Books by Mail in Marquette

Marquette’s Peter White library wants to know if a program that let them serve people in the surrounding townships better should come back.

Last year, the library received grant money for a Books by Mail program.

About 300 people in the county joined it.

And about half of them actually checked out books that were then delivered to them through the mail.

The program wrapped up last week after running for 6 months.

Library director Pam Christensen says patrons are saying they’ve liked the convenience of the program, especially if they have mobility issues or if they’re in some of the more outlying areas of the county.

The same grant money paid for 3 library book drop–off boxes that’ll remain in use in the townships.

The Sands Township and Powell Township Halls each have one, and so does Skandia’s post office.

Christensen says the drop boxes are getting so much use that the library will likely add one at the Westwood Mall in Marquette Township in the next few months.

If it does, the library would have to pay for it out of its own budget rather than using a grant.