photo by Hannah Reel

Natchez residents Michael Madison, Ruth Royall and Bobbie Phipps utilize the Internet on the George W. Armstrong Library’s computers Tuesday afternoon. Library employees say they’ve seen an increase in the number of patrons since the economy began heading south.

Libraries booming because economy isn't

By Mary Hood (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Wednesday, July 1, 2009

NATCHEZ — In tough economic times, local libraries have become a catch-all of work and pleasure.

What Amanda Taylor, director of Concordia Parish libraries, has noted is an influx of residents using computer facilities to look for employment.

“This is a really big thing now — some of these companies will only accept an online application,” she said.

Taylor said many residents who do not have online resources at home will come to the parish libraries to use the computers.

However, she said library officials have come to find that some residents experience difficulties in figuring out and using the technology.

“If (a company) is advertising for a truck driver, (the applicant) may not need a lot of computer skills to drive a truck, but he’s got to have enough computer skills to fill out the online application,” Taylor said.

To help quell this issue, Taylor said the Vidalia library has partnered with the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

“We have someone in the Vidalia library every Tuesday afternoon to help people with filling out these online applications,” she said.

Help with e-mail registration, searching jobs online and composing resumes is also offered from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday.

Similarly, the Judge George W. Armstrong Library in Natchez has a partnership with the Win Job Center.

The library staff assists residents with e-mail registration for applying online, and then sends the residents to the Win Job Center to complete the application process.

“It got really busy when (Corrections Corporation of America) did their job fair and people were applying online,” said Marianne Raley, head of the reference and team services departments.

The surge to be equipped with technological skills transfers to the books residents are checking out, too, Raley said.

“People are really trying to retrain themselves or get a handle on how to update programs to start applying for some of these jobs,” she said.

But it’s not just all work and no play at the libraries, either.

Taylor said residents are turning to the libraries as a source of entertainment in times of belt tightening.

“Library use always goes up during the kinds of times when money is tight,” she said. “People read more, they use the library’s newspapers, they bring their children in to get books, they check out DVDs, they bring their children in to use the educational games that are loaded on our children’s computers.”

Susan Cassagne, director of Armstrong Library, said she’s seen a large increase in patrons perusing papers and magazines.

“People are not buying, or have stopped subscribing to The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, magazines,” she said.

And people are also buying fewer books, she said, and coming to the library to check them out.

“When the economy hit the people, they started doing what they could to cut down at home,” she said.

DVD rentals have increased, as well.

“First off, they can’t afford to go to the movie theater, so they can pick up a movie for free,” Raley said.

Aside from watching spending, Raley said it’s also a nice form of escapism during stressful financial times.

“I think it’s pleasure reading, because they’ve got to get their minds off some of the stress,” she said.

Both Raley and Taylor said the increase in patrons began in the spring, but Taylor said visitation has truly spiked with summer.

“(Increased traffic) has been more pronounced this summer with people looking for things to do with their children,” Taylor said. “We’ve had a nice traffic flow all summer with all ages of children and also adults.”