The head librarian at the Jake Epp Public Library in Steinbach says they are busier than ever, even in this digital era. Carolyn Graham says the number of books checked out in the first ten months of the year is up by about 8,000 over the same period last year when 222,000 were checked out. She adds while some people are reading electronic books, most still prefer the real thing.

"We still hear lots of conversation from people who say; I love my device when I go travelling but, when I'm at home, I want the book in my hand."

Graham says electronic books are more expensive than the paper versions but notes the library is doing its best to make them available. She says library members have free access to an E-Book collection through Electronic Libraries Manitoba. Graham adds members with a print disability like failing vision also have free access to a special electronic library.

"It's an electronic collection that is available to anybody who has a print disability, whether it is through loss of vision or they have a disability that means they cannot physically hold a book. You can register online. The website is available from our website. If you have a membership in our public library, you have free access to that collection. It's called the National Network for Equitable Library Services. Those are audio books that can be downloaded to a device such as an I-Pad."

Overall, Graham says the library remains a very popular place for books and other services such as research on the internet.

"We are busier in (books) in and out than we have ever been before. The community sees us as a gathering space, as a space to come for information, information on how to access resources online and so we are not seeing any reduction in traffic through our library."

Children's area at the Jake Epp Public Library