Public Libraries

[Deleted]

I just spent almost twenty five minutes trying to renew some books on loan from my public library. First online,(their system was "down",and then on the phone).Exasperation and a sense of indignation, as I do some volunteer work for the library and felt some entitlement perhaps.
Anyway,our library system is deplorable,blame it on Katrina,I don't buy it.
When I go to New York I marvel at the efficiency of their system.
I would love to hear about the public libraries in other countries,counties,states,whatever.

[Jazz]

Our system is very good and I am trying to get back into using it more. My problem is that my local library is very small. It is in a lovely old home (1880?) but the collection is limited. We have a great inter-library loan system and books that I request usually are brought to my branch within 2-4 days. The ease of working with library employees varies, and some days I become so frustrated I simply leave. I like this OP, because I think that the beautiful idea of a library somehow began to seem outdated with the rise of computer technology and the excess of simply buying books. I know many people that rush to buy the current 'best seller', for 25-45CDN (15-30Euro), read it once and never again. That can add up to much money. I do buy certain books for my personal library, but seldom fiction. What I love about libraries is that you can read and decide if you want the book to become part of your personal collection.

[bixaorellana]

Oh, I totally agree with Jazz! Libraries are magical -- all that potential for one to uncover new paths, new ways of thinking, unknown sides of oneself, even.

Of all the books I gave away when I moved out of the US, one I held on to was discovered in a library -- The first edition (I think it's in the 4th now) of this book had just come out. I checked it out of the library and before the day was out I was phoning the publisher (this was over 20 years ago) to order my own copy.

I love to read, but am not a person who loves to own books in general. My own collection of books is overwhelmingly reference -- cookbooks, garden books, etc. So, going into the fiction section of a library for me is tantamount to entering a magic kingdom.

[bixaorellana]

(Sorry -- I realize I didn't answer the OP. I don't use the very limited local libraries because I prefer to read in English, so use a private library.)

[Deleted]

This is what pains me about the so called system here,it is so inefficient.I think perhaps that my expectations are too high based on the comparison to the NY system.
I sometimes go to one of the university libraries here and am astounded by the difference as well.
Jazz,my library in the town where I grew up is in an historic house too. I spent endless hours in there as a child,the librarian was a neighbor of mine and surrogate mother during a rough time.
Anyway,they have a 5 star rating from the Librarian Association of America and I am always amazed at how quickly newly published books fiction in particular are available.
Also,while we were up there in 2005 during the Katrina diaspora of sorts they provided Mr.C. with his own computer in his own little room(there may have been other reasons for this,he was so crazed!).

[bixaorellana]

A big part of the resources of any library system is the budget. Then there is the use of said budget, and the efficiency & knowledge -- or lack thereof -- of the administration and staff.

I spent a year in North Fort Myers, Florida, and the small branch library there was dazzling on first inspection. It had scads of new books every week, a fancy computerized card catalog, a well-designed modern building, etc. etc. However, most of those new books were mystery novels and the surly staff wouldn't help with the catalog (very early 90s -- not everyone knew how to use computer stuff). N.Fort Myers main library had its semi-annual book sale while I was there, & it was fairly shocking to see the bloated amount of books they were jettisoning. One of the reasons they'd get rid of a book was because of their own sticker system. When a book was checked out, a thick sticker was put on it to show due date. Obviously a popular book got messily stickered up pretty quickly. This was then gotten rid of (& I hope replaced). It was really a horrible waste of resources. You could see how a more informed administration would have created a fabulous library system with the same money.

[Deleted]

I have never been into a lending library in France. But I have been to reference libraries where you can look at documents without taking them with you.

[lagatta]

I have, because I have a friend who works at a branch of the Ville de Paris lending libraries, and also in Montreuil (old suburb of Paris). Of course I've mostly used university and reference libraries when in Paris, including the large contemporary history collection at Nanterre (a newer and more remote suburb where there is a large university).

Our libraries were quite underfunded, but now there is the Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec (BANQ)www.banq.qc.ca at a central métro station, with plenty of computer access, médiathèques, screening and conference rooms etc.

You can consult the site in English and Spanish as well as French.

[bjd]

I use the local public library a lot. I live in a suburb with a population of only 12,000 but the city has invested in a library and music collection. Compared to libraries in Toronto, where I grew up and even worked in a library when I was in high school, the French system was pretty backward. The local library only computerized properly about 5 years ago.

But they do buy a fair number of new books, and people often donate books too, so there are even some in English and since the director's wife is Cuban, he has been buying books in Spanish too. A few in German, Italian and Portuguese too.

I like to buy books, but generally prefer to borrow novels and detective stories from the library rather than investing. At least I don't feel I've wasted money if I don't like the book.

Jazz, you do know that the Toronto Public Library system discards a huge number of books, don't you? The library near Bloor/Yonge deals with them. A friend of mine who is a book addict volunteers there sorting books, and always ends up bringing bagfuls home. She is often horrified at what they discard -- new books that haven't even been read.

[Deleted]

uh oh...visions of Jazz frantically building new book shelves to accommodate all her new treasures.

[lagatta]

The BANQ has become a very popular meeting place here in Montréal. It is at the Berri-UQAM métro station, where there are three métro lines (most lines intersecting anywhere here - there are only four lines, alas). The number of people using the library far exceeds the forecast.

There are a lot of street people nearby, but as long as they aren't visibly seriously inebriated/drugged and don't bother anyone, nobody attempts to kick them out. Many do read there on a cold day.

[traveler63]

Our library system here in Tucson is very good given the fact that budgets are so tight. The system is very techno. We can pretty much do anything on line, reserve and renew. We are notified via email for reserves. In addition, the system was just upgraded so that you can reserve audiobooks to download to various MP3 players. This also links to the NetLibrary with hundreds of audiobooks that you can download. I have a Sansa Fuse 4 GB which has a mini memory card slot so I can add more internal memory. We can also link to the University of Arizona library. We can also download videos which is really great.

[Deleted]

A rather rude reawakening today as I attempted to track down a book through the NOLA library system. It is a book I had borrowed from the NY library and was unable to finish before leaving. What an incredible contrast in attitude,appearance and efficiency.
I may have to summon it up to put in some more volunteer time with our local library in the hope it may possibly help matters. It is so very dismaying and discouraging.

[bixaorellana]

Theoretically, Casimira would be thrilled by the prospect of checking out that book in digital form from the library. However, I suspect that like most people who love to read, she'd be dismayed at the idea.

Coincidentally, I just read a long article in The New Yorker about Kindle and the future of books. It certainly did not convert me away from printed matter. The article is seven pages long, so it will be a good test of how you feel about reading lengthy items on the computer.

[bjd]

I wonder if reading on a Kindle would be as hard on the eyesight as staring at a computer screen for hours on end? I saw yesterday that Amazon is going to start selling Kindles in France, but I think I'll stick with paper too.

[bixaorellana]

Bjd, absolutely read the second link in #13 before making a decision.

I enjoyed reading the author's tip in that article about an alternate electronic reading experience:

But, fortunately, if you want to read electronic books there’s another way to go. Here’s what you do. Buy an iPod Touch (it costs seventy dollars less than the Kindle 2, even after the Kindle’s price was recently cut), or buy an iPhone, and load the free “Kindle for iPod” application onto it. Then, when you wake up at 3 A.M. and you need big, sad, well-placed words to tumble slowly into the basin of your mind, and you don’t want to wake up the person who’s in bed with you, you can reach under the pillow and find Apple’s smooth machine and click it on. It’s completely silent. Hold it a few inches from your face, with the words enlarged and the screen’s brightness slider bar slid to its lowest setting, and read for ten or fifteen minutes. Each time you need to turn the page, just move your thumb over it, as if you were getting ready to deal a card; when you do, the page will slide out of the way, and a new one will appear. After a while, your thoughts will drift off to the unused siding where the old tall weeds are, and the string of curving words will toot a mournful toot and pull ahead. You will roll to a stop. A moment later, you’ll wake and discover that you’re still holding the machine but it has turned itself off. Slide it back under the pillow. Sleep.

[bjd]

Thanks Bixa. Now I definitely know I won't buy a Kindle. Or an IPhone either.

[Deleted]

Oct 16, 2009 7:06:23 GMT bjd said:

Thanks Bixa. Now I definitely know I won't buy a Kindle. Or an IPhone either.

Ditto.

[imec]

Hey cas, I wonder if they're missing you at the library in the Hamptons (the glare woman ;D).

[Deleted]

Oct 16, 2009 13:29:45 GMT imec said:

Hey cas, I wonder if they're missing you at the library in the Hamptons (the glare woman ;D).

;D, Those ladies were so nice to me,even the one who glared. I wrote them a thank you note upon my return home. As for missing me, I doubt it.

[Deleted]

Speaking of public libraries,I just found out that part of the New Orleans Public Library's "Master Plan" is to shut down the local branch in my neighborhood by 2012! I am still in shock from hearing this. Something is very wrong when a city starts closing it's libraries.

[traveler63]

I have a Sansa Fuse MP3 player which I love. I would not do a Kindle and I have also downloaded to my I Phone, which works well too. It takes a little bit of time to get used to how the pages work on the I Phone. I really prefer the MP3 player and I really didn't think that I would because I love to actually have the book in my hand. My local library has a great downloads for books. What I like about the Sansa is that I can download music which I have ripped from CD's that are in our personal library. Right now I have 296 songs and 4 books downloads. I can also download videos and upload my own photos. I Tunes or IPhones you pay to download the songs ;D.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks, T63 -- I wanted to hear about electronic reading from someone like you who enjoys holding an actual book. Stupid question -- the MP3 is for listening to books, or can you read them?

[Deleted]

Dumbest post ever? (click)

[bixaorellana]

Note that the OP in that thread is marked banned or deleted.

I'd say:

What's worrisome is that in the near future, a post like that might be sincere.

The other day I was discussing computer use with someone in my age group who has also been a big reader her whole life. We both admitted that broadband internet can be so addictive that it really cuts into reading time. If we feel that way, what hope is there that young people will become confirmed readers?

[lagatta]

An account by author Alan Bennett about the neighbourhood library in Leeds where he learned to read, grander libraries at Oxford, and the importance of local libraries especially for kids for homes where there were few if any books:
www.lrb.co.uk/v33/n15/alan-bennett/baffled-at-a-bookcase

[Deleted]

Thanks, lagatta. Alan Bennett is a treasure. I hate to think what would have happened to me without my local library when I was growing up.

[bjd]

I was lucky growing up in Toronto that in the various places we lived, it was always close to a public library. When I was in high school, I even had a part-time job at the library just up the street.

When I moved to France, I was so disappointed because the only library in the first city I lived was lousy, far away, and don't even get me started on the university libraries at that time. Having to fill out forms in triplicate then wait an hour for some time-serving fonctionnaire decided to go look for it, only to discover that either it was out, or else it wasn't what I wanted. Fortunately, things have changed and the stacks at university libraries are now open.

My local municipal library is not far from my house, but the city prefers to invest in other things and they don't have the funds for many new books. It is a small suburb and the library is quite good given the population here, but I sometimes feel I have read most of what is in there.

Toulouse built a huge new library a few years ago, but it is downtown and I don't want to have to take the subway just to get a couple of books. There are also neighbourhood libraries in Toulouse where you can order books within the system, but my local one is not part of it, since we are not literally in Toulouse.

All this to say I totally agree with Alan Bennett about the importance of public libraries.

[patricklondon]

I've always been lucky with public libraries, living in London. But there is much concern here that the government's squeeze on public spending is forcing local authorities in their turn to squeeze their discretionary spending to maintain the services they have to. Quite a few have been transferred to volunteer community management, or buildings sold and holdings consolidated, and the like.

But at their best they are busy, lively places, and as for the younger generation, well, at least my local libraries (and I'm sure many others up and down the country) run story times and other special services for the youngest. My local authority has combined its library and some educational services into a new generation of buildings where they run classes as well as hold the books and internet terminals, and even here in the inner city I think they're still running an occasional mobile library service (the kind of thing that's the lifeblood of rural communities).


My blog | My photos | My video clips
"too literate to be spam"

[bjd]

I just learned that the local regional authority has cut off funding for the mobile library service as of March 31. Stupid move.