The Jake Epp Library in Steinbach had one of their busiest summers on record, with thousands of books circulating through the doors and volunteers keeping pace with the flow. Library board chair Carolyn Graham says the numbers reflect both the community’s enthusiasm for reading and the dedication of those who work and volunteer there. “It was super busy. Every single day they were open and probably for every hour they were open,” says Graham. “The statistics are crazy.” Circulation surges during summer months Between January and the end of June, 58 per cent of this year’s circulation took place. But Graham says the next two and a half months accounted for the remaining 42 per cent, which is a remarkable total for such a short period. Saturdays stood out as the busiest days, with an average of 163 books checked out per hour. “It is rather astounding,” she says. “Every single summer that I know of has been way busier than the rest of the year, which says the community needs and wants what they’re offering, and they are taking advantage of it to a huge degree.” Volunteers play a crucial role Volunteers are essential to keeping up with that pace, with six volunteers regularly helping with shelving and organization. “They train the volunteers for shelving the exact same way the staff does. So, they do the same job the staff does when it comes to returning books in the right places,” she explains. “They are very busy shelving books while the staff look after all the people's problems and answering questions, helping them to find the books they need.” Councillor Jac Siemens, the city’s representative on the library board, says the scale of activity surprised him. “The mayor assigned me to the library board in November last year, and I didn't know what all went on at the library,” he says. “On a Saturday, 163 book units go out. That means staff are dealing with a book at the front counter every 30 seconds.” Summer reading programs make an impact Graham says programs designed for children are a major driver of the summer traffic. “Children should not stop reading in summer because they can drop one or two reading levels,” she says. “If they don't read during the summer, the teachers have an awful difficult time trying to get the kids back in line to catch up from where they were at the end of the previous year.” The library’s free reading programs, crafts and activities keep families coming back week after week. “It’s the free thing you can do in Steinbach where you can come in, it's nice and cool and quiet,” says Graham. “The programs that are offered keep kids thoroughly engaged.” Busiest library per capita in Manitoba Siemens notes that library use has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels. “Prior to the pandemic, we had great numbers. Then during the pandemic, it dropped,” he says. “But now we're higher than the pre-pandemic numbers. This library is functioning very well. We are the busiest library per capita in the province, year over year.” Graham says those figures show just how vital the library is to Steinbach. “The amount of work they get done here is an absolute incredible amount,” she says.