AH Library Sees Record Circulation

Newsbrief - Local News

Written by Friends of the Atlantic Highlands Library Thursday, 21 January 2010 09:05

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ - 2009 was not noted as a year of many positive increases.  The local exception to that, though, was the increase in circulation at the Atlantic Highlands Public Library.  Open 243 days in 2009 the Library loaned 41,472 items – the highest number of items loaned the Library has ever achieved.  The average number of loaned items for one day was 171 (again, the highest average ever recorded.)  These numbers were achieved in spite of a two week closure, while the Library moved from Borough Hall to the Firemen’s Field House at 48 Avenue C.  An amusing statistic is that 390 items, the highest number in one day, were loaned the day before the Library closed its doors to move.  The joke circulating in Atlantic Highlands is that Friends of the Library checked out extra books rather than have to pack, move, and unpack them.

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Library Board member Mary Carhart says the assumption that computers have produced a decline in library usage does not hold true in Atlantic Highlands.  She attributes the increases in circulation directly to the librarian, Marilyn Scherfen and her staff.  Mary feels that the staff’s willingness to be helpful and their encouragement of young people and families to use the library produced the 2009 circulation numbers.  Mary notes that the staff also takes every advantage offered by their association with the Monmouth County Library.  This access to a larger venue and the quick fulfillment of requests has encouraged Atlantic Highlands residents to keep their library usage local.

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