Libraries see rise in usage since covid; circulation, eBook usage increases

Scott Mason of Greensburg was spending his Saturday morning at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library in Greensburg, reading a 1931 book on Revolutionary War hero Arthur St. Clair for an upcoming presentation before the Greensburg Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Mason relies upon the reference books in libraries to help him in his research on St. Clair, who had a homestead in what is now the Sleepy Hollow section of Ligonier Township.

“The libraries are a huge resource. I just wish they would scan the collection to make them digitized. But unfortunately, they don’t have the budget, Mason said, noting that the reference book is part of the circulation that remains inside the facility.

Mason is among the increasing number of people that Westmoreland County library directors say are using the libraries since the covid-19 pandemic four years ago, doing research, taking out books — real and virtual — attending programs and using the Wi-Fi for internet connection.

“We’re finally starting to notice that things are getting back to normal, especially the programming. This past summer, it felt more normal,” said Malinda Tanner, district consultant for the Westmoreland County Federated Library System.

Library usage recovers

More people last year were going into the libraries — as calculated by door counters, said Tanner, district consultant to 18 state-aided public libraries in the county and four libraries not eligible for state funding.

“Everything increased (in 2023), from our circulation, our computer usage, the number of new library cards and our programs,” said Angela Betz, who has been director of the Jeannette Public Library since 2018. Circulation was up about 7% last year over 2022, Betz said.

At Greensburg Hempfield Area, “everything pretty much went up,” said Jamie Falo, director of the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library. She attributed the increase in activity to more people going out after the pandemic, new programming, and an increase in usage of social media.

“Programs helped drive patrons (to the library),” Falo said.

Close to 115,000 items were circulated last year at Adams Memorial Library, where 9% more people came to the library last year, said Tracy Trotter, library director.

“People are definitely using are online services and still are coming into the building,” Trotter said.

Patrons checked out more items from the Norwin Public Library in Irwin in 2023, a 7.5% increase in circulation compared to 2022, said Diana Falk, library director.

The library’s circulation hit 177,655 items last year, “the highest number of items circulated in the library’s history,” Falk said.

The Greensburg Hempfield Area Library also saw a 17% in the number of people borrowing materials, Falo said.

Programs draw patrons

Falk attributed the increase in Norwin’s circulation, in part, to more people who attended more programs last year. The library drew more than 9,000 people who attended one or more of the 700 programs in 2023. That included children’s story times, book and movie discussion groups, genealogy workshops, trivia nights, and guest speakers and performers for all ages, Falk said.

“I feel that when more people come to the library for programs, they are reminded of the books that are available (for borrowing). The number of children attending (programs) was very high,” Falk said.

More items are being circulated in the collection post-covid, than pre-covid, Falk said. In 2019, there were 159,400 items circulated and more tha 8,000 people attending programs, Falk said.

The library’s circulation never really suffered as a result of the impact of the covid pandemic, Falk said, even though it was closed for eight weeks, followed by six weeks of curbside pick-up for patrons.

“Of course, it was only eBooks and downloadable audio during the shutdown,” Falk said. “But once we opened, our circulation was back to normal by September (2020).”

By 2021, the Rostraver Public Library & Smithton Public Library were pretty close to seeing activity recover from the pandemic, said Naomi Jones, director of those libraries.

Circulation of items last year rose by 9% just at Rostraver, where 42,700 items were circulated, whice was about a hefty 11,000 more than the pre-pandemic year of 2019, said Jones. At the same time 10% more people came to the library and there was an increase in new cardholders, Jones said.

“It’s been nice to get back to normal, seeing the faces of people interacting with each other, getting back to a sense of community. We want to be a community center,” Jones said.

Jones will take over the reins as executive director of the county’s Federated Library System on Feb. 12.

Wi-Fi really helps

Libraries also saw a shift in usage because of the covid pandemic, when the facilities were shutdown and people were hesitant to enter the building.

“More people are using the library Wi-Fi than using the internal computers,” Tanner said.

During the past year, the Wi-Fi usage was up 38% at Adams Memorial Library and the number of minutes patrons were logged onto the internet increased as well, Trotter said.

Rostraver library had a different Wi-Fi experience when it saw fewer total sessions by patrons last year, but more individual users last year than in 2022, Jones said.

To facilitate patrons’ need to use a library’s Wi-Fi during the covid pandemic, the libraries received county covid funding to extended the reach of its Wi-Fi connectivity to about 200 yards, so people could remain in the safety of their vehicles when using the internet, Tanner said.

That service was so popular in Jeannette during the pandemic that “we had people at 2 and 4 in the morning using it” as they sat outside the library, Betz said.

The use of the outdoor Wi-Fi at Greensburg Hempfield was up by 44% in terms of the number of sessions and 51% in terms of the number of hours the Wi-Fi was being used, according to Falo.

Computer usage varies

Computer use inside the libraries varies by community, possibly the result of different demographics, the directors said.

There was less computer usage at Adams Memorial Library, probably because so many people can access the internet and information they need on their smartphones, Trotter said.

Both the Rostraver and Jeannette libraries saw an increased use of their printers, in order to make copies of what patrons were searching for on their phones, the directors said.

At Jeannette, however, the internal computers were being used as much as ever, Betz said.

“Some people don’t have computers,” Betz said. “Some people come here everyday.”

Greensburg Hempfield found its in-house computers were used 26% more than in 2022, Falo said.

Patrons also turned to social media to keep abreast of what was happening in the libraries.

Usage of Adams Memorial Library’s Facebook page soared in 2023 by a whooping 264% over 2022, as patrons checked that social media posting for upcoming programs and for virtual storytimes for children, Trotter said. Those opportunities to use the library from home makes it easier for parents, when they can log onto a storytime for their children when it’s most convenient for them, Trotter said.

The library used its Facebook page to connect with an online service — Library Speakers Consortium — that gave patrons access its to nationally known speakers and authors, Trotter said.

eBook, audio book usage

An indicator of the changes in the way libraries are used can be seen in the circulation of eBooks and e-audio books through the Internet App Libby. Greensburg Hempfield circulated about 35,000 of those items last year, more e-material through that app than any other library in the county, Falo said.

One of the lessons they learned from operating during the pandemic that closed the doors of libraries for some time, was launching the curbside service for the convenience of the patrons, Trotter said

“We still do it to give people the option and people use it every day,” Trotter said.

Knowing what the community wants from its library is critical.

“It is important to know that we are here and listening to the community and replying to that,” Rostraver’s Jones said.