By: Diane Benjamin
I remember statements like: “The library was built when the population was only 40,000 people.”
Remember this chart from past stories? https://www.bloomingtonlibrary.org/sites/default/files/content/minutes/BPL%20June%202023%20Board%20Packet.pdf
This chart is in the June 2023 packet. That is also the last month this chart is included in a packet. Did somebody decide to quit including it because it looks REALLY bad?
If you think construction is keeping people away, this comment is in the September packet: PDF page 33: https://www.bloomingtonlibrary.org/sites/default/files/content/minutes/BPL%20September%202023%20Board%20Packet.pdf
The following item was presented:
Item 5A. President’s Report, as requested by the Bloomington Public Library.
President Westerhout was contacted by multiple members of other library boards in the Chicagoland area wondering how to get a city council to approve an expansion. He also heard from two different members of our community about the expansion. One thought the inconvenience during construction would be worse. The staff has been great and the library seems to be everywhere. The other person mentioned that visiting the library is a highlight for their nine-year-old son, who has been taking pictures of the progress every week. Director Hamilton offered to arrange a special tour for the boy.
I added what information is available from the packets:
I didn’t see any “active user” numbers. Obviously population has no effect on circulation, it keeps going down. Bloomington taxpayers got a tax increase however to fund the current construction!
Maybe people aren’t coming until they get solar panels: (PDF page 35 of September documents)
Elections have consequences, too bad the local population doesn’t feel the need to do it.
A lot of times these circulation counts do not include check-outed ebooks or other digital materials. That physical check-outs would go down coinciding with a rise in ebooks’ popularity does not seem all that surprsing.
TOTAL doesn’t mean total. Thanks for clarifying
It’s just a piece of context that may be missing from the original report. I’d love to see that data delineated or included in the report. This has nothing to do with you; it’s something I’d like to see delinated in the report for additional context but didn’t immediately see.
Renner made sure the library stayed downtown, even if most people never are
Ebooks don’t need a building either! 😂
There’s a TON of open space at 1615 E Empire….and new construction isn’t required.
The reason for either, “library expansion” or the construction of, “new libraries” is so this space can be used as a central hub for, “community organizing.”
Bingo!