CARBONDALE - Last year, more than 1.3 million books were carried out of Lackawanna County libraries.
Last year, the county library system also circulated 21,615 electronic books.
According to a study by the Pew Research Center, e-book users are on the rise, causing many libraries to consider how to stay relevant in an age of technology that is easily accessible and often free. In the last year, the percentage of e-book readers went from 21 to 30, a 9 percentage point increase, according to the study.
The Lackawanna County Library System, which includes nine public libraries, began building a collection of electronic books about a year and a half ago, according to Mary Garm, the administrator for the system.
"We see tremendous use of that collection," she said of the 2,000 titles, which can be read on tablets, e-readers, phones and computers. "I think it is in many ways a new audience - people who are using the library to borrow e-books who were perhaps people who didn't borrow books from the library before."
Though Mrs. Garm explained the libraries have been adapting with technology, she said there have been some problems with publishers charging libraries greater fees than an individual to purchase certain titles. Despite the pricing issues, she said overall the addition has been a pleasant process, adding to the ways patrons can access materials and eliminating late fees for users. When a book is due, it disappears from the electronic device it was downloaded on, Mrs. Garm said.
The advent of e-books has not been the only change in libraries.
"For several years, libraries have begun to look at their role as a community gathering place, not just a place where you can borrow a book," she said, listing children's programs, book clubs and conversation clubs. "I think it's a nice contrast to the isolation of the digital world."
At the Valley Community Library, community is the key word, according to Lisa Kozlowski, who works in youth services.
"We're really trying to partner with our community and become more proactive to let people know what's out here," she said listing local author's night, delivering lunches to local housing projects and educational programming.
On Thursday, students in the school-aged program worked on vampire art they planned to submit to a First Friday contest.
Other library services like computer terminals and DVD rentals have been booming in Carbondale, according to director Marie Zaccone, though she said more outdated technology like CD rentals has fallen off.
She noted sometimes a break from technology is nice, too.
"If they do have a job with computers all day, that might not appeal to them if they want to relax at night and turn the pages," she said.
She believes that e-books will only enhance the libraries' options.
"I think they have a good long life ahead of them yet, but who knows?" Mrs. Garm said. "I don't see an obituary for the printed book in the near future."
Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter