Area librarians say the recent economic downturn is bringing more people through their doors. Harriet Roll is the director of the Harvard-Diggins Library in Illinois’ McHenry County.
ROLL: We’re seeing a big increase in the number of people using who use our internet to look for jobs. We had timed internet and if we know people are filing an application for a job, they often have to run back and tell us please extend my time, please extend my time. So we often have to do that.
Roll says in addition to job applicants, more families are using the library for entertainment. She says parents are renting DVDs for home and downloading audio-books for their commutes to work. And of course this time of year people are picking up their tax forms. She says about 4,000 people visit the library every month.