ASHFIELD — While many libraries are having a difficult time rebounding from the perils of the pandemic and staying relevant to the ever-changing communities they serve, the Belding Memorial Library has managed to nearly double its circulation numbers.

“We’re here to make life easier for our community, and the services we offer and materials we lend out should reflect their changing needs,” Belding Memorial Library Director Sarah Hertel-Fernandez wrote in an email.

In 2021, the library circulated 17,371 items. This number jumped to 27,238 in 2022.

“That’s us bouncing back from COVID,” she said.

Starting in June 2020, the library at 344 Main St. was limited to curbside pickup of materials, a change that lasted a full year. It took the library another year to ramp up activities, increasing from 13 in-person programs in 2021 to 54 in 2022.

Additionally, thanks to a grant from the American Library Association, Belding Memorial Library was open for an extra day in the summer months of 2022.

“There are more people using the library, both local and out-of-town visitors,” Hertel-Fernandez explained. She and Griswold Memorial Library Director Chelsea Jordan-Makely also bring books to inmates at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction, adding to the library’s circulation numbers.

The Lunch Lady series by western Massachusetts author Jarrett Krosoczka is the most circulated collection at the library, closely followed by the MASS MoCA pass, according to Hertel-Fernandez. The museum pass provides free entry for two adults and two children, and was circulated 62 times in 2022.

The Belding Memorial Library relies on three paid employees and five volunteers.

“We’re totally spoiled for resources,” she wrote.

The librarians keep track of lists of the newest, most talked about books when choosing what to add to the library’s collection, and also get to know their patrons’ individual literary interests. The community feel, Hertel-Fernandez said, is what makes the library such a happy environment.

“It’s a space where folks connect with each other, where we can help people in practical ways, and that is at its best when it’s busy and bustling,” she wrote.

“We’d love to expand our open hours, but for now, we’re making the most of our schedule,” Hertel-Fernandez continued. The library hopes to expand services to people who may not be regular patrons.

People who are interested in donating to the library can send checks to Belding Memorial Library, P.O. Box 407, Ashfield, MA 01330.

The library is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 2 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit beldingmemoriallibrary.org.

Bella Levavi can be reached at blevavi@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.

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