Residents have showed a growing interest in the programs, digital technology and events offered at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.

The Selma-Dallas County Public Library released this week their FY2013 Annual Report, showcasing their user and material summary from Oct. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2013.

According to the report, the library has attracted 121,900 adult patrons and 46,562 junior patrons over the course of the year.

“Our numbers were surprising,” library director Becky Nichols said. “We had way more people than we normally anticipate.”

Nichols said people see the library as a place to mingle with the community, gain access to the resources and join programs.

“People come to be a part of the community,” Nichols said. “It shows how important we are to the community.”

The Selma-Dallas County Public Library has programs for all ages, including a GED classes.

“There are students that are coming to get their diploma,” she said. “We have to cater to their needs.“

Nicholas also said a lot of the library’s traffic comes from those using the computers the library has available for the public.

According to the report, the number of computer users steadily increased.

During the first quarter of the fiscal year — Oct. 2012 to Dec. 2012 — the library tallied 11,881 computer users, compared to 14,061 users during the final quarter of last fiscal year.

“We anticipated that with the digital age changes,” Nichols said. “We want to support the trade that is going on with the computers.”

Children’s librarian Jan Parker believes people are drawn to all of the fun possibilities at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.

“I think it’s because people are always looking for something fun to do,” she said. “The library has a lot of special events open to the public, such as monthly book clubs, a cooking class and even more.

“We want to provide an opportunity for people to come and enjoy themselves.”

Nichols is pleased with the success of the library and expects the traffic to continue to grow.

“We are extremely proud of support we have from the city and county public,” Nichols said. “We look forward to continuing to provide the best service possible.”