help_outline Skip to main content
HomeBlogRead Post

Writing Crime

Wolfeboro Public Library: New and Improved
By Unknown
Posted: 2020-09-15T01:51:00Z

Wolfeboro Public Lilbrary: New and Improved
By Linda Shenton Matchett

 


Granted in 1759 by colonial governor Benning Wentworth, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is named in honor of British General James Wolfe, a hero of the Battle of Quebec during the French and Indian War. Incorporated eleven years later, the village grew and with its many lakes became a popular recreational area. After the governor built a home on Smith Pond (later named Wentworth), Wolfeboro earned the nickname “Oldest Summer Resort in America.” Over the years, visitors have included celebrities, professional athletes, politicians, and royalty.

 

The Wolfeboro Public Library was established in 1900 and for many years shared quarters with the Brewster Academy library in the back of the Town Hall. In 1979 the library moved to a new 10,700 square foot building on South Main Street that allowed library services to expand and modernize. As the population in the town increased and technology advanced, the facility again needed to be expanded and modernized.  In 2018, work began to construct an addition to the front and renovate the existing structure. A two year project, the new 16,500 square foot building opened earlier this year with a flexible design that will allow for growth of services into the future.

 

Technology has had a huge impact on the way patrons use the library. The demand for downloadable services has increased slowly but consistently. However, the majority of Wolfeboro’s users continue to prefer to handle actual books and enjoy browsing to select them.

 

Library Director Cindy Scott reports that over the past ten to fifteen years, individuals check out a fewer materials, however the number of visits has increased as the library has become an important part of patrons’ social life. Activities such as play dates, meeting for coffee, and attending a book discussion program were commonplace before the coronavirus changed the world.

 

Director Scott has noticed that as people again begin to venture out, they are doing more of what they used to do: visit once every two or three weeks, pick out a stack of material and head right out the door once they check everything out. The exception is internet users who spend hours in the library. She says, “It will be interesting to see what the next few years bring as we navigate the coronavirus restrictions and see the outcome of the efforts to reduce exposure. Will we settle back into more of a community center vibe or continue to have more users keep their visits short?”

 

Before the coronavirus, in-person experiences were what most people wanted. Programming became integral to the library mission. Currently, all in-person programs have been postponed or cancelled, and it may be a year or more before life at the library begins to shift patterns again. Director Scott says, “We watch the trends in our library, pay attention to what other libraries are experiencing, and try a few new ventures as we see needs evolve.” Prior to construction, the library had an average of 90,000 visits per year over a five-year period. The goal is build back up to that number.

The staff strives to select a mix of titles to satisfy most readers’ tastes. A subscription to an automatic delivery service ensures that the library is always up-to-date with popular authors and series. In addition, reviews in professional journals enable the library to keep up with new authors and titles. Ms. Scott indicates, “We try to have a varied collection to appeal to a broad audience.”

Three book groups operate throughout the year. (In ordinary times!) There is a long-standing day-time general interest group, a mystery group, and an evening group. The books are chosen by the librarians who lead the group with input from the club members. In general, the groups mix it up with older and newer titles, classics, books set in foreign countries, or books exploring important issues. Selections are made from books that are well written and thought-provoking; titles that lend themselves to good discussions.

The Wolfeboro library makes a special effort to purchase new authors, and staff have noticed that these books fly off our “new” displays, so apparently patrons are interested in new authors too. Part of the renovation plan was to add lots of display and feature shelving. More attractive display units have boosted circulation of all new books and new authors.

From shared space one hundred and twenty years ago to a newly renovated, environmentally-friendly twenty-first century building, the Wolfeboro Library has seen many changes over the years, but service to its patrons remains constant. For more information about the Wolfeboro Public Library visit: https://wolfeborolibrary.org/

 

 

 

 

Leave a Comment
 *
 *
Comments
Load More Comments
No more comments available