While thousands of people throughout northern New Jersey were shopping in crowded malls on Black Friday, the libraries of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System, BCCLS, were busy lending books, CDs, and DVDs to thousands of library users.
For the first time in its thirty year history, BCCLS libraries have circulated more than 10 million items in 2008. And the 10 millionth circulation happened on Black Friday!
From the left: Alice Chi, Director, Cresskill Public Library; Robert White, Executive Director, BCCLS; Hiroko Fultz, patron of the Dixon Homestead Library in Dumont who borrowed the 10 millionth item; Carolyn Blowers, Director, Dixon Homestead Library in Dumont; and Marilyn Linder, Board Member, Cresskill Public Library.
At 4:07pm, Hiroko Fultz, a patron of the Dixon Homestead Library in Dumont, borrowed the 10 millionth item of 2008, Hallelujah Junction: composing an American Life by John Adams, from the Cresskill Public Library.
"There were no bells and whistles when Mrs. Fultz checked out the book," said Robert White, Executive Director of BCCLS, "because we had to wait for the day's statistics to be run to see when and where the 10 millionth circulation took place."
"Mrs. Fultz is a great example of what BCCLS is all about. With a library card from any BCCLS library, you can use your card at any other BCCLS library to borrow books, movies and music. In addition, in the month of November, we hit the 2,000,000 mark for reciprocal transactions. This means that the more than 650,000 library cardholders in the BCCLS system use their cards not only at their home libraries but at lots of other BCCLS libraries, as well," White continued.
2008-2009 marks BCCLS' 30th Anniversary. While BCCLS and its 75 member libraries struggle with budget issues, libraries are seeing more activity than ever before. Historically, in times of a bad economy, libraries see increased business. This is certainly true for the 75 public libraries of BCCLS in 2008.
"Our libraries are seeing much more foot traffic than ever before. Circulation is up at many of our libraries and library card holders are traveling throughout the BCCLS system both in-person and virtually to borrow a record breaking 10 million items in 2008 and we are thrilled that our libraries can offer amazing service with incredible economy of scale," White concluded.