As the nation’s unemployment rate increased to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, something more unusual spiked when the economy slumped — library usage.More Americans visited libraries in August, September and October, according to the American Library Association.”We feel there is a correlation between the economy being tight and library usage increasing,” said Mary Stein, assistant director at East Baton Rouge Parish Library. “We have seen this cycle before.”In 2003, the EBR parish library had nearly 2 million items checked out from the library system, and in 2008, more than 2.23 million were checked out.Stein said people are using the library to check out recreational readings and audio-visual materials. Stein said “do-it-yourself” books become popular during hard times.Patrons check out the obvious materials useful during tough times, she said, like materials on job seeking, consumer information, debt reduction, personal credit, home buying and information on medical and insurance costs.But Elissa Plank, Middleton Library head of circulation services, said she hasn’t noticed much of a change in response to the economy.”Public libraries are even more likely to experience the phenomenon than would academic libraries,” Plank said. ”From my own personal observation, I would say that our usage tends to track more accordingly to the semester and what’s happening during a semester as opposed to economic conditions.”Plank said the University’s libraries are usually busier in late January after students have returned to campus. Though the slumping economy hasn’t attracted more people to Middleton, CC’s Community Coffee House on the first floor has caused a traffic increase.Ryan Smith, petroleum engineering junior, said libraries are more student friendly, cheaper and more convenient than bookstores. Smith checks out all the reference materials he may need for his classes at the beginning of each semester.”[At the library] you can check out 10 separate authors,” he said. “Barnes and Noble is trying to sell a book, and people aren’t going to be happy with you opening books and putting them back.”According to survey data by the American Library Association, 68 percent of Americans own a library card, a 5 percent increase since 2006. The EBR Public Library now has nearly 390,000 active card holders, compared to only 280,000 in 2003. Overall foot traffic has also increased, Stein said.Seventy-six percent of Americans visited public libraries in the past year, a 10 percent increase from two years earlier, according to the American Library Association.  An even larger increase was seen in the number of people using libraries’ Web sites and online resources.”Computer use is way up,” Stein said. “More and more patrons come to the library to use our free PCs, take our free computer classes and access the Internet.”The survey found 8 percent of people use the library for the free Internet access, 39 percent check out books and 12 percent check out videos, CDs or software.—-Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]