The Power of Libraries

I think you will find this interesting. Remember to vote FOR local library services!

As economy struggles, more people rely on libraries
Published: February 19, 2008
By Terry Date Staff writer
SALEM (NH)— Librarians have long thought that the demand for library services leaps when the economy limps.
It's not just books that the belt-tightening public wants more of in tough times, but museum passes, children's programs and Internet access.
That's been the case at the Kelley Library in Salem over the past year, coinciding with the economic slowdown, according to Director Eleanor Strang. She said Salem, a border town highly dependent on the Massachusetts economy, is an early indicator of library trends elsewhere in New Hampshire.
"We see it first," she said of the increased library use in tough economic times.
Reference librarian Deb Berlin expects more people will use the library's high-speed Internet access, seeking work online after dumping Internet access at home to save money.
The library's nine public Internet computer stations have seen an 11 percent increase in usage in the last year, with bookings of 30 or 60 minutes rising from 6,341 to 7.041.
One afternoon last week, the stations were full.
Joe Pacheco, 37, of Salem sat at one of the computers researching natural medicine. He has used the stations to look for jobs in tough times, and has witnessed others doing the same.
Why? "It's free," he said.
Also at Kelley, book and CD reservations jumped by 11 percent in 2007, from 9,618 to 10,642. Interlibrary loan requests jumped 24 percent. Story-time attendance for children rose 15 percent. And museum pass requests increased 2 percent.
"I think that is a good bellwether of people wanting to save money, because the passes will get you in for free or discounted admission," Strang said.
The anticipation of greater library usage during tough times has some town library trustees and advocates defending spending requests to meet the demand.
Sandown library trustee Tina Owens did this recently at the town deliberative session.
Derry Public Library Assistant Director Jack Robillard has noticed more people coming in and asking for help navigating computers in their job searches. The library may include this observation in its budget narrative, he said.
"We were just talking about this the other day," he said.
In Windham, patronage at the Nesmith Library has consistently risen each year, with book, DVD and other borrowings rising consistently between 2001, at 111,480, and 2007, at 181,349.
Nesmith Library Director Carl Heidenblad doesn't attribute that increase to tough times, but he has heard librarians in Massachusetts say their business picks up during tougher economic times.
"It makes sense, when times are good, people don't mind one-click shopping at Amazon, but when times get tighter it makes good sense to come to the library to borrow books or DVDs," he said.
Strang remembers how out-of-work men in the early 1990s gathered in the reference section and exchanged newspaper classified sections looking for work during the region's recession.
"Library use skyrocketed in the early 1990s because of the profound recession we were in," she said.
In fact, Strang said that 1992, a low point in the economic downturn in this area, was the first year Salem's circulation eclipsed the 300,000 mark. It would be another 12 years before the library broke 300,000 again.

October Road: I'm Late to the Party

"October Road" on ABC

About the Show
Can you ever really go home again? That's the question that confronts acclaimed novelist Nick Garrett when he returns home after being away for ten years. Once back home on October Road, he quickly discovers that the circle of friends whose teenaged lives he wrote about have since settled into blue collar careers and started families.

Nick became a New York literary success by writing about those early years, and he had Hollywood heavyweights lining up for roles. With his editor putting pressure on him for a follow-up, he finds himself at a crossroads... and with serious writer's block. Then comes an offer to teach a one-day course at Dufresne College, the small liberal arts school in his hometown of Knights Ridge, Massachusetts. Hoping to tap back into that which initially inspired him, he decides to head back. Nick has had no contact with his family or the close-knit group of friends he said goodbye to shortly after high school graduation. He burned that connection when he used them as characters in his successful novel and, in the process, cast their lives in a less than flattering light. Consequently, the hometown response to his return is less than festive.

Nick's friends include best friend Eddie Latekka, who is disappointed that Nick abandoned their dream of starting a business together; there's also the good-hearted and straightforward Owen Rowan, whose family life appears the picture of perfection; the well-meaning but sometimes obnoxious Ikey; and Physical Phil, a lovable recluse since 9/11 who has adapted to living his life indoors. Before he left town, Nick told his high school girlfriend, Hannah Daniels, that he'd be back in six weeks. Now ten years later, the jilted but never-married Hannah has decided to forget Nick's unfulfilled promise and moved on with her life. She is a single mom raising her nine-year-old son, the bright and charming Sam. Hannah is involved with Ray "Big Cat" Cataldo, the former high school bully whose mission in life has been to bestow misery on the lives of Nick and his friends. Nick makes a new friend when he meets Aubrey, a pretty college student and fledgling writer whose Bohemian style intrigues him. While he sorts things out, he moves into his childhood home with his father, a widower affectionately referred to as The Commander. Nick realizes he has several reasons for staying in Knights Ridge. He wants to apologize to everyone for whatever broken promises he may have made, and to make up for how he portrayed them in his book. He also sees coincidences indicating that Hannah's son, Sam, might be his.Although Nick doesn't regret fulfilling his mother's dying wish of experiencing life outside of Knights Ridge, he finds himself oddly wanting to tie up loose ends at home, but realizes the path ahead of him is a rocky one. In spite of any love bruised or lost between his friends and family, Nick embraces the familiarity of his former life and struggles to be included again among those he let down.

I'm loving the fact that October Road also has some wonderful actors...I love Bryan Greenberg (s Nick Garrett) and it's great to see Tom Berenger as The Commander with his great Bahstin accent and you'll recognize character actor Brad William Henke who you may remember from "Must Love Dogs." Laura Prepon, from that 70s show, is Hannah Daniels and other cast members who have various parts in movies, TV and on stage include Warren Christie as Ray "Big Cat" Cataldo, Texas Native Evan Jones as Ikey, Jay Paulson as Physical Phil, Slade Pearce as Sam Daniels, Geoff Stults as Eddie Latekka and Odette Yustman as Aubrey.

But the BEST thing about this show...the music! It's like a show for the music geek in all of us. Each episode has a lot of indie type songwriter songs weaving in and out between commercials but there is also a "hot button" song for each episode.

Here are a few favorites!

Kiss: "Rock and Roll All Night"
Bay City Rollers: "Saturday Night"
Meatloaf - "Paradise By The Dashboard Lights"
Three Dog Night - "Shambala"
Poison - "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"
Jackson Browne - "The Pretender"
Goo Goo Dolls - "Name"
Liz Phair - "Why Can't I?"
Boston - "Amanda"
Hootie & the Blowfish - "Hannah Jane"

So set your TIVO or your VCR and get ready to lip synch along with Nick and his pals!