If the Caledonia Library were in the business of turning a profit, their number of clients would be increasing, sales would be setting quarterly records and stock doubling in value, an unusual trend in the current business sector. Of course, the tax payer funded, public service the library provides at no additional cost to the patron is not meant to fill the city coffers, but the point remains. The library is busy, and it keeps getting busier.
The economic slump haunting our nation is being held responsible for increased attendance at public libraries as people brainstorm ways to trim the fat off their household budget. The New York Times reported book, cd, and dvd sales were down in 2008 from 2007 and the number of movie, concert, and theater attendees also dropped. National booksellers Barnes and Noble and Borders saw 7 and 9 percent sales decreases respectively. Decreases in sales, combined with double digit increases of library patronage seem to tell an obvious story; more people are discovering and taking advantage of the free services offered at public libraries.
Studies indicate that similar trends are not unknown. During the Great Depression libraries saw a significant jump in patronage and again during the recession in 2001 when circulation rose 9 percent nationwide according to the American Library Association.
Locally, Librarian Marla Burns has observed the changes firsthand over the past months. “It has increased tremendously,” she spoke of library usage comparing 2007 to 2008. “I can’t imagine what 2009 will be.”
“People and their own personal budgets” is how she attributes the surge in patrons. She said that last week a patron announced she had disconnected her internet and cable TV to save money. She’s not the only one, however, as Burns noted that cutting back on internet, TV, periodicals, and book buying has been a common chorus from patrons.
By the numbers
In 2007 registered borrowers numbered 1,800. A 16% increase in 2008 has brought that total to 2,131, quite an impressive number for a small town suggested Burns. A 40% increase in library visits increased the 2007 count of 1,852 visits to 3,120 visits in 2008. Internet usage increased 18% over the same time period and total circulation has increased from 26,998 to 28,615 items, a 6% gain.
What brings all of these new patrons to the library? Self-help, finance, job seeking, and do-it-yourself books are all popular according to Burns. “People are also using the library for updating resumes and job hunting,” she stated.
Burns describes the biggest increase in patronage is coming from the male gender. “A lot of men are coming in for computer usage,” she stated. “We even get truck drivers borrowing audio books.
“Some days we have people waiting to use the internet and every day somebody brings their own laptop and uses the wireless,” she continued.
Even some people with a dial up internet connection have been known to come to the library to use the high speed service provided, allowing them to get their work done in faster time than it would have taken them back home.
“When I came we had card catalog, we were open 11 hours a week, and we had no computers,” remembered Burns. Now, the library is open 27 hours a week, hosts 9 computers for public use, and the card catalog, well, that’s one for the history books.
This September Burns will mark her 25th anniversary as librarian. Eileen Jacobson has been on staff for 11 years. Together they keep the shelves filled, the computers running, and the continuous flow of books organized.
Beyond books
If you think the library only offers outdated books on irrelevant subject matter, you haven’t been to the library lately. For a couple of decades the library has been a member of the Southeastern Library Cooperative (SELCO). Through this service, patrons have access to over 2.1 million items owned by the 84 libraries within the SELCO system.
Whether looking for the complete 1998 season of the Red Green Show, an audio tape of Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath”, a picture book of quilt designs, expert advice on how to build a shed, or local favorite “Jailhouse Stories” by Neil Haugerud, if the Caledonia Library doesn’t have it, chances are La Crescent, Plainview, Albert Lea, or one of the other libraries will. If the item you are looking for isn’t among the 2.1 million, a service called MNLink distributes materials statewide from other library systems and is likely to have it.
Money savings from borrowing books rather than purchasing them is only the beginning. Services offered through SELCO online can help guide a person through legal forms, answer health questions, and provide access to repair, maintenance and service information for up to 350 vehicles, potentially saving a person on lawyer, doctor, and mechanic fees. The library also contains 60 subscriptions to magazines and newspapers.
Free classes and guidance for people interested in learning how to use computers is offered. “This help is as simple as learning how to use the keyboard, setting up an e-mail account and most recently assisting in on-line job applications and setting up unemployment accounts,” described Burns.
The steps to becoming a library card holder and taking advantage of these services are simple. Stop in the library and ask for one. Some basic paperwork and a couple minutes of time is all it takes. Library cards can be used at any Minnesota library and books need not be returned to the same library they were borrowed from.
Asset to the community
Many libraries nationwide are contending with budget cuts at a time when their services are in most demand. While the Caledonia Library will see $2,000 cut from their budget, things could be worse. “Our city council is very generous,” complimented Burns. “We have a lot of people saying ‘please don’t take away from the library,’” but she continued, “we have to do our share, though.”
Karen Gran was interrupted by this reporter as she sifted through her e-mail inbox. By her estimate she stops by the library two times a week to borrow books, movies and increasingly, to use the internet.
In describing the value of the library she explained, “I think it’s a big asset, especially to residents who don’t have internet. I’d recommend it for almost any age.
“Oh, and they have wonderful employees,” Gran joked loud enough so Burns and Jacobson could hear, seizing the moment to show her appreciation for their dedication and helpful and friendly attitude. Judging by the friendly and personal greetings patrons receive as they walk through the door from Burns and Jacobson and increasing library patronage, it’s a comment most would probably agree with.
“How was your day at school?” Jacobson asked Sydnee Halverson as she entered, backpack in tow. Halverson, a 5th grader from Spring Grove and frequent visitor, came to the library to work on a science paper.
“In a small library you get to know people. They’re your friends,” smiled Burns as the interview concluded.
If that’s the case, Burns and Jacobson have 2,131 friends and counting.
National Library week is April 12-18. As a promotional tool the library is sponsoring an “I’d rather be reading” photo contest. The contest, open to anybody, is for silly, goofy, happy or sad photos that suggest “I’d rather be reading” than what I’m doing in this photo. Photos can be submitted in person or mailed to the library the week of April 12-18. Prizes will be awarded.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Trout populations strong for season opener
All winter long anglers anxiously await the opening of the spring trout season in Southeastern Minn. April 1 first marks the first day of the catch and release season in the southeast region while April 18 opens up trout fisheries statewide. Anglers from across bluff country and greater Minnesota annually converge on the Root River, Whitewater River, Forestville, Beaver, and Winnebago Creeks eager to explore their favorite fishing holes in hopes of catching the big one and enjoying a little serenity in the meantime.
Minnesota, well known for its 10,000 lakes, is not as popular a destination when it comes to trout fishing bluff country streams. “This is the last frontier for trout fishing,” stated Vaughn Snook of the DNR Lanesboro Regional Office. “A lot of people don’t know there are trout here. I grew up in Michigan and you ain’t seen nothing yet as I said to some people here when I first got here. Relative to a lot of states we don’t have a lot of angling pressure. In Michigan you’re shoulder to shoulder in some places.”
A season long survey (see sidebar) conducted in 2005 reported 90.6% of anglers were Minnesota residents while 3.9% and 0.9% hailed from Wisconsin and Iowa respectively. Over half, 52.3%, of anglers were Southeastern Minnesota residents while 31.1% came from the seven county metro region.
After the flooding in ‘07, and again last spring, raised water levels more than 50 feet above normal flow in some streams, many anglers assumed the population numbers would be low as a direct result of stream damage. Snook reports, however, that the numbers tell a different story.
He explained, “we looked at how successful spawning was based on numbers of little guys we catch. In May/June of ‘08 the catch was huge, off the charts. We don’t know for a fact, but we can kind of deduce that the floods may have had some positive affect in their spawning.” In one instance, an average of 533 fish/mile in three streams surveyed was reported pre-flood, and an average of 672 fish/mile was recorded after the ’07 floods in the same streams. How populations will react in the long term is still unknown, but for now population numbers look promising.
Snook noted trout populations generally go in a seven year cycle. At the time of the flooding, populations in the Whitewater river were already bottoming out, perhaps explaining the disappointment experienced by some post-flood anglers.
Rainbow, brown, and brook trout represent the trout species in local streams. Only brook trout are native. The others were introduced to fill niches left by brook trout as brook trout populations plummeted through the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s according to Ed Stork of the Lanesboro Fish Hatchery. Stork described brown and rainbow trout as “good sport fish, readily available, economical to raise, and fun to catch. They are quite tolerant of the somewhat turbid and warmer water in southeastern Minnesota,” he added.
This spring 28,100 rainbow trout yearlings, 27,600 rainbow fingerlings and 391,750 brown trout fingerlings will be released in Houston, Fillmore, Winona, Goodhue, Wabasha, and Olmsted counties. Beaver, Winnebago, and Crooked Creeks receive 1,300, 1,050, and 500 rainbow trout each year respectively.
Brook trout continue to be stocked in specific, hospitable streams including Eitzen Creek. “With the conservation reserve program we’ve increased our concentration of cold clear water,” noted Stork. “Once they (brook trout) start coming back they are going to start getting more popular,” he predicted.
Trout populations strong
Overall, trout populations have tripled since 1970 levels thanks to stocking efforts and overall habitat improvement. Fisheries managers hope one day area waters attain a self sustaining population. Stork see the loss of natural lands as the biggest threat to healthy trout populations, and as a result he fears stocking will always be necessary.
“While its been very true that we’ve gained several miles of cold clear water through the conservation reserve program it now appears we are going backwards, because some conservation reserve has been taken out and put back into production,” Stork said. “We’re going to start seeing a negative trend again so the stocking is always going to have to be there.”
On a similar note Snook responded he believes the biggest threat to local streams is farmers “still plowing into setbacks. It’s not a good idea.” He explained their office has approached county governments requesting them to enforce current regulations regarding setbacks from streams but commented they are usually unresponsive. He fears if regulations are not enforced locally, a legislative mandate could one day put control into state authorities.
“A lot of us would like to see local control. I’d rather my county do it. I don’t want someone from St Paul taking over,” he responded. “Either St Paul makes the decisions or we start helping ourselves.”
Fisheries managers are always look to create more trout stream easements to protect riparian habitat and allow anglers access. Currently 720 miles of streams are enlisted in the program, up from 680 miles in 2004. An easement is a legal contract with landowners that in exchange for a one time payment allows public fishing and DNR management activities along the enrolled section of stream. They typically encompass 66 feet of land and water on either side of the centerline of the stream.
Easements allow anglers opportunities to fish in places that would otherwise be off limits, but getting to the easement can sometimes be a challenge. “You can’t trespass to get to that easement corridor,” Snook emphasized. He stated the biggest gripe their office encounters from landowners is anglers trespassing on private property. “Most farmers wouldn’t care if you ask them. When you go do it without asking, that’s what angers them.” Posted signs mark easement boundaries. In Minn. all navigable waters are public, but without easements an angler must keep his feet wet to avoid trespassing. Fines of up to $3,000 penalize trespassing.
Rules and Regulations
In addition to confusion of easement boundaries, the list of state and local fishing regulations can easily discourage the novice fisherman.
In southeastern Minnesota, April 1 through April 17 is a catch and release only season with barbless hooks. April 18 through September 14 a possession limit of 5 fish is in place, only one of which may measure more than 16 inches. Sept. 15 through September 30 is once again catch and release using barbless hooks.
Certain streams, as outlined in the 2009 DNR Fishing Regulations booklet available online or where licenses are purchased, host specific slot limits. For example, all trout 12-16 inches in length taken from East Beaver Creek must be immediately released. Many will remember a proposal to turn sections of Winnebago Creek into catch and release only was dismissed in ’04 upon the recommendation from local citizens.
Everyone over the age of 16 needs a fishing license and a trout stamp to fish for trout, a combination costing approximately $27.
Snook encourages people with questions to call their office at 507 467 2442. They can also provide booklets outlining local regulations and easement locations.
Whether a seasoned veteran or a novice angler exploring a new hobby, one need not go any further than nearby valleys to find the prized trout some anglers search for across the continent. That the streams were too crowded or characterized by low populations numbers are no excuses for an empty creel around here, but as the old saying goes, even a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.
2005 creel survey of selected trout streams
A survey conducted during the 2005 fishing season reported that 90% of anglers were males.
An estimated 214,307 trout were caught. Brown trout were the most sought after species as 38.9% of anglers indicated. Easy access was the number one reason 30% of anglers fished a particular stream. Favorite stream (28%) and that they live close by (21%) were other top reasons.
Angling using flies was more common in older age groups while younger anglers preferred bait. The highest catch rate was measured in August and April at an average of 2.1 trout/hour. The year round average catch rate was estimated to be 1.1 trout/hour.
The average age of anglers was 40.
Brown trout represented 72.2% of total catch and rainbow trout 26.1%. Mean catch size for brown trout was 9.6 inches, rainbow trout 10.3 inches, and brook trout at 8.2 inches.
May receives the most angling pressure with over 44,500 hours logged by anglers. Release rates of fish caught have increased over the years to approximately 83%, compared to approximately 96% out West.
Most anglers indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their angling experience.
The report concluded, “the southeast Minnesota trout resource is primarily used by resident anglers and is not a primary travel destination for non-resident trout anglers.” It went on to affirm that purchasing trout easements is important to provide easy access to streams. The survey indicated exactly what Snook originally suggested, that “relative to other fisheries, the amount of angler-hours estimated on streams in southeast Minnesota is low.”
Minnesota, well known for its 10,000 lakes, is not as popular a destination when it comes to trout fishing bluff country streams. “This is the last frontier for trout fishing,” stated Vaughn Snook of the DNR Lanesboro Regional Office. “A lot of people don’t know there are trout here. I grew up in Michigan and you ain’t seen nothing yet as I said to some people here when I first got here. Relative to a lot of states we don’t have a lot of angling pressure. In Michigan you’re shoulder to shoulder in some places.”
A season long survey (see sidebar) conducted in 2005 reported 90.6% of anglers were Minnesota residents while 3.9% and 0.9% hailed from Wisconsin and Iowa respectively. Over half, 52.3%, of anglers were Southeastern Minnesota residents while 31.1% came from the seven county metro region.
After the flooding in ‘07, and again last spring, raised water levels more than 50 feet above normal flow in some streams, many anglers assumed the population numbers would be low as a direct result of stream damage. Snook reports, however, that the numbers tell a different story.
He explained, “we looked at how successful spawning was based on numbers of little guys we catch. In May/June of ‘08 the catch was huge, off the charts. We don’t know for a fact, but we can kind of deduce that the floods may have had some positive affect in their spawning.” In one instance, an average of 533 fish/mile in three streams surveyed was reported pre-flood, and an average of 672 fish/mile was recorded after the ’07 floods in the same streams. How populations will react in the long term is still unknown, but for now population numbers look promising.
Snook noted trout populations generally go in a seven year cycle. At the time of the flooding, populations in the Whitewater river were already bottoming out, perhaps explaining the disappointment experienced by some post-flood anglers.
Rainbow, brown, and brook trout represent the trout species in local streams. Only brook trout are native. The others were introduced to fill niches left by brook trout as brook trout populations plummeted through the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s according to Ed Stork of the Lanesboro Fish Hatchery. Stork described brown and rainbow trout as “good sport fish, readily available, economical to raise, and fun to catch. They are quite tolerant of the somewhat turbid and warmer water in southeastern Minnesota,” he added.
This spring 28,100 rainbow trout yearlings, 27,600 rainbow fingerlings and 391,750 brown trout fingerlings will be released in Houston, Fillmore, Winona, Goodhue, Wabasha, and Olmsted counties. Beaver, Winnebago, and Crooked Creeks receive 1,300, 1,050, and 500 rainbow trout each year respectively.
Brook trout continue to be stocked in specific, hospitable streams including Eitzen Creek. “With the conservation reserve program we’ve increased our concentration of cold clear water,” noted Stork. “Once they (brook trout) start coming back they are going to start getting more popular,” he predicted.
Trout populations strong
Overall, trout populations have tripled since 1970 levels thanks to stocking efforts and overall habitat improvement. Fisheries managers hope one day area waters attain a self sustaining population. Stork see the loss of natural lands as the biggest threat to healthy trout populations, and as a result he fears stocking will always be necessary.
“While its been very true that we’ve gained several miles of cold clear water through the conservation reserve program it now appears we are going backwards, because some conservation reserve has been taken out and put back into production,” Stork said. “We’re going to start seeing a negative trend again so the stocking is always going to have to be there.”
On a similar note Snook responded he believes the biggest threat to local streams is farmers “still plowing into setbacks. It’s not a good idea.” He explained their office has approached county governments requesting them to enforce current regulations regarding setbacks from streams but commented they are usually unresponsive. He fears if regulations are not enforced locally, a legislative mandate could one day put control into state authorities.
“A lot of us would like to see local control. I’d rather my county do it. I don’t want someone from St Paul taking over,” he responded. “Either St Paul makes the decisions or we start helping ourselves.”
Fisheries managers are always look to create more trout stream easements to protect riparian habitat and allow anglers access. Currently 720 miles of streams are enlisted in the program, up from 680 miles in 2004. An easement is a legal contract with landowners that in exchange for a one time payment allows public fishing and DNR management activities along the enrolled section of stream. They typically encompass 66 feet of land and water on either side of the centerline of the stream.
Easements allow anglers opportunities to fish in places that would otherwise be off limits, but getting to the easement can sometimes be a challenge. “You can’t trespass to get to that easement corridor,” Snook emphasized. He stated the biggest gripe their office encounters from landowners is anglers trespassing on private property. “Most farmers wouldn’t care if you ask them. When you go do it without asking, that’s what angers them.” Posted signs mark easement boundaries. In Minn. all navigable waters are public, but without easements an angler must keep his feet wet to avoid trespassing. Fines of up to $3,000 penalize trespassing.
Rules and Regulations
In addition to confusion of easement boundaries, the list of state and local fishing regulations can easily discourage the novice fisherman.
In southeastern Minnesota, April 1 through April 17 is a catch and release only season with barbless hooks. April 18 through September 14 a possession limit of 5 fish is in place, only one of which may measure more than 16 inches. Sept. 15 through September 30 is once again catch and release using barbless hooks.
Certain streams, as outlined in the 2009 DNR Fishing Regulations booklet available online or where licenses are purchased, host specific slot limits. For example, all trout 12-16 inches in length taken from East Beaver Creek must be immediately released. Many will remember a proposal to turn sections of Winnebago Creek into catch and release only was dismissed in ’04 upon the recommendation from local citizens.
Everyone over the age of 16 needs a fishing license and a trout stamp to fish for trout, a combination costing approximately $27.
Snook encourages people with questions to call their office at 507 467 2442. They can also provide booklets outlining local regulations and easement locations.
Whether a seasoned veteran or a novice angler exploring a new hobby, one need not go any further than nearby valleys to find the prized trout some anglers search for across the continent. That the streams were too crowded or characterized by low populations numbers are no excuses for an empty creel around here, but as the old saying goes, even a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.
2005 creel survey of selected trout streams
A survey conducted during the 2005 fishing season reported that 90% of anglers were males.
An estimated 214,307 trout were caught. Brown trout were the most sought after species as 38.9% of anglers indicated. Easy access was the number one reason 30% of anglers fished a particular stream. Favorite stream (28%) and that they live close by (21%) were other top reasons.
Angling using flies was more common in older age groups while younger anglers preferred bait. The highest catch rate was measured in August and April at an average of 2.1 trout/hour. The year round average catch rate was estimated to be 1.1 trout/hour.
The average age of anglers was 40.
Brown trout represented 72.2% of total catch and rainbow trout 26.1%. Mean catch size for brown trout was 9.6 inches, rainbow trout 10.3 inches, and brook trout at 8.2 inches.
May receives the most angling pressure with over 44,500 hours logged by anglers. Release rates of fish caught have increased over the years to approximately 83%, compared to approximately 96% out West.
Most anglers indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their angling experience.
The report concluded, “the southeast Minnesota trout resource is primarily used by resident anglers and is not a primary travel destination for non-resident trout anglers.” It went on to affirm that purchasing trout easements is important to provide easy access to streams. The survey indicated exactly what Snook originally suggested, that “relative to other fisheries, the amount of angler-hours estimated on streams in southeast Minnesota is low.”
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