A survey to gauge use and service at the Fargo Public Library found that 81 percent of respondents would be likely to use a library in north Fargo.
The survey was commissioned by library director Charles Pace and conducted by the Public Affairs Institute at Minnesota State University Moorhead during May and June.
Two different surveys were conducted. One was distributed door-to-door to 2,000 residences in north Fargo. The other was distributed to patrons of the Fargo Public Library main and south branches.
While support is high for a north branch of the library, there are currently no plans to build one, said library board member Jean Rayl.
"The survey was just to give some guideline of where the need may be," she said.
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Rayl said since the south branch has been so successful, the library board wants to see what they might do from there.
The board hasn't looked to see where they might put a library in north Fargo, she said, and no action is expected before fall.
Rayl said a lot of options need to be discussed before they arrive at a decision.
"What has happened with the library is when the city grew, the library service did not, so now we're seeing the need to play catch up with our library service," she said.
Out of the 2,000 residences in north Fargo to receive a survey, 468 responded. Eighty-one percent of the respondents use the library.
The survey that was given out at the two branches of the library asked respondents if an additional south branch would be desirable.
Out of 316 respondents, 25 percent said yes, 35 percent said no, and 40 percent were uncertain whether an additional south branch was needed.
In addition to gauging the public's interest in additional branches of the library, the survey also gauged satisfaction with current library staff and services.
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Eighty-seven percent of the north Fargo respondents rated the staff as very helpful or helpful, 90 percent rated the staff as very courteous or courteous and 78 percent evaluated the overall quality of the Fargo Public Library as excellent or very good.
The numbers from the main and south branches indicate 93 percent of respondents rated the staff as very helpful or helpful, 95 percent rated the staff as very courteous or courteous and 88 percent evaluated the overall quality of the library as either excellent or very good.
Beth Postema, deputy director for the Fargo Public Library, said she is happy with the results.
"There's a great deal of support for expansion of the north branch, and the level of satisfaction with the library staff was very gratifying," she said.
Postema said parking at the main branch was the major criticism that came up in the survey as an area which needs improvement.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Meghan Perry at (701) 235-7311
