Small-town social hubs provide important connections.

Riddle librarian Patti Rieman looks forward to seeing the many residents who stop in at the library to use computers, check out books or just say hi.

In this small town, as in many others, the library is a social hub.

It isn’t the only one to encourage social interaction. Many of the Douglas County libraries have book clubs for residents to discuss their favorite novels. Roseburg and Reedsport even offer knitting clubs.

“Libraries do a lot more now than just literacy-based programming,” said Public Services Manager Darla Schofield. “It just brings people in.”