"Just plain fabulous libraries whose public access programs really work for their community." These criteria distinguish members of an elite group at WebJunction, an online community by and for librarians. The Goodwin Library in Farmington was named the WJ Library of the Month in September 2004. To see the full story ~ Goodwin Public Library (Farmington, NH): Pride of the Yankees ~ go to http://webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=548; for a printer-friendly version, go to http://webjunction.org/do/PrinterFriendlyContnet?id=7777. As the introduction to the article says: "A dynamic director and a handful of Gates Foundation computers have been enough to re-energize a New England town's library - and its whole community."

The new technology is bringing new patrons in droves: 900 registered users in 1999, 2,100 today ~ that's almost 40% of Farmington's population. And those patrons are doing more than just using computers; they're checking out books, videos, magazines, and books on tape, asking reference questions, and attending programs. Director Debbie Christie has reintroduced children's programming, with story hours, a summer reading program, school visits, and outreach to Head Start and other day-care centers.

Soon the library will be accessible to people with disabilities, attracting even more patrons. A Friends group has been started. Goodwin Library is now, as it should be, a community center that, according to WebJunction author Joseph Anderson, "has worked to establish itself as a key resource for delivering vital new skills and training to the local population. In the process, it has resuscitated the community's interest not only in the library but also in the possibilities that library services bring."

If you're not familiar with WebJunction, take the time to explore. If you want to just investigate its various communities, or read up on trends and developments in the library world, go ahead. If you want to get the full benefit of membership in WebJunction, be sure to register. It's free and easy: Just go to http://webjunction.org/do/Home and click on the blue Register button at the top right corner of the screen.