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Public Libraries Essay

Decent Essays

My Library: Celebrate the County Public Library

Public libraries play a pivotal role in the lives of many Americans, from early education to senior services. The majority of Americans believe their local library improves their community (94%), and an equally significant number (65%) have visited at least one time in the past year (American Library Association, 2010). Residents of Connecticut are no exception. As of 2007, Connecticut boosts 195 public libraries containing a circulation of approximately 15.5 million books, and enjoys the third highest rate of per capita library visits in the nation, at 6.5 visits per capita (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009). The West Hartford Public Library, bests the state average, with …show more content…

These statistics compound to demonstrate the importance of promoting and encouraging public use of libraries. While Connecticut residents are visiting public libraries, room to improve clearly exists. At 10.5 annual visits per capita (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009), West Hartford residents are visiting the library less then once a month. The My Library campaign seeks to encourage more frequent, monthly usage of the library. The campaign aims to accomplish this goal by posting a 10% increase in monthly visitation to the West Hartford Public Library (WHPL) for the 2011 calendar year. West Hartford is an affluent community where medium family income hovers around $90,000 and the majority of residents hold at least a bachelors degree (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Demographically, 93% of West Hartford residents are Caucasian and only 9.3% are foreign born (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Only 30% of foreign-born residents originated from Asia, and these individuals represent a mere 3% of the town’s total population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Therefore, one could reasonably assume that the town primarily contains citizens who associate with western cultures. Individuals in western cultures often hold egocentric attitudes and focus on the needs of the self (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). The campaign taps into the individualistic nature of the town

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