No.76 Achieved 7 million visitors at the Central Library

The Inagi City Central Library opened on July 1, 2006, and on February 7 of this year, we held a commemorative ceremony as the total number of visitors reached 7 million, presenting a certificate and a commemorative gift to the 7 millionth visitor.
The Central Library aims to be a public library that can be used anytime, anywhere, by anyone, and plays a central role in the library network of six libraries in the city, adopting the PFI method, which is the first of its kind for public libraries in Eastern Japan. Private Finance Initiative (PFI project) refers to the promotion of the development of public facilities, etc., utilizing private funds based on the law concerning the utilization of private funds for the construction, maintenance, and operation of public facilities.
This PFI project is operated by the Inagi Library Service Co., Ltd., a special purpose company (SPC) established with investments from NTT Data, Kumagai Gumi, and others. By outsourcing to the private sector, issues that were difficult to address under the traditional public management system have been resolved, making it more user-friendly.
Features include being open almost every day of the year from 9 AM to 8 PM, with a total of 345 days of operation, and the introduction of IC tags, automatic lending machines, 24-hour lending lockers, and wireless LAN access points.

The introduction of IT technology has dramatically evolved not only in improving services for users but also in streamlining operational management, including reducing inventory time, many of which were the first in Japan at the time of opening.
Thanks to the new building and IT technology, we have received a very large number of users since the opening, with annual visitor numbers fluctuating around 550,000. According to the "Library Yearbook" published by the Japan Library Association, we have maintained the top position in the number of loans in cities of similar population size since opening. Unfortunately, last year we ranked second, but this does not mean that the number of users at the Central Library has decreased; rather, a new library was established within a complex facility in Obu City, Aichi Prefecture, which surpassed our visitors, while we continue to maintain the top position in the number of book loan reservations nationwide.
In the library system update for fiscal year 2016, we established a "Reservation Pickup Corner" where users can handle their own loan processing at the reservation shelf, and introduced a new service called "Reading Passbook." This passbook, similar to a bank deposit passbook, records the titles, authors, and loan dates of borrowed materials when inserted into a machine.
As a measure to address the decline in children's reading, we issue this passbook for free to children living, enrolled, or studying in the city who are in middle school or below. This reading passbook has been very well received, and we have received requests from high school students and adults as well. We have decided to expand the service and will now issue it for a fee to all interested parties who were previously not eligible, so please take advantage of it.
The Inagi City Library is advancing various initiatives such as storytelling sessions, various courses and lectures, lucky bags, blind exhibitions, and backstage tours, aiming to be a facility that all citizens, from infants and young children to older adults, can enjoy.