Increased opportunities to visit the library in-person or with a “virtual” online visit enhances a public’s exposure to arts, heritage and culture. Niagara has a wide array of libraries, ranging from small community run facilities to much larger branches.
Most notably, in 2004-2005, the provincial libraries reported a decrease of -2.46% in Active Library Card Holders (those that had been used within a 2 year period) while Niagara had an increase in Card Holders, up by 1.05%.
Collectively, there were over 224,382 active cardholders in Niagara in 2005 (175,000 in Waterloo). In Niagara, in 2005 there were 4,642,870 visits to the library which included both physical and online or “virtual visits” (up by 1.05%). The largest jump from the previous year (2,789,600 visits) was in the number of electronic visits, which rose significantly from 615,800 in 2004 to 2,518,070 in 2006. In-person visits however, only dropped slightly even with the increase in access electronically, with 2,173,800 in-person visits in 2004 vs. 2,124,800 in 2005.
Table 2 Visits to the Library in Niagara Municipalities
|
|
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
|
West Lincoln |
6,785 |
7,012 |
7,359 |
11,746 |
6,498 |
|
Niagara-on-the Lake |
12,271 |
12,800 |
10,877 |
13,661 |
5,612 |
|
Fort Erie |
11,751 |
24,486 |
25,872 |
11,640 |
19,911 |
|
Grimsby |
7,710 |
7,500 |
7,500 |
8,381 |
16,046 |
|
Lincoln |
7,491 |
7,663 |
7,693 |
17,546 |
19,469 |
|
Pelham |
8,592 |
11,189 |
10,233 |
8,453 |
7,885 |
|
Port Colborne |
6,594 |
6,051 |
9,987 |
10,538 |
11,572 |
|
Thorold |
5,773 |
5,446 |
5,262 |
6,218 |
5,102 |
|
Welland |
14,861 |
14,588 |
14,612 |
16,047 |
12,112 |
|
Niagara Falls |
32,182 |
32,449 |
33,044 |
35,994 |
38,568 |
|
St. Catharines |
72,016 |
72,561 |
73,499 |
73,148 |
81,607 |
Source: Ministry of Culture Report: http://www.culture.gov.on.ca
Rating: 4
