LOOK: A Day in the Life of the North Canton Public Library

So, what exactly does a day in the life of the North Canton Public Library look like?

Library staff interviewed patrons, took photos and collected stats throughout the day this past Thursday — 2012 Snapshot Day — to find out. The results collected and pictures taken at the library will be added to those of other libraries across the state to raise awareness about the important role of libraries in Ohio.

Christina Weyrick-Cooper, community relations manager at the North Canton Public Library, said patrons were not only cooperative, but eager to participate in the North Canton Library's first ever Snapshot Day.

"I explained (to them) what the Snapshot Day was — that it was a program that was statewide, and the purpose was to take a snapshot of libraries in Ohio to encourage public support and funding of the libraries," she said.

Here's how the stats broke down that day:

• Items checked out: 2,170
• Borrowers: 377
• Items checked in: 1,735
• Holds placed: 162
• Holds satisfied: 171
• Items added to the collection: 178
• New library cards issued: 14
• Children's department circulation: 892

Here's what a few North Canton Public Library patrons had to say on the library's Facebook page:

• Justine Drennen Decker — "You are the best library! You have a great selection of everything. The kids floor is a beautiful, fun place and we enjoy meeting our friends there. I also love all of your kids programs. When I was new to N. Canton, it was a great place to meet other moms."
• Karen Anderson — "I remember going to the library after school all the time-and now my kids are doing the same. Thanks for being such a great library! Great employees-very knowledgeable & helpful as always."
• Jaime Lynn — "I couldn't do what I do on a daily basis (homeschool) nearly as effectively without the NCPL and the fantastic people who work there."

The library even collected some hand-written memories through anonymous comment cards that day.

• "Libraries have been part of my life forever — most important memory? I met my husband in our college library! Our kids love using libraries for books, programs, movies, etc. Libraries make life better."
• "... I have grown to appreciate different features of the library like ebooks, video rental and community activities. But my first card is still embedded in my head. Twenty-five years later."
• "My favorite memories are just seeing my kids enjoy the great books, games and movies the library has to offer!"

Only a handful of the library's photos from Thursday are featured in this update. Check out our Pics & Clips gallery to find the rest!

More on the Snapshot Day:

Snapshot Day: A Day in the Life of Ohio Libraries is a project of the State Library of Ohio, the Ohio Library Council (OLC), Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN), the Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO), Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLINK – a consortium of college and university libraries), the Ohio Educational Library Media Association (OELMA), and the Information Network for Ohio Schools (INFOhio).

Each year, Ohio libraries will participate in this advocacy effort by collecting photographs, stories, information and comments to get a snapshot of a typical day in Ohio libraries. For more information about the statewide effort, click here.