Rochester Hills Public Library had more than two million checkouts in 2015. That’s up 9.6 percent from the previous year and an all-time high for the library’s 92-year history.
The increase is credited in part to a new feature in the library’s automation system that automatically renews borrowed materials for the items allotted renewal time.
Rochester Hills Public Library
“This has been a very popular feature with library users, they get to keep their items without having to personally renew or the worry about late fees,” said Christine Lind Hage, director of the Rochester Hills Public Library.
Even though materials are being checked out for longer periods of time, patrons who want the materials haven’t experienced longer waits. That’s because the library’s new handling equipment has greatly improved the turnaround time for materials.
What has been affected is the amount of revenue being collected from late fees.
“In 2014 we collected over $200 thousand in overdue book fees, for 2015 we collected nearly $134 thousand. It is a pretty significant decrease but we don’t expect it to have an impact on library programs,” said Board Treasurer Ryan Deel.
Attendance for adult programs, wireless use and volunteer hours also saw increases in 2015.
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