The Warsaw Community Public Library served an average of 77 patrons an hour during a "typical week" when 4,202 patrons were served and the library was open 54.5 hours.

The "typical week" - a tool used by libraries to measure circulation - was Oct 18 through 23 when 9,527 were checked out.

WCPL board of directors heard these numbers Monday, with director Ann Zydek saying the figures were down from last year's total of 10,654 items checked out and 4,687 patrons served during 62 hours (or 75 patrons per hour) in 2004.

Zydek said patrons are adjusting to the reduced hours and she hopes to increase the library's hours again in February.

Through October, 419,480 items have been checked out this year.

During her director's report, Zydek said 75 percent of citizens in the United States are using the Internet. During a conference in Gary, she heard a speech about the future of libraries and how to evolve with new technologies like wireless access, cell phones and personal digital assistants.

"We were advised to have an attractive, interactive informative Web site with pictures," she said.

The library will be trying a new public computer Linux operating system, considered to be more secure.

This week, four public computers with one server, called the Discover Station, will be available for a trial period. The public is invited to explore the system, said assistant director Joni Brookins.

"We're encouraging the public to come in and use them," she said. "If we like it, we'll use it to replace 17 Internet stations."

The library plans to upgrade to another computer management system. Currently there are 17 computers with Internet access, three with games for children, four word processing and six for the library catalogue. The library has wireless Internet access.

The board also:

• Established a policy regarding the video conferencing equipment and the mobile laptop computer lab. The equipment is free to the public and one member of the group using either system must be certified to use it by the library staff at least one week prior to the meeting date. That member must be present during the conferencing meeting.

• Established a committee of Tony Etienne, Paulette Sauders and John Yingling to nominate a 2005 slate of board officers.

• Welcomed a visiting journalism class from Grace College taught by Deb Sprong.

• Heard the Dekko Foundation plans to conduct a survey of library patrons who are parents of infants to 5-year-olds, part of the Triumph program, a media campaign to raise parents' awareness of early childhood development. Zydek was asking to keep brochures about the program available to the public, which was approved.

• Heard from the Kosciusko Literacy Services regarding a Read Across American program to have Dr. Seuss books read in every county second-grade class. Five books per school will be presented along with information about how to get a library card.

• Heard from board president Larry Chamberlain that the next Education Summit, Nov. 18, features state superintendent of public education Sue Ellen Reed.

Board of trustees members are Larry Chamberlain, Mark Morrison, Joel Curry, Paulette Sauders, Tony Etienne, John Yingling and Ruth Jones. Curry, Morrison and Jones were absent. [[In-content Ad]]