Davis Library Board addresses unexpected drop in circulation with user walkthrough, outreach plan

The Davis Public Library Board on June 15 recorded a year‑over‑year decline in circulation — a reversal after roughly 10 years of growth — and directed staff to take targeted steps to help patrons navigate the town's new website.

Library Director Inga Dellea told trustees that circulation (including digital loans) was down even as program attendance and door counts rose. The board asked Dellea to run a live walkthrough of the new site with a less experienced user, Paula Fleming, with alternate trustee Angela Fletcher observing, and to use that session to produce simple how‑to visuals and an ongoing feedback loop for patrons who get stuck. The meeting record notes the initiative is intended to help older or less‑digital patrons who may be having difficulty finding catalog or hold functions after the town website launch.

The director also cited demographic context: the town population is about 1,500 (2024 census baseline) with roughly 262 residents age 65 or older and 70 under age 5, numbers trustees said make digital‑access planning a priority. The Board did not adopt a specific budget line at the meeting for the outreach work but tasked staff with producing materials and reporting back at a subsequent meeting.