BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — With the advent of the internet, you would think that libraries would have become a thing of the past, however many of them are actually thriving in the digital age by offering materials that can be accessed online.

Like many other patrons at Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library (BVMPL), Cheri Underhill says she now has the ability to check out books and other online materials from the comfort of her own home.

“They introduced me here to their system and I was able to access a lot of books a lot quicker than searching at bookstores and things like that,” said Underhill.

Libby is an online app that Underhill uses to browse millions of titles of books and magazines, that also allows her to access and download other online materials with her library card.

“Sometimes I’m off somewhere and I use my phone to find a book that I’m looking for and sometimes I just use my laptop,” explained Underhill.

“People really like the convenience of digital audiobooks and e-books, and our usage on those things just continues to increase,” noted Elizabeth Jacobs, BVMPL assistant library director.

Access to online materials also provides patrons, like Underhill, the freedom to enjoy them anywhere they go.

She says online books lighten her load, freeing her from having to haul books around when she travels.

Underhill says the Libby app also allows her to download the books to her phone or laptop after she checks them out.

“I don’t have to worry about an internet connection because once it’s downloaded, I can access it wherever I want,” explained Underhill.

Jacobs says that in the past few years, they have seen a large demand from patrons who check out and download materials from their online collections.

In the past year, BVMPL has seen around a 30% increase in people accessing their digital materials, which now accounts for almost a third of their total check-outs.

BVMPL has had to make adjustments to their annual budget to ensure that there are funds available to maintain both their online collections as well as their physical materials on the shelves at the library.

“We have to balance what we budget for both collections and make sure that we are providing an adequate level of access to those digital resources for people,” said Jacobs.

Although popularity has grown among people who choose to access materials online, Jacobs says the vast majority of her patrons still prefer coming in and taking a book off the shelf.

“We talk to a lot of people every day who say they still like to hold a book in their hand and turn the pages. We still have a lot of check-outs from our physical collection in the library and that’s been steady over the years for quite a long time,” said Jacobs.

As an avid reader, Underhill says the digital age has given her so many options to sit down and enjoy reading a good book.

“Sometimes I’m in the mood for that paperback book sitting at home, but so many other times when space is an issue, it’s nice to be able to have everything at your fingertips,” Underhill said.

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