Comeback der Bibliotheken

Thousands of New Yorkers who picked up an issue of the free daily AM New York (with a circulation of 340,000) on their way to work yesterday, read the lead article, “Libraries Big Comeback is…Long Overdue". Under the subtitle, “Library is a best-seller”, the article reports on the success of the New York Public Library (NYPL), which in 2009 could boast 3 million active members, 18 million visitors and 22 million loans. Five years ago it was “only” 2.2 million members, 13 million visitors and 15.5 million loans. The financial crisis generally is viewed as the reason for the boom at the NYPL. But one must also keep in mind that libraries are constantly expanding their services. Today, in the NYPL network that includes Manhattan, the Bronx, und Staten Island, there are 3,627 computers. In 2006 there were only 2,328. And e-book collections have also been greatly expanded: 33,661 e-books are currently in the NYPL’s collection – an impressive increase over the 13,135 of the 2006 collection. Despite this success the situation is not getting easier for New York libraries: the three systems -- the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library und Queens Library -- are facing total budget cuts of 16 million dollars. But this won’t decerase the popularity of the New York’s libraries. “Libraries give people a chance to see what the rest of the world is like,” as one library patron is quoted in the article.