By Michelle Mears
Rolling Hills Library Director
Reading is a leisure activity for the most part. Some people read as a part of their job (unfortunately, working in a library does not pay you to read), but once you are done with schooling most people who voluntarily read do so because they enjoy it. Now we know that it’s also good for their well-being.
A study done by the New York Public Library of nearly 2,000 users reported overwhelmingly positive effects of public library usage. People said that visiting the library resulted in calm and peaceful feelings (92%), increased their desire to learn new things (90%), and supported their personal growth (88%). In addition to the benefits for individuals, respondents also indicated that they had a greater sense of optimism about the future, more feelings of empathy towards others, and felt that they are a part of a larger community around them.
Now you might say, wait a minute, that seems a bit biased. One of the biggest public libraries did a study and showed they are doing good things. We don’t need a research study for that, we know we do good things. Well sometimes it is good to have the data to back up your claims, and we’ve got it.
We collect comment forms from library users to both inform the provision of services but to also measure how people are feeling about the library. We send out random email surveys to ask users if they would recommend the library to friends and family, which results in a measurement called the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Anything above 50 is considered good. Our scores are consistently in the 90’s. We know that people like us, and we know we make a difference in people’s lives. Please ask for a comment form at a service desk and share your story with us, we love to hear them.
It’s one of the reasons why we are excited about the location of our new building in St. Joseph. Being located close to the center of health care in our community will give us more opportunities to show the connection between literacy and improved life outcomes. Checking out books for leisure reading, doing crafts, and listening to lectures all contribute to increased wellness and greater satisfaction with daily life. We look forward to having outdoor spaces and access to walking paths for fitness.
It is a trying time for many in our community. The library can offer a sense of hope when all else seems dark. It can give you a sense of direction, make you feel useful, connect you to others in the community, and give you a moment of respite when you need to escape the stress of reality.
We really are doing good work.
