Fairfax County Public Library is 70!
In 2009 Fairfax County Public Library celebrates 70 years of serving the residents of Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. In 1939 the Board of Supervisors voted to establish a free public library; a bookmobile, housed in a 24-foot cinderblock structure, began serving the county by 1940. The bookmobile had space for 500-600 books, and by 1942 the annual number of check outs totaled 4,814 for a population of more than 40,000.
In 2009 the county’s collection now consists of more than 2.5 million items and serves a population of more than 1 million. Over 13 million items were borrowed in fiscal year 2008.
Even during the library’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1989 the impact of the computer and Internet and their transformation of library use were not fully anticipated. The library’s Web site had more than 4 million visits in fiscal year 2008. Library customers can conduct research, listen to author interviews, seek virtual reference services, search for books, review their accounts, download books and put holds on books in addition to finding useful information about many subjects or access to any of the 70 databases available via the library’s Web site.
“Though the printed word has gone through and will continue to go through many changes, there will always be a need for people to access information whether they come into our buildings, use us online or use other devices to reach us,” says Library Director Edwin “Sam” Clay. “Information is as essential to the daily life of modern Americans as electricity and phones. Wherever technology leads us twenty years or seventy years from now, I guarantee our library will be at the forefront meeting the information needs of Fairfax County.”
Among the changes in the last 20 years alone:
- There is at least one branch in every supervisor district in the county
- Our eBooks and eAudio books can be downloaded to hand-held devices and computers
- Self-check out is available at every branch
- Customers can access the Internet and other software on public computers at the library. They can also access the Internet with their own laptops and other devices via a wireless connection at library branches
- Additional software eliminated the need for “due date” stamps in books and provided printed receipts with due dates for each check out
- Customers can text a reference question to a “virtual” librarian, in addition to e-mails and online chat
- Interviews with authors and book talks are available via podcast
- Customers can sign up for programs online
- In 1989 there were six regional libraries, nine community libraries and seven “mini” libraries, as well as Access Services which served people with disabilities. Today we have eight regional libraries, 14 community libraries and the Access Services branch is now conveniently located in the Government Center. (The expanded Virginia Room is part of the new City of Fairfax Regional Library.)
- The Fairfax Library Foundation (est. 1994) provides financial support to the library to enhance library services and provides thumb drives and ear buds to branches for the convenience of customers
- Friends groups and volunteers also donate thousands of hours in support of the library every year
- Meeting and conference rooms, group study rooms and quiet rooms are in demand at every branch. Meeting and conference rooms can be booked online. Group study rooms can be booked by calling a specific branch.