By Roz Kohls
Staff Writer

This year, 2007, brings the 80th anniversary of the Cokato Public Library. The Cokato library is part of the Great River Regional Library, a family of 32 libraries in six counties of central Minnesota.

It shares in 850,000 items, including books, both fiction and non-fiction; DVDs; music CDs; magazines and newspapers; audiobooks; computers and the Internet; programs for all ages; professional reference service; and electronic resources and databases searchable in libraries and through the Internet.

The Cokato area library has increased circulation by thousands of books and is well used.

With the increase of online services such as the catalog with several libraries to get books from, “the numbers are going up,” Librarian Mary Ackerman said.

Statistics show the library has been improving its circulation. In 2006 there was an increase of 1,676 total circulation compared to the previous year. That was the second highest increase in the region.

The library has begun a membership drive to help raise awareness and funds for either the expansion of the library or an alternate site.

Help from good ‘friends’

Friends of the Cokato Area Library (FOCAL), was founded in 2004 to be advocates of the area library, and help build the awareness for its expansion.

Anyone can be a part of FOCAL and be as active as they would like, whether it’s donating time for promoting awareness of the expansion, or donating money to help the expansion efforts.

“It’s always nice to have new members with energy and new ideas,” Ackerman said.

The library needs room for more book shelves. There are books on top of book shelves and space for only two computers. “We got the city’s permission for a TV and VCR, but we don’t have a place to put it,” she said.

“We would like space for a teen social area where they could play games,” Ackerman said, “Right now, we don’t have room.”

The Cokato library hours are: Monday 2 to 6 p.m., Tuesday 2 to 8 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday 2 to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to noon, 2 to 6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to noon. Visit its web site at www.griver.org.