GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Nov. 16 was an exciting day for Mesa County Libraries. For the first time, 1,000,000 items were checked out in a single year. As the largest library on the Western Slope, Mesa County Libraries move thousands of items per day, giving Director Eve Tallman confidence that this record would be reached in 2009.

“Reaching one million checkouts in a single year is a great indicator of the rising popularity of the library,” Tallman said. “It means our citizens are finding a good value - books, movies, and audiobooks that are of interest to a wide variety of visitors. The library strives to have something for everyone.”

More items to choose from, hours that better serve the needs of the community members, and new branch locations in Clifton and Orchard Mesa are important contributors to the increased visits and borrowed items.

“Tough times for personal budgets also come into play,” said Tallman, “indicating library users tend to check out books and movies rather than rent or purchase.”

“The library and the services we provide are more relevant than ever. More and more people are turning to their local library for their reading, computer training, Internet access and information needs,” said Shana Wade, Public Services Director. “It's the place to be.”