Last modified: Sunday, August 17, 2008 2:10 AM EDT Ginger Wright, left, Attleboro, and her daughter KateLynne, are among the many users of the Attleboro Public Library which has seen an increase in patrons as the economy has worsened. (Staff photo by Mike George) Free and reliable BY GEORGE W. RHODES SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Robert Maier, director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, is the kind of guy who notices when people are reading books that came from a public library. And these days, as gasoline and food costs spike, more and more people are doing just that, he said. Maier takes the commuter rail from Salem to his job in Boston and borrowed books are clearly taking the place of bought books among the rail passengers, most likely to save cash, he said. "I'm seeing more and more people on the train reading public library books," he said. "It's purely anecdotal, but people are thinking twice about going to places like Amazon.com and Borders and buying books." While his observations are not scientific, long experience and hard numbers kept by the state library commissioners show that people take advantage of their prepaid borrowing privileges at public libraries to a greater degree when their wallets are squeezed. The stats for fiscal year 2008, which just ended, aren't available yet, and trends for the current year, fiscal year 2009, are anecdotal, but Maier's sure the numbers will eventually bear him out. Library use throughout the state has grown every year for the last nine years and this year it should boom, he said. "With the conditions of the economy we expect the current year to be even bigger," Maier said. "People are taking steps to save money wherever they can and the public library is a great place to save money by borrowing books, CDs and DVDs." People who have been buying books and renting or buying DVDs know they can read what they want and watch what they want for free - prepaid with their taxes, of course - simply by going to the library, he said. "More and more people are actually revisiting the public library as a result of the economy," Maier said. According to statistics published by the state library board, circulation has risen from 45.2 million items in fiscal year '99 to 52.1 million items in fiscal year '07. From fiscal year '06 to fiscal year '07 the increase in items was about 1.1 million items or about a 2.2 percent hike. In Attleboro, however, there was actually a decrease in total circulation of 4.3 percent from fiscal year '06 to fiscal year '07, or 237,592 items to 227,309 items, according to the library commissioners. But last year, the numbers went up to 230,005 items, or about 1.2 percent. Attleboro Public Library Director Walter Stitt described the increase as "modest," but said the economy's impact on the library can be seen in other places - especially in the children's programs and video borrowing. The summer reading program for children jumped to 351 participants, an increase of 42 percent or 103 kids over last year's 248, he said. Children's Librarian Krystal Brown said part of the reason is due to the opportunity to get discount coupons for various entertainment venues in the region that come with participation. Families want the coupons to reduce vacation expenses, she said. "The parents come in and tell us they're not taking a big family vacation and they're looking for day trips they can make with our discount coupons," Brown said. The coupons are good for numerous places including science and art museums in Boston or the Water Wizz Park in Wareham. Families that do not have children in the Summer Reading Program can get other free coupons carried by the library year-round for places like Plimoth Plantation and Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. Meanwhile, Brown said families are opting for movies at home as opposed to trips to the theater. Videos and DVDs fly off the shelves as fast as they appear and that's not normal for summer, Brown said. Usually movies are in good supply during summer because people going out of town on vacation and aren't spending time home watching movies at night. They do borrow books on tape and CD, however. Those, by contrast, are in good supply. More video use means people are staying home, Brown said. "We can't keep what we have on the shelves," she said. "Our shelves are almost bare." She sees what Maier sees. "Use is up because people don't have money," Brown said. "They're staying close to home and availing themselves of the free programs we have here." Upstairs in the reference department, colleague Kathleen Hibbert said evidence of the economy's impact is anecdotal, but telling. While the number of people using library computers declined last year, many people this year make it clear why they are there, Hibbert said. "What we're hearing is that people are cutting their Internet service because they can't afford it," she said. "They're feeling it in their pocketbook and they're taking measures." One of those people taking such measures is Selina Nichols of Attleboro. She and her son Jason, 7, go to the library more than ever, mostly for movies. Selina used to rent flicks, but has quit to save a few bucks, she said. The library's selection is not as extensive as a video store, but it fills the bill, Nichols said. "Hey they've got Spiderman III," she said. "They've got good movies for him and sometimes myself." Another woman hurrying into the library with her young daughter one recent afternoon said she hadn't been to the library in years. "This is the first time I've been to the library in a long time," she said. The reason for her visit fit the observation made by Maier. "We've got a pet frog and we need some information," the woman said. "Usually we'd buy a book, but we're borrowing it this year."