The U.S. The Department of Commerce reported in April that the current inflation rate is at a three-year high of 3.8%, up from last month's rate of 3.5%, and prompting many Americans to look for ways to reduce spending.
In dire times, people have historically sought help from public resources, and as inflation continues to put pressure on household budgets, more Missourians are turning to public libraries for help with stretching their dollars.
Librarians across Missouri say they are seeing increased demand for resources that help people save money, learn new skills and access services they might otherwise pay for.
At the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia, Katie Grindrod was browsing the cookbook section in search of simple meal ideas.
Grindrod said she has always enjoyed cookbooks, but rising costs have made cooking at home more vital.
"It's too expensive to go out anymore," she said. "You could make something good at home for a lot less."
Librarians say this interest in home cooking is strong across the state. According to the American Library Association, cookbooks remain one of the most popular nonfiction categories. Missouri librarians report steady demand for books focused on meal planning, budget-friendly recipes and home cooking.
Centralia Public Library Director Amy Hopkins said cookbooks continue to circulate frequently.
"We got 'Eat Like a Girl,' that one's pretty popular by Mindy Pelz, 'The Official Wednesday Cookbook,' Rachel Ray," Hopkins said. "I think there's been a push more towards things like, not going out to eat, you know, cooking at home, things like that. They just are consistently being checked out."
The trend extends beyond the kitchen. Librarians say more patrons are checking out books on personal finance, home repair, gardening and homesteading as they look for ways to become more self-sufficient.
Claudia Young, director of the Missouri River Regional Library in Jefferson City, said demand for do-it-yourself resources has grown noticeably.
"Especially when it comes to people checking out books on basic home repair," Young said. "Plumbing, building a fence or putting up drywall — things they may have paid for before but now want to learn to do themselves."
Young said the library is also seeing steady demand for portable Wi-Fi hotspots, which provide internet access for patrons who may not have reliable service at home.
"They check out this hotspot for three weeks, they have to give it back, it fills another hold, and they put themselves back on the waiting list for it and come get it again. And I see that over and over and over again with certain people," Young said. "So, I know that internet access for them is not something that they can afford."
Libraries are also helping residents cut entertainment costs.
Robin Westphal, executive director of the Daniel Boone Regional Library, said more patrons are checking out DVDs as they reconsider monthly streaming subscriptions.
"What we're hearing is that people are not doing the streaming services anymore because they're trying to save money," Westphal said.
Additionally, all the libraries have reported more patrons using their free streaming services such as Kanopy for shows and movies, and Hoopla for audiobooks, as a way to cut back on streaming costs.
American Library Association President Sam Helmick said libraries have historically seen increased use during periods of economic hardship.
"We've seen throughout American history that during economic decline, people really lean into their libraries," Helmick said. "They're there for everything from government forms and job assistance to providing a place with heat, cooling and running water."
Back at the Daniel Boone Regional Library, Grindrod selected a children's cookbook before leaving.
"I want my grandchildren to pick out recipes so I can make something different for dinner besides macaroni and cheese," she said.
Some librarians worry about whether they will have sufficient resources to meet growing demand. While the Institute of Museum and Library Services has reinstated grants to libraries after successfully challenging the Trump Administration's funding cuts , uncertainty remains about the future of federal support for libraries.
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