When snow and trees are falling in October and the power has failed for tens  of thousands of Fairfield County residents, the Westport Public Library becomes a lifeline.

As explained by Communications Coordinator Marcia Logan, approximately 2600 people showed up daily at the Library during the Halloween Storm; 1000 more than on an average day.

“[During a powerful Storm] the Library is definitely one of the first places people go to- it’s the biggest public space that can accommodate the most people,” says Logan. The Library provides a large group of diverse people with computers, free Wifi, working space, and warmth.

According to Librarian Dolores Noble, the Library was packed during the Halloween Storm; the parking lot was gridlocked, each room was filled to capacity, and conference rooms were booked a week in advance. The facilities were so crowded that many sat on the floor in order to charge their electronic devices.

In spite of the crowded rooms, Connor McLoughlin, ’13 agrees with Logan and Noble that the Library was able to serve the needs of the people who congregated there during the storm. “They handled it pretty well because even though it was crowded I was able to find a plug to charge my stuff,” says McLogughlin. He also feels that despite the large number of people, people were respectful and maintained a peaceful working environment.

According to Logan, the Library was able to better handle additional visitors like McLoughlin during the Halloween Storm, in comparison with previous weather events like Hurricane Irene. She contends that this is due to the Library’s Wifi update last month, which can now serve 225 people at once rather than 150.

Despite the crowded rooms, McLoughlin and Logan maintain that people were friendly and civil to one another; students, businessman, senior citizens, and out-of-town visitors had no trouble coexisting. “Keeping the Peace is not a problem [during storms]; people are pretty forgiving when there’s a natural disaster,” says Logan.

In fact, Logan asserts that many come to the Library during a storm seeking social interaction. She feels that the facility has evolved into both a library and community center- a place to bond and work.  These dual roles of the Library helped to promote cooperation during the Halloween Storm.

With people trying hard to be cooperative, Noble says that the staff also worked diligently at serving as many visitors as they could. The large quantity of people required the staff “to be as open minded as possible” asserts Noble; If there was a lack of seats or tables, the librarians did their best to supply them, and if there was a shortage of power outlets, then power strips were provided.

“We do everything we can for everyone who walks through the door,” says Logan. “I think we’re doing a pretty good job because they keep coming back day after day.“