The Waupaca Area Public Library reported steady in-person visits, changing circulation patterns and expanded programming during an annual presentation to the Waupaca Common Council on April 2. Library Director Eric Bailey and Melanie Peterson, president of the library board, presented the 2024 statistics and highlights.

Bailey said physical circulation of some material types fell slightly while electronic checkouts rose: “Circulation of physical materials decreased by 3.2% and electronic materials increased by 11.96%,” he said, adding that total circulation was down “very slightly” (0.8%). He told the council that much of the apparent decline since 2019 reflects fewer renewals after policy changes and a large falloff in physical AV (DVDs, audiobooks) rather than a general drop in book lending.

The library board president said visits are trending back toward pre-pandemic levels and that volunteer involvement grew substantially. “It is literally feeding mind and body in the library,” Melanie Peterson said, describing use of a Little Free Pantry housed at the library and the pantry’s long hours of availability to residents.

Why it matters: the circulation numbers feed into county reimbursement calculations, and shifts in how the state attributes library users (by geography beginning in 2024) affect reported cardholder numbers. Bailey told the council the library’s county-reimbursement share has remained roughly stable at about 42–45% of circulation by county residents, and he does not expect the usage changes to reduce county reimbursement at present.

Details and supporting context: the library saw increases in digital lending services such as Libby/OverDrive and Hoopla; Bailey said Hoopla usage requires tighter budgeting controls in 2025. The library recorded a major, multiweek Americans in the Holocaust exhibit that the presenters said attracted visitors from across Wisconsin; Bailey said about 4,000 people visited the exhibit, including school groups. The exhibit and related programming brought external visitors to Waupaca and, the presenters said, benefitted the local economy.

Operational notes: passports are an increasing revenue source, the staff head count is roughly 12.25 full-time equivalent positions (a small net decline from the year before), and the library recorded 718 volunteer hours in 2024 versus 63 in 2023. New staff in 2024–25 included a head of youth services and a head of adult services. Presenters credited staff and volunteers with sustaining programming during a year of staffing transitions.

Council response: several council members thanked library staff for their work. Council Member Henry Velacher praised staff for finding efficiencies amid budget constraints.

Looking ahead: presenters said the library will continue to expand digital offerings, volunteer programs and collaborative exhibits with schools and community groups.