According to the 2015 Public Library Data Service (PLDS) statistical report, cardholders of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County checked out more than 18 million items in 2014 making the Library the fifth busiest Library system in the United States.* The 2015 PLDS report is based on survey responses collected from more than 1800 public libraries in the United States and Canada for the fiscal year 2014. In last year’s report (2013 usage data), the Library was the sixth busiest library in the United States. The report is published each year by the Public Library Association, the largest division of the American Library Association.
Kimber L. Fender, the Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director of the Library, says the Library’s commitment to building a large collection of digital materials, including eBooks, eAudiobooks, downloadable magazines, music, and movies helped drive the higher circulation rates. “Our customers tell us they want access to materials digitally,” says Fender. “They want to be able to use the Library’s resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are making a conscientious effort to build our digital collection to be the best in the Library industry and our customers are responding by using those materials at a record-breaking pace.”
The Library achieved another milestone when the 600,000th customer signed up for a RED card downtown at the Main Library. Downtown resident Stanford Grantham became the lucky 600,000th cardholder.
A first-time library user, Grantham said he never felt the need to get a card until he relocated from the suburbs to downtown and wanted to become part of the community.
“I thought it would be a good place for me to come, a nice pleasant environment to work on the computer or read. So one day I asked my friend to show me how to get a library card,” said Grantham.
In honor of being the 600,000th cardholder, Grantham received a prize pack that included a coffee mug and gift certificates to the Friends’ Shop and Vertigo Café. “It’s gratifying to see people in the community take advantage of all the wonderful resources available by having a library card,” said Fender.
