TATAMAGOUCHE - The "if you build it, they will come" concept has certainly not been lost on the Tatamagouche branch library.
"Over the summer we've had cottagers coming in consistently," said branch manager Desirée Jans, of the recent activity at the modern community facility that opened last April.
"We've had tremendous increase in the number of registrations for library cards, cottagers coming in to use their wireless laptops and use the computers here," she said. "Circulation has pretty much doubled from the old library and, as I said, the people who are coming in for new cards that never had cards before has just been tremendous."
At a quiet moment on this particular rainy day, one woman is browsing through the well-stocked bookshelves while two young lads are comfortably laid back reading on bean bags placed on the floor.
"It seems to be going well," Jans said.
The new library is much roomier, airy and brighter than the musty, old building it replaced, which is also a concept not lost on those who enter the facility for the first time, she said.
"And when people come through the door it's always, 'wow, what a great building.' So people really appreciate the open space."
Most summer activity has occurred on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jans said, a fact she attributes to people not yet being accustomed to the new expanded hours.
"Maybe they're not used to the Wednesday hours yet. And I expect that once school starts again, what we saw before school ended there in the summer, was that kids come over after school and really use the building at that time."
The facility also contains a community room, which is accessible during non-library hours and which Jans said has also become popular with a number of local organizations including the trail society, a women's breastfeeding group and children's music groups, among others.
"Over the summer it was a little more sporadic, the use of the room, but I know through the winter we've got the regular groups coming in and it's used every week," she said.
And, for those who simply want a quiet place to relax, the library offers a comfortable second-floor loft with a view of Tatamagouche Bay.
Tatamagouche library branch hours
Tuesday - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Thursday - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
Friday - 1 to 5 p.m.
Saturday - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
