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How do other book lovers feel about libraries increasingly becoming venues for activities other than reading and studying or procuring materials for reading and studying? That is... Carnivals, festivals, kids' parties, Red Box movie rental, Internet cafes, community meetings, arts and crafts classes, etc. I suppose all of those are good things, but it makes me quite sad that we seem to be having to find substitutes for the act of reading in order to justify the existence of libraries.
How do other book lovers feel about libraries increasingly becoming venues for activities other than reading and studying or procuring materials for reading and studying? That is... Carnivals, festivals, kids' parties, Red Box movie rental, Internet cafes, community meetings, arts and crafts classes, etc. I suppose all of those are good things, but it makes me quite sad that we seem to be having to find substitutes for the act of reading in order to justify the existence of libraries.
I am unaware of 'carnivals' and 'festivals' at libraries. Nothing like that happens at my local Carnegie (much expanded and improved since it was originally built).
The library does have some meeting rooms used for a variety of functions. I hardly see this as a problem, nor do I confuse their utility with being nothing more than to 'justify the existence' of the library. Why not there? It is a centrally-located community facility. I wonder, do you begrudge the AA meetings in those conference rooms? Red Box? None of those, though it has carried a nice selection of DVDs for years. And I do mean 'nice' - popular films, old classics, foreign films, interesting little oddities like all the nominees for 'Best Short' in a given year. Certainly a nicer selection as far as I'm concerned than I've ever seen at a Red Box. Libraries have children's books that are mostly (in some cases, entirely) pictures, and art books that are mostly color plates. Why is anything that isn't strictly reading in a library a bad thing? Wi-fi? Again, why shouldn't a library have wi-fi? I've often done research there, using both library materials and online sources.
Our library is a great, busy, multi-purpose facility with an outstanding selection of books and other materials. There's nothing remotely 'sad' about it.
I am unaware of 'carnivals' and 'festivals' at libraries. Nothing like that happens at my local Carnegie (much expanded and improved since it was originally built).
The library does have some meeting rooms used for a variety of functions. I hardly see this as a problem, nor do I confuse their utility with being nothing more than to 'justify the existence' of the library. Why not there? It is a centrally-located community facility. I wonder, do you begrudge the AA meetings in those conference rooms? Red Box? None of those, though it has carried a nice selection of DVDs for years. And I do mean 'nice' - popular films, old classics, foreign films, interesting little oddities like all the nominees for 'Best Short' in a given year. Certainly a nicer selection as far as I'm concerned than I've ever seen at a Red Box. Libraries have children's books that are mostly (in some cases, entirely) pictures, and art books that are mostly color plates. Why is anything that isn't strictly reading in a library a bad thing? Wi-fi? Again, why shouldn't a library have wi-fi? I've often done research there, using both library materials and online sources.
Our library is a great, busy, multi-purpose facility with an outstanding selection of books and other materials. There's nothing remotely 'sad' about it.
Yes, exactly.
I go to our library weekly with my grandson. It's always busy. Study rooms, computers, meeting rooms for community events - along with books and other media. Additionally a very nice selection of used books for purchase. All well utilized by a variety of ages for a variety of reasons. Seems a very efficient use of tax dollars.
People still read. I see the request/hold section is always full, and it seems whether I'm checking out or returning there is often a wait. See also the popularity of online apps like Kindle, Aldiko, Goodreads. Life has changed and research, communication and community needs have changed as well. Libraries have adapted.
Last edited by maciesmom; 10-04-2018 at 07:01 AM..
I go to our library weekly with my grandson. It's always busy. Study rooms, computers, meeting rooms for community events - along with books and other media. Additionally a very nice selection of used books for purchase. All well utilized by a variety of ages for a variety of reasons. Seems a very efficient use of tax dollars.
People still read. I see the request/hold section is always full, and it seems whether I'm checking out or returning there is often a wait. See also the popularity of online apps like Kindle, Aldiko, Goodreads.
Life has changed and research, communication and community needs have changed as well. Libraries have adapted.
Yes, they must adapt...
but I fear one day the book itself will disappear and we all will be left with computers, tablets etc. nothing
paperbound.
but I fear one day the book itself will disappear and we all will be left with computers, tablets etc. nothing
paperbound.
EXACTLY.
These changes - right now, there's a film discussion group going on; FILM discussion? - are welcome by those who don't read, but that was the original intent of the library, unless so-called progress in information technology involves the eventual disappearance of the book itself which I, personally, would find very "sad" indeed...
Also, there seems to be a lot of money being given away; all the materials for crafts classes are free, a free DVD is given away to every taker for the film discussion class, free snacks at the parties, etc. Our tax dollars at work? That's a little different from buying a book that will be in circulation among hundreds or thousands of patrons for many years to come.
In my library system, one of the largest in the country, only funds collected by the Friends of the Library organization can be used to provide refreshments, craft materials, summer reading prizes, and other extras. The taxpayers' money can only be used on the collection (physical and digital media and databases) or on the operation of the library system.
Our libraries provide a wide range of services including ESL classes, citizenship classes, storytime in English and lots of other world languages, homework help, STEM activities for children, one-on-one tech tutoring sessions, a repair cafe, AARP tax return assistance, and much more. Among the biggest daily attractions are the free wifi and computers for patrons with Internet access and free printing.
We also circulated almost 21 million items last year, including 4.7 million downloads of digital content. Many of those 4.7 million downloads are audiobooks and ebooks. So the book, in printed or digital form, is hanging in there. We circulate a ton of music CDs, books on CD, and DVDs, too, of course.
A rich person can sit at home and order all the books, magazines, newspapers, movies, music, and TV programs he wants. He can purchase his own subscriptions to the premium databases for research, pay for his own accountant to prepare his taxes, and hire tutors to help his children with their homework. He can afford to buy the highest speed Internet and keep his computers and printers updated and in good working order.
For the rest of us, there is the library. Without free and open access to information for all, democracy will suffer.
I'm not objecting to the "free" part, although I think the giveaways today are a little over the top; just that the library isn't really a library anymore.
I haven't seen any giveaways or carnivals at my local library or at any local libraries where I've lived in the past.
I agree that they do have to adapt -- one of the major uses for a library when I was a kid was finding information for school projects -- not necessarily books, but magazine articles, newspaper articles (ala microfiche), encyclopedias, etc. All of that stuff is more easily accessible online, typically from home for many people. (But via computers at the library for people who need it.) It's nice that many libraries have become sources for electronic information for many people -- whether they do not have internet access at home for some reason, or they are out and need access to information while away from home.
I'm not objecting to the "free" part, although I think the giveaways today are a little over the top; just that the library isn't really a library anymore.
Depends on how you define "library". I didn't see a definition that limited the availability of resources to hard copy only. Even when I was in high school, microfiche and microfilm were available rather than keeping an infinite number of old periodicals; filmstrips, record albums, tapes (cassette and reel to reel) were also available.
I'm not objecting to the "free" part, although I think the giveaways today are a little over the top; just that the library isn't really a library anymore.
Hoe are you defining library? I've always viewed the PUBLIC library as a community resource for many facets of life. Books, yes, but also meetings and education.
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