Published: July 03, 2009 10:30 pm      

Meter to help residents conserve energy

DANVILLE — The Danville Public Library has a new item for circulation that helps persons become “greener” and save money.

Patrons can now check out the “Kill a Watt EZ Power Meter” to test how much power their household items are using and how much it is costing them.

The EZ Power Meter is part of a program developed by Ameren to help people save on energy costs, according to library Director Barbara Nolan.

Every patron who checks out the device will receive a booklet to help them learn about more ways to conserve on energy and minimize their electric bills. It has tips for conserving energy, fast facts about energy use and a place for people to record how much power their electric devices use, Nolan said.

She said the booklet suggests that people test a lamp with an incandescent bulb for a while and then test it with the newer energy efficient bulbs and compare the usage.

The Watt Reader is a device offered to library patrons through a partnership between Ameren and the Lincoln Trail Libraries System.

It measures how much electricity it takes to operate a variety of household appliances and calculates the actual and projected cost of the electricity used.

Patrons will plug the device into an outlet in their home and then plug appliances into the device. Ameren provided the devices at no charge.

People can reserve the Watt Reader by going to the LINC catalog (on the library’s Web site, it’s at http://www.danville.lib.il.us/catalogs.htm) and typing in “kill a watt” under “title.”

Nolan said two entries will come up and people can click on either one. They can click on “request any copy” and put in their library card barcode and PIN number (which, in most cases, is the last four digits of their phone number, unless they changed their PIN number to something else).

The software will take it from there. Since libraries are sharing them via interlibrary loan, the Watt Reader may come from any of the libraries, depending upon which one gets checked in next, Nolan said.

The library will send its Watt Reader on to Westville High School in the fall.