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NY Times writers are left leaning tree hugging liberals that think any money spent on anything other then diversity, immigration, welfare or civil rights is a waste of funds. In our town - we are lucky to live near several well used libraries. Any time day, night or weekends they are fairly crowed - sometimes packed. Teens are doing their work there, retirees are catching up on newspapers, unemployed are on the computers and there are tons of classes, movies and events that are well attended. They have taken up the slack that we lost when local high schools ended adult education classes so they could pay teachers their 6 figure salaries instead of serving the community. We donate all our media back to the libraries and buy most of our media at their book sales which we look forward to and occasionally help out at. Around here the local politician made noise about consolidating libraries and he didn't get re-elected. Why take defensive driver courses online when you can take it at the library and meet some new folks while you're at it? Libraries, just like real books - aren't going anywhere. At least, not until the very last of the baby boomers (and maybe their offspring) are dead and buried. Maybe once the milleannial gen takes over.
If people considered libraries important and truly valued them, usage rates would reflect that and funding would follow.
I enjoy reading very much but I can't remember when the last time I visited a library was. You can't force people to find something important and valuable.
well, i don't know where any of you live, but when i lived in NYC, those 92, yes, NINETY-TWO branches were used by the communities they served six days a week, offering not just books but one of the most extensive research archives in America for everything from the first 14th century woodblock prints to photos to movies, to one of the few remaining copies of the Gutenberg Bible, to musical programs, lectures, poetry readings, book readings, support groups, children's story times, literacy volunteers who teach English as a second language to immigrants, community outreach, dance classes for seniors, even huge E-Book offerings, you name it? The public libraries probably will offer it. It is one of the most vibrant and highly utilized institutions in NYC and VITAL to children, the poor (most branches offer community assistance for jobs, computer training), even the homeless population who need a warm corner to sit down. Honestly, if your library isn't offering you what you want or need? Isn't supportive in your community, then YOU must take action. You may no longer want to read a book, find pleasure in a great story, want to lose yourself and get carried away thru imagination and glorious words that become, through the ages, immortal? Then fine, but do not think that a library is a dead building gathering dust, it should be a vital and important community hub and in communities across this land, libraries are alive and kicking!!!!
If people considered libraries important and truly valued them, usage rates would reflect that and funding would follow.
I enjoy reading very much but I can't remember when the last time I visited a library was. You can't force people to find something important and valuable.
They do. I work for a large public library system (as a librarian), and our "usage rates" are excellent. Just because YOU don't visit the library, do not assume that is true for everyone! Our circulation statistics show no signs of slowing, in fact they have mostly been climbing over the last 10-15 years. Something like 70-80% of our county's residents have library cards, and the city where I work recently approved a 20-year bond measure; with another one in the works for the 2019 ballot, in order to fund a major remodel/re-build. So we're doing just fine.
And since you said you enjoy reading, where do you get your books? Are you strictly physical books, electronic, or both? If you are purchasing everything you read, you can save a lot of money with a library card. We have tens of thousands of eBooks/eAudiobooks too, along with other online resources like streaming movies/TV/music, electronic newspaper and magazine subscriptions, databases, etc. Did you know we had all of that?
NY Times writers are left leaning tree hugging liberals that think any money spent on anything other then diversity, immigration, welfare or civil rights is a waste of funds.
While I appreciate the remainder of your post, this part makes little to no sense. Do you realize it's the "left-leaning tree-hugging liberals" who usually support library measures/funding - and that the American Library Association, along with the majority of library workers, are left-leaning? Yeaaaah.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ i'd love to see some cold hard proof, statistics and data to support THAT UNIMAGINABLE.............?????????????CLAIM
Which "unimaginable claim?" If you're referring to my statement about "left-leaners" being the biggest library supporters, and representing most library workers - well, let's start with the fact that ALA (American Library Association) and SEIU (our union) openly support Democratic candidates/policies, and that library bond measures tend to pass more easily in blue counties/cities. I can pull up some hard statistics on that if you'd like, but first want to confirm that's what you're questioning.
Really, though, it's common knowledge for anyone in or connected to the field of librarianship. And there's a reason the FBI referred to us as "radical militant librarians," after the ALA openly announced we'd defy the USA PATRIOT Act... we wear that badge proudly and literally now.
Oh, and I recently showed this link to my boss (who got a kick out of it) - we're literally the first example they use, stating at the top that "Most librarians are Democrat." The percentage looks to be around 85-90% from this source, which seems about right in my experience. The only "bluer" occupations are Yoga Instructor and Union Organizer.
They do. I work for a large public library system (as a librarian), and our "usage rates" are excellent. Just because YOU don't visit the library, do not assume that is true for everyone! Our circulation statistics show no signs of slowing, in fact they have mostly been climbing over the last 10-15 years. Something like 70-80% of our county's residents have library cards, and the city where I work recently approved a 20-year bond measure; with another one in the works for the 2019 ballot, in order to fund a major remodel/re-build. So we're doing just fine.
And since you said you enjoy reading, where do you get your books? Are you strictly physical books, electronic, or both? If you are purchasing everything you read, you can save a lot of money with a library card. We have tens of thousands of eBooks/eAudiobooks too, along with other online resources like streaming movies/TV/music, electronic newspaper and magazine subscriptions, databases, etc. Did you know we had all of that?
Great. Then everything is working as it should. There is a demand for libraries so they are being funded. I was not attempting to denigrate them, just stating how "public" services are supposed to be provided.
I knew libraries had branched out into the electronic world, didn't know all the specifics. I personally prefer physical copies, and I prefer to own them.
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