SUCCESS OF LIBRARY'S NEW HOURS NOT YET DETERMINED

JACKSON -- Elizabeth Link, director of Riverside Regional Library, says it's too soon to know if extended operating hours at the library's main center in Jackson have attracted more patrons.

Last month the library board of trustees voted to extend the operating hours of the library for a 90-day trial period beginning this month.

During January, February and March, the library' main center at 204 S. Union will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. On other weekdays, the library will be open at its regular hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

"A survey of our library patrons indicated their desire for longer hours of operation," Link said. "We also had a large number of patrons tell us verbally that they would like to see the library remain open later in the afternoon.

"In response to those requests, we are staying open an extra hour on Monday and Wednesday through the end of March so those who work until 5 p.m. can stop by to check out or return books and other items."

While there has been some increase in patrons during the extended hours on Monday and Wednesday, Link said it has not been great and could be better. But, she said, "The weather has not been very good this month, so I don't believe the first month's figures really reflect any kind of a trend."

The Riverside Regional Library District includes all of Perry and Scott counties and most areas of Cape Girardeau County outside the city limits of Jackson and Cape Girardeau. The district consists of a main library in Jackson, and branch libraries in Perryville, Altenburg, Scott City, Benton, Morley and Oran.

The library district was created in 1955 by voters in the three counties as a way to bring library services to rural residents and schools in the three counties without public libraries.

"It is the purpose of the Riverside Regional Library to make available to all individuals and groups within our library district an organized collection of materials, which will meet the needs and interests of library users," Link said. "Our library services are free and equal to all individuals and groups within the library district."

The library district is funded by a 7-cent property tax in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties and a 9-cent tax in Perry County.

Starting with a collection of 7,000 used books donated to the library district from the basement of the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, the main library and its branches have a collection that includes 129,263 books, printed materials and records, and 3,300 videotapes.

At first the library's main focus was servicing rural school libraries through its bookmobile program. Over the years as the branch libraries opened there was no longer a need for the bookmobile service, and it was phased out in the mid-1970s. However, the library still provides services to many rural schools in the district.

The library district is operated by a 15-member board of trustees, five from each of the counties that make up the district.

During the period of the district's most recent annual report, Jan. 1, 1991-Dec. 31, 1991, the district's operating budget was $401,853.90. Most of that income was derived from the operating tax levies in each county.

According to the report, over 127,000 printed materials and records were checked out of the main library at Jackson in 1991. In Perry County, patrons checked out 62,913 items, while those in the Altenburg area checked out over 12,000 books, periodicals and records. In Scott County, Riverside Library patrons checked out over 18,000 books and records, while patrons in Benton checked out 10,493 books and records.

During 1991, nearly 100,000 (99,107) video cassette tapes were checked out at the combined main library and branch centers, for a total circulation figure of 344,842.