In our August 2013 Newsletter I reported statistics of library usage showing the numbers of visitors and issues in each location gave a picture at Carnegie of continued improvement.  For example, there were 200 more visits in October 2012 than October 2011, and 580 more in April 2013 than April 2012.

There were also more issues and a marked increase in memberships that month.  That June saw an impressive increase of 23.12% in visitors.

As I reported at the AGM, the trend has continued, with cumulative visits from April 2013 – January 2014 up 12.37% and issues up 19.44% over the same period the previous year.  Again, February 2014 issues were 29.18% higher than February 2013, with our issues per hour higher than in six of the other eight Lambeth libraries.

The March stats have just been circulated, and show increases in all categories: 14.72% more issues & renewals, 17.24% more issues per hour, 35.8% more visits and 36% more visits per hour.  The fact that we were open 7 more hours (Good Friday was in March last year) had only a marginal effect.

What does account for it?  Partly the events and activities arranged or facilitated by the Friends and/or Library Service, partly the improvement in book stock numbers and quality, but also the high regard and deep value for our library by both long-standing and new users.  Let’s keep those figures rising every month.