Monroe County library ranks 2nd in country

Shelia Gullatt would be at the Monroe County Public Library every day if she had time.\n"I would lose my mind if I didn't have a membership to this library," said Gullatt, a library patron.\nMonroe County Public Library is the second best in its size category, according to an organization that ranks public libraries across the nation.\nHennen's American Public Library Ratings ranks the top 10 public libraries in the nation in five population categories. The Monroe County Public Library is in the category of libraries that serve 100,000 to 249,999 people, which is the third largest category. \nBecause the presence of IU causes the population of Monroe County to fluctuate, the state determines how much of IU's population can be included as part of the population served by the Monroe County Public Library, said Cindy Gray, director of the Monroe County Public Library.\n"We allow students to get library cards, which is why some of IU's population can be included in the population that we serve," Gray said.\nGray said she hopes the ranking will help the library financially even though that is not the purpose of the rankings. The Monroe County Council turned down a request from the Monroe County Public Library for more money for its library capital project fund to enhance the building and other library services. The library will make the request to the council again in January, she said. Gray hopes the new ranking will influence the council's decision.\nThe ranking comes at a time when the library is working on developing a new comprehensive strategic plan. The state of Indiana requires its libraries to re-evaluate their plans regarding funding, services and staffing every three years, Gray said. Focus groups will be one of the tools used by the Monroe County Public Library to decide what areas the library needs to focus on, such as adding more bookmobiles.\nThe Monroe County Public Library provides several services such as summer reading programs for children and due-date warnings via e-mail.\n"I appreciate the e-mail warning about when things are due," said IU graduate student Ben Debus. "It's very helpful because I forget."\nGray said she was not expecting such a high ranking and was just hoping the library would maintain last year's No. 5 ranking. In 2004, it was not ranked at all. Gray said she was not sure why the Monroe County Public Library moved up in the rankings because its actual score this year is about the same as it was last year.\n"My guess would be that because almost all libraries are struggling with funding, other libraries may have done things like cut hours to conserve funds and dropped in the rankings because of it," Gray said.\nThe Monroe County Public Library has been ranked as one of the best libraries in the nation for several reasons, Gray said.\n"Circulation is expected to increase, and we are open a tremendous amount of hours per week," Gray said.\nLast year, the library had a circulation of 2.2 million items. The main branch is open 69 hours per week and the Ellettsville branch is open 64 hours per week, Gray said. The library also has a $1 million annual material budget.\n"This is a testament not just to the library, but to the community that supports it," Gray said.\nThe complete list of rankings is available at www.haplr-index.com.