This year, the St. Louis County Library not only surpassed its goal for signing up new borrowers, it more than doubled it.

More than 26,000 new members signed up for library cards in a campaign held Aug. 22 through Oct. 9, the library said Thursday.

Just over half, 56 percent, are teens and young children.

The card campaign's goal was 10,000 more borrowers. The system's total tally of active card holders: 328,661.

During the same period last year, 7,935 cards were issued. The surge in new cards coincides with unprecedented usage throughout 2009 (circulation is 20 percent higher than in 2008) as more people are turning to the library as a free source of entertainment and information.