Cockeysville Branch Library Breaks Records

Numbers are up at the . 

The library boasted its highest numbers of participation in the children's summer reading program in 20 years, and circulation numbers continued steadily upward. 

About 4,740 children participated in the summer reading club, up from the 4,163 children from last year, according to branch manager Mollie Fein. 

Fein credits the branch's recent renovation. 

"The children's area has been outrageously successfully. … It is significantly larger and has more activities for the children,” she said. "We're very family-focused." 

Library members checked out 1,384,587 items (books, DVDs, etc.) in the 2010-2011 school year—another branch record. 

Fein also reported that approximately 160,271 questions were answered by librarians or the information desk, and 64,269 people logged into the library's Internet in the same time period. 

The library's numbers in the thousands, though impressive, could arguably take a backseat to the number 84.

The number refers to the amount of people who crammed into the branch to use the Internet after rendered much of the town without power.

Fein took the headcount at 2:30 p.m., the Monday after the storm.

"There was no wall space in this room right here,” she said Wednesday evening in branch's meeting room. 

Greater Timonium Community Council treasurer Frank Regan said of the library, "[It's] a great public service." 

From branch manager Mollie Fein: 

"It is difficult to believe that it was just over a year ago that County Executive Jim Smith and members of the community attended the ‘Preview’ of the newly renovated and expanded Cockeysville library; and, after smiles, pictures, and handshakes, the library doors were opened to the public. I can’t help reminiscing about the weeks leading up to the opening with staff, administration and the maintenance department working so hard to add finishing touches. Members of the Cockeysville staff were returning from other branches, staff from all over the BCPL system was helping to shelve materials, and the mini-library was being disassembled. Now, one year later, the statistics are in, and they speak volumes about the success of the renovation and the importance of the library in the community. For instance, our circulation is running about 10,000 more items per month than we circulated before the renovation; an increase of 7.9%.

 

"For days many of the Cockeysville area local schools were closed and large swaths of the community, including staff, were without power for a few days after Hurricane Irene. The library was busy as customers sought refuge from the dark; In particular, customers arrived in large numbers, with laptops in hand, to access our Wi-Fi Network. To assist in providing Wi-Fi service to the community we opened our meeting room to customers with laptops. I did a quick count on Tuesday afternoon and found almost 90 customers using either laptop or in-house computers."