Libraries provide shelter from the storms

by Lisa Tome
Contributing editor

    After plowing snow for three days, John Tosh was ready to get away.
    He found his respite at the Rising Sun Library.
    "I farm and things are slow in winter. I read three books a week," said Tosh, who prefers fiction. "TV is the pits. I'd rather read."
    Garland Janney, and his wife, Marie, were also out at the library last week.

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    "We come once every two weeks. We get a lot of books. I read a lot more in times like this. The library is very important. They do a great job," he said.
    Karen Peterman, a staffer at the Rising Sun Library Branch reported that Tuesday was a very busy day at the branch.
    "People were getting a lot of movies and renewing a lot of things. The book drop was overflowing," said Peterman.
    She also said that the library's video game and DVD was depleted, temporarily. "You could tell school was out," she said. "Any time there is a long weekend or a storm is coming, we definitely see an increase (in patrons).
    Rising Sun Branch wasn't the only area library impacted by the snow.
    Both Tuesday and Thursday were busy days at the Chesapeake City Library. Librarian Christy Reynolds said that the branch was open from 10 a.m. until noon on Tuesday, January 21 and was much busier than normal. About 75 patrons were served during that two-hour span.
    Patrons there were looking for ways to wile away the hours. DVDs appeared to be a solution. Each person over the age of 18, can check out as many as a dozen DVDs. Each person is permitted to take home four children's DVDs, four three-day (current) movies, and four 21-day DVDs.
    "They were stocking up on books, movies, and video games," said Reynolds. "It was definitely a different kind of morning. People were going to the library, the post office, and the bank."
    Instead of renting movies or video games at local stores, people were checking them out. Reynolds said about 100 DVDs and video games were checked out between 10 a.m. and noon.
    And on Thursday, after shorter hours on Wednesday,   the branch was busy again. Tina Johnson and Suzanna Dann were at the branch with their children.
    "We were anxious to get out and have some fun, read some books, play, and see our friends," said Johnson. "And we will be taking books home. We always check out books when we come."
    Dann said that she and her two children were anxious to get to the library. "It's good to get out and visit our friends here. We've been cooped up," said Dann.
    Reynolds agreed that people seemed anxious to leave home for time at the library.
    "Today, as people can get out, we're the place to be. We've already had a lot of books checked out today," said Reynolds. When they're calling for snow, we're busy. When there is no school, the families come in here."