[Libs-Or] Multnomah County Library Tops List Of Nation's Busiest Libraries

[LONG Shannon E]

September 25, 2003

For immediate release
 
Contact: 	Penny Hummel, Public Relations, 503.988.5498
		Cindy Gibbon, Access Services, 503.988.5496

		Press Information Center
		(www.multcolib.org/news/index.html)
		
MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY TOPS LIST OF NATION'S BUSIEST LIBRARIES 

PORTLAND, OR - According to a recent report issued by the Public Library
Association, Multnomah County Library ranks No. 1 in annual circulation of
books among all public libraries serving populations of 500,000 to 1
million.  In 2002, residents checked out 16.1 million items-or over 24 books
for every man, woman and child in Multnomah County, an outstanding indicator
that our library system is one of the nation's busiest.  
	"This wonderful news confirms what we already know-that our
libraries are well-loved and well-used by people of all ages," said Interim
Director of Libraries Ruth Metz, adding that over 13,000 people visit a
Multnomah County library each day.  
	Library Board president and longtime library advocate Susan
Hathaway-Marxer echoes the library director's enthusiasm, noting that the
support of library users has made a critical difference in the quality of
our library system.  "The investment Multnomah County voters have made in
library facilities and collections in the last decade is really paying off,"
she said.  "Thanks to our community of book lovers, we can all take pride in
being No. 1!"  
Circulation of items is one of the primary indicators used by libraries to
evaluate their success in serving the public.  The rankings, published in
the Public Library Association's Statistical Report 2003, are for fiscal
year 2002.
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Shannon Long
Multnomah County Library Administration
205 NE Russell St., Portland, OR  97212
503.988.5402     shannonl at multcolib.org