Wichita’s new downtown library had a heck of a first month.
According to a new report, about twice the number of people visited the Advanced Learning Library in July compared to the downtown branch at the same time last year. Three times as many people applied for library cards. And patrons checked out nearly 68,000 books and other materials — a monthly record for the Wichita library system.
“It’s an exciting time, and that’s certainly cause for celebration,” said Cynthia Berner, director of libraries.
But the celebration has been tempered by a harsh reality: Wichita’s libraries are the lowest-funded in the region, and that budget outlook isn’t likely to change very soon. A few weeks after the grand opening of the Advanced Learning Library — during which hundreds of Wichitans lined the streets for a ceremonial “book brigade” — city officials announced a proposal to close two library branches. Mayor Jeff Longwell has since walked back that proposal.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)