ST. PAUL - St. Paul Municipal Library Manager Eunhye Cho presented her annual update to Town of St. Paul council at the last regular meeting held on March 14.
According to the 2021 statistics, the St. Paul Municipal Library has 784 active card holders, which is an increase of 18 per cent compared to the 666 card holders recorded in 2020. In 2019, there were 966 active members.
Traffic at the St. Paul library saw a steep decline between 2019 and 2020, due to the pandemic Total library traffic decreased further in 2021 by 17 per cent, but the library was closed to the public from Dec. 13, 2020, to March 6, 2021. and again from April 7 to June 11, 2021.
Still, over 10,000 in-person visits were recorded at the library in 2021.
The library's circulation appears to be on the upswing, when compared to 2020. Print, non-print, periodical, and virtual materials are counted into the total, which was 35,181 in 2021. In 2020, the circulation was recorded to be 31,698.
In 2021, a storywalk was organized and a take-home program offered activities for patrons to do in their homes. The library ran 17 take-home Zoom events attended by 165, last year.
Take N Make Kits have also proven to be successful. The take-home initiative began in October of 2020, and each Friday the library now puts out 30 kits for patrons. When they run out, they can make 10 to 20 more kits.
The Summer Reading Program was done online in 2021, with 76 participants of all ages taking on the challenge to keep reading over the summer months.
The library also look part in holiday activities around Christmas, and acknowledged Truth and Reconciliation Day by hanging orange butterflies in honour of those who attended residential schools.
Looking ahead, Cho says the library has a number of goals, such as continuing to provide education and programs to the community, providing programs focused on youth and children, proving information through online methods, continuing to create a safe and accessible space, and strengthening community network and collaboration with other groups.
Much of the same programming is expected to be offered in 2022, along with some new additions.
Cho also noted that the library's "food for fines" initiative is running until the end of the month. Patrons can bring in food bank donations in exchange for paying late fines until March 31.
