How has online registration impacted the Brooklyn Public Library summer reading program?
JZ : There has been huge, huge growth in summer reading enrollment since online registration began four years ago. The last year there was paper only registration in 2004, the enrollment was 17,076. When online registration began for kids and teens the following summer, participation increased 125% to 38,494. After we added a system-wide adult component in 2006, there were 62,552 people who participated. Last summer, enrollment was 101,603–a 500 % increase–with a big boost coming from adults. Our joke is that we register anyone who is breathing! NL: Those are very impressive–and precise–figures. JZ : A great thing about the summer reading website is that it allows us to capture different kinds of statistics including ones we need to report to the state and other funding providers. While the registration numbers are hard data, we get more qualitative information from sources like our website polls. One week we might ask, “How often do you visit the library?” the next: “What is your
