over the past year.  There are lots of requests for "escape fiction" and lighter reading, and, as always, best sellers by popular authors.  All of which makes sense as people feel the crunch of the economy and other daily stresses - it can be a great relief to lose oneself in a book.  All in all, circulation numbers are up for us: in 2007, 12,977 items were checked out of the library.  That jumped to 14,010 items checked out in 2008 - an impressive increase!

Family usage of the library is also up.  Despite the rainy weather over the summer, we had a good turnout for our children's summer reading program, and our children's librarian Stacy Werner and volunteers provide interesting programs for kids during the rest of the year.

Our public computers continue to draw in residents of the Valley, as well visiting skiers and those who are just passing through and want to quickly check their email or look something up on the Internet.  Laptop users seeking wireless access have been using the library in increasing numbers.

Downloadable audio is a new offering, giving patrons free 24-hour access to over 1,000 audio books online.  This is a great supplement to our collection of audio books on tape and CD that are always in high demand.

During hard times it's important to remember that Vermont libraries are fantastic examples of cost-effectiveness - we pool our resources throughout the state by sharing books and other items with each other, and libraries just seem to be capable of doing a lot of things with a little bit of money.  We are incredibly fortunate to have an enthusiastic group of talented library volunteers, and a generous and supportive Board of Trustees who make all this possible.  Thank the community for your gifts of money, interest, and time.

Respectfully submitted,

Jessica Joyal
Librarian

Web site: www.joslinmemoriallibrary.com