Kitchener library sees 24% jump in members

KITCHENER — The humble library card — often the first piece of identification for kids as they get older, and for people after they move to a new community — is growing in popularity.

Kitchener Public Library says 24 per cent more people signed up for library cards this past year than in past years.

That’s a big jump says Mary Chevreau, the library’s chief executive, who says the number of new cards each year is usually fairly flat.

“This is significant,” she said. “We haven’t seen this in years. Everyone went, ‘Wow, we’re doing something right here.’”

In 2016 the library signed up almost 12,000 new members, about 600 more than the previous year.

But so far this year the library has signed up 14,700 members, a 24 per cent jump from 2016.

Most of those new users have been signing up at the library’s main branch on Queen Street downtown.

She believes that’s no coincidence, as the central branch houses the library’s new Studio Central digital media studio, which opened a year ago.

Members with a library card can play virtual reality games, use 3D printers, work at a digital music station, convert photos or videotape to digital files, make films with a green screen, or use a die cutter.

The library has also worked hard to reach out to people and organizations in the community who may not have been traditional library users.

“I think our outreach is much broader than it used to be,” said Chevreau. “We’re going out into the community, whether it’s seniors’ residences or community centres.”

The library has offered library tours for groups from the House of Friendship or OneROOF youth agency, and organized pop-up libraries at community agencies. It also created a mini-library for patients and families at the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre this fall.

Some people may have been inspired to sign up for a library card because they wanted to be able to borrow some of the new items the library lends out. Its musical instrument lending program, introduced this summer, is so popular that donor Sun Life Financial recently added another 50 instruments to the 150 that people can borrow with a library card.

Others may have signed up to borrow one of 60 Wi-Fi hot spots, which allow people to access internet services.

Seeing an increase in those who are eager to access library services is encouraging, and suggests the library is still seen as relevant in a digital age, says Chevreau.

“That’s my whole goal: to change the perception of who we are and what we offer.”