Librarians across the state gathered with lawmakers earlier this week to discuss varying concerns, such as requests to ban books. As of the end of August, Connecticut libraries had received 109 such requests, according to preliminary data from the American Library Association.
They discussed various pieces of possible legislation. Any action taken could have far-reaching effects across the state, as there are over 1.27 million Connecticut residents with public library memberships as of fiscal year 2022, down 3% from 2021 and down 21% from 2012, when there were 1.62 million registered borrowers, according to Connecticut State Library data of over 170 public libraries across the state.
All state public libraries closed their buildings to the public for several weeks or months starting in 2020, with some towns still being affected in the 2022 fiscal year.
But despite the years-long downward trend in the number of registered borrowers, there is some post-pandemic recovery in the number of materials lent out and the number of library visitors, although still not reaching levels seen a decade ago.
Last fiscal year, there were about 25% more library materials in circulation than the previous year, going from 15.5 million to 19.4 million materials, but still down 38% from 2012. This includes materials of any format and renewals.
The number of library visitors, including those attending meetings or activities, more than doubled from 2021, reaching more than 9.7 million last year. In 2012, there were more than 22.4 million visitors statewide.
But the statewide decrease is not seen at every library. At the Rowayton library in Norwalk, for example, the number of materials in circulation per capita went from 0.73 in the 2012 fiscal year to 6.74 in 2022, the largest increase of any public library that reported data. And the Cornwall public library, which serves 1,571 people, had the largest increase in the number of registered borrowers per capita and the number of library visitors per capita.
The Pequot Library in Fairfield, which recently added books in Spanish and Hindi, as reported by Hearst Connecticut Media Group, had the second largest increase in the number of registered borrowers per capita, from 0.03 to 0.5.
The Connecticut State Library keeps more detailed historical data for each public library such as types of materials lent out, programs and operating expenses, among other things.