Mercer Island group trying to exit King County Library System.

[GraceKrispy]

I am an avid library user, along with my three kids. Whenever I move somewhere new, a library card is one of the first things I invent my time in getting. I check out paper books as well as ebooks for my ereader. I also check out audio books and DVDs. I bring my children to programs offered at the library. We visit the library weekly. I have been really happy with KCLS over the past year. Compared to my previous library experiences in various states, KCLS is really great. I love the efficiency of self-checkout and finding my own holds, I love the way books get returned, and I love the borrowing policies and the hours. They are all far superior to my previous experiences at other libraries. Maybe I have super low standards, but I'm happy with KCLS.

When we go to the library, we see people using the meeting rooms for various things (including play groups), we see people reading books and magazines, working on computers (most popular activity, I think), getting help from tutors (very cool service), printing things out, and finding materials to check out.

I really don't know anything about the MI branch other than what's posted here (and I can see why they want to go private based on what I've read), but I wanted to share what I see as the huge benefit of having a public library.

[Kalex]

we are avid users of KCLS. It's the best library system by a ridiculous landslide of anywhere I've ever lived. That's not to say they're perfect or MI doesn't have sufficient complaint. The premise that either we or any of my daughter's friends should rely completely on ebooks, and buy all of our own, makes me freak out. My daughter can easily, easily go through 8-10 books/week, as can her friends. We swap them back and forth and buy quite a bit, but would be spending an obscene amount of $$ if we were buying them all. I don't know any school-aged kids that don't have daily required reading time.

She has a Kindle, but never chooses to read on it. They're not allowed in school, but they all read a lot during the day. I only read on mine when traveling - it's just not that great a reading experience. I probably go through 15-20 books/month.

I guess IMO, it's really not my business nor do I care what anyone else is using the library to do. We use it for books, research, magazines, and the various activities. My daughter likes that she can also check out books in Japanese which are not the easiest things to find. It seems wildly wasteful for every single person to be buying their own magazines and books all the time. If you really need your own, then go for it.

[Gabbythecat]

I have been to most libraries in the KCLS system - I think I've missed Vashon and a few of the newer ones. But I have been to nearly all of the libraries (even tiny Skykomish!) and enjoyed them all. Yes, many of the libraries do look very similar - probably a huge cost savings in designing/building them to use a similar structure. On the other hand, you can get some fantastic views from all of those windows - have any of you been to the library on Snoqualmie Ridge? You can sit in a comfy chair with a book and enjoy the amazing view of the mountains....KCLS has *so* many great libraries - I can't understand why MI would want to leave. When I lived in King County (I moved - I miss KCLS!), I would, as I've said, visit different libraries - run errands in Issaquah, visit the Issaquah library. Visit friends in Maple Valley, stop at the MV library and the Covington library. Yes, MI might save a bit of money if they left KCLS, but they should consider the huge loss if they were to leave.

Perhaps MI residents just don't like to read? ;-(