Emma S. Clark Library Circulation Bucks County's Downward Slide

While libraries in Suffolk County on average saw a decrease in circulation in 2011, the same can't be said for the in Setauket.

Library director Ted Gutmann on Monday reported a 1.7 percent increase in circulation in 2011 over 2010; circulation in Suffolk County saw a 2.6 percent slide overall, according to statistics from the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.

For the first time in its history, circulation topped 800,000 at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library. Patrons checked out 792,873 items in 2010, a number which rose to 806,045 in 2011.

"It's kind of a milestone for us," Gutmann said. "I think it actually points to our user community. We have a fairly sophisticated clientele that makes good use of our resources."

The number of visits per year in 2011 remained steady when compared to previous years, averaging about a thousand per day. The library also added 29,787 items to its collection in 2011, also on par with previous years.