Click play to listen to this article.

The popularity of collecting vinyl records hints that the public isn't completely content with owning things digitally. Library leaders in North Dakota say that renewed passion is leading more people to look into their physical media offerings.

Andrea Placher is director of leads the Williston Community Library. She and her fellow directors around the state report elevated activity in people requesting library cards. In Williston, staff are currently issuing between 100 and 150 new cards each month.

Placher said some users feel that options such as e-books aren't for them, and word of mouth is fueling interest in physical copies.

Image

"There is a huge craze out there right now," she said. "And people are getting out there more and they're saying, like, 'Oh, there's all these great authors,' and talking to each other about, 'Oh my gosh, did you read this great book?'"

The American Library Association confirms that younger generations are making frequent use of their local branches. Placher said there's still strong interest in some forms of digital media, such as audio books, prompting her team to stay on its toes with what to offer.

National Library Week isn't until April, but Placher said libraries such as hers will amplify community messaging in February through special programs.

Libraries across the United States have been swept up in political fights over calls to ban books, threatening funding in certain parts of the country. But Placher said in Williston, they're fortunate to maintain consistent support from the city and county. For the public, she said, she thinks libraries are a community asset and an antidote to negative energy often observed in society today.

"I just think it's just easy to forget sometimes about the good things, but we need to remember that the good things are what's going to get us through those hard times, and we need to talk about those more," she said. "Shout it from the rooftop, the great experiences that you're having within your community."

With the United States coming off recent spikes to the poverty rate, the American Library Association says local branches also serve as an information pathway for those who are economically disadvantaged.

Support for this reporting was provided by Carnegie Corporation of New York.