Computer use is booming in the Salt Lake County Library System. And interest in computers is high in almost every library system where the public has access to the high-tech equipment.
More people are also using electronic equipment to tap into a library system when they're away from library facilities.
A total of about 9,000 people used computers at their home or office to access the library card catalog during the first two weeks of March in the Salt Lake County system. And that doesn't include people who sought information from the library system's Web page, according to David Wilson, an associate director of the library program.
"As more and more people get computers and become aware of what they can do from home they realize that it saves them a trip to the library. It saves them money and time," Wilson said.
Patrons can't check out a book or other materials on the computer. But they can renew materials, search the catalog, place a book on reserve or check on their library card record. As of the 28th, a total of 35,009 hits were recorded during March on the Salt Lake County system's home page.
Salt Lake County Library information systems manager Ronda Beckstead said personal-computer use was high during January and February at the majority of the county's 17 branches. Particularly high use was reported at Bingham Creek, Sandy and Whitmore libraries, she said.
A statistical report shows 3,054 people used a personal computer during January and 3,309 in February at Bingham Creek Library in West Jordan. At Sandy Library, which has the highest circulation of any library in the county, 3,046 people logged onto a computer for a 30-minute or shorter session during February. Only 28 fewer people took advantage of the same service in January. Whitmore Library reported that 2,911 people used computers there during February, compared with 2,820 in January.
Much of the increased use of computers is attributed to being able to access the Internet. Mostly younger people search the Internet at Bingham Creek Library, which opened July 1, 1998, Beckstead said.
Salt Lake City Library System has 63 computers for public use in accessing the Internet and CD-Rom products.
Library director Nancy Tessman says more and more people are looking for access to computer resources and e-mail.
"The demand is growing by leaps and bounds. Our Web page is used heavily, including reference requests. We respond by e-mail. We recently opened our Internet access to support e-mail. It was clearly a patron request, and people love it," she said.
Davis County Library System has a total of 15 computers, which patrons use to access the Internet and other databases at four libraries, said library director Pete Giacoma.
Salt Lake County has 84 "dumb" terminals for use in checking the library card catalog, 68 Windows terminals and 107 personal computers for public use in searching the Internet and other research sources.
The fact that Davis has fewer computers doesn't reflect lower interest among library officials or the public there.
"We are one of the four major systems in the state, but our problem has been space. The library system plans to (increase the number of computers) with the expansion of an existing library in Bountiful and plans for expansion of the Central Branch in Layton. New library buildings will be constructed in Centerville and Syracuse. All those projects will be completed by 2005," Giacoma said.
Jerry Meyer, assistant director of Davis County Public Libraries, said 1,136 people used their home, office or library computers to access the system's Web page during March.
That compares to May 1999, the first full month when the service was available, when 480 people tapped into the Davis Library Web page.
Provo City Library has eight computer terminals for use by adults and two for children to access the Internet.
Library users average about 120 30-minute sessions on the computer per day, said Terry Ann Harward, public relations director for the library. She said she believes computer use has doubled in about the past year.
Beckstead said the use of computers is changing the role of libraries everywhere.
"It is opening up the world to not just printed materials but to online, current information. I wish I would have had the use of this kind of equipment when I was in high school and college," she said.
Wilson said people are becoming more dependent on the computer for informational needs.
"In the past, people called on their neighbor or even called their local hardware store for information. People are now finding that they can more easily get that same information on the computer," he added.