City of SA needs to increase library hours (city hall, to buy)

[Bo]

I was at the Brook Hollow library branch this morning, shortly before it opened at 10 AM. The parking lot had more than 2 dozen cars in it. There were about 40 people waiting to get in the door when it opened, mostly mothers with pre-schoolers and senior citizens, along with a few others like me who were neither.

Back when the 2007 library bond issue was on the ballot, one of the promises made if it passed was that library branches would be open more after the new construction. And they did increase for a couple of years, before being rolled back to pre-construction levels a year or two ago.

Libraries here need to be open more hours of the week.

I don't buy that it's an issue of staffing. There were plenty of people behind every counter. Now that book checkout is self-service, how many staff need to be on duty at one time? Spread them out a little bit so that our libraries can be open from 9AM to 9PM Monday - Thursday!

[ashbeeigh]

Maybe budget issues? Or the location? Are the hours different based on location (I don't know myself)? Where is the community uproar?

[abner463]

Longer and more consistent hours would be great! I hate that there is this every other day thing where some branches are open at 10a on Mon/W/F and at 12p on Tu/Thu. I currently have no library that is close to me, so sometimes I go to Brookhollow and sometimes I go to Cody. Well if I get the schedules mixed up, and try to get there when they open, I just made a terrible time wasting mistake. I can't wait for the one on Wilderness Oak to open! If they could all open at 10a that would be a start.

[majormadmax]

Maybe if more people who had the time volunteered, they could extend the hours...

But in today's world of government cutbacks, I don't see this happening otherwise.

Cheers! M2

[Bo]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

Maybe if more people who had the time volunteered, they could extend the hours...

But in today's world of government cutbacks, I don't see this happening otherwise.

Cheers! M2

I counted 8 library workers on duty, some of whom may have been volunteers. 3 each behind the two desks and 2 more out among the stacks. I doubt they were short of help this morning.

[SabresFanInSA]

Why do people still go to the library? (honest question) In today's age everything is available (thousands of free options) without leaving the house. I am currently reading a John Saul novel on my phone.

I guess there are some traditionalists that like the feel of the book in their hand?? Dunno.

Cost doesnt seem prohibitive to be electronic but I guess that is relative.

Anyway, was just curious why people still go.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by SabresFanInSA

Why do people still go to the library? (honest question) In today's age everything is available (thousands of free options) without leaving the house. I am currently reading a John Saul novel on my phone.

I guess there are some traditionalists that like the feel of the book in their hand?? Dunno.

Cost doesnt seem prohibitive to be electronic but I guess that is relative.

Anyway, was just curious why people still go.

I was there picking up a book I had placed on hold. Didn't want to buy the book.

I'm guessing the mothers with toddlers wanted to expose their kids to new books without having to buy new books. If you've ever spent time with little kids, you know that it can be hard to predict their taste in books and hard to interest them in reading books they don't like a second time.

A lot of people seem to use the computers there because they don't have broadband at home.

[LindaGrace]

I use my library all the time. I check out four to six books a month (used to be more but I'm in this PhD program, which really cramps my reading style). I like it and it's just a tiny little bit of civic duty I'm fulfilling (not everyone has a cellphone, not everyone has a computer, not everyone can download books, etc., etc., etc., etc.).

Also, I want to read a real book, not an electronic one. I have an e-reader. I almost never use it. I want the actual book.

Hours were longer as recently as last summer, but due to budget cuts they lost librarians and therefore had to cut the hours. If you don't like it, email city hall and tell them you don't like it.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Bo

I was at the Brook Hollow library branch this morning, shortly before it opened at 10 AM. The parking lot had more than 2 dozen cars in it. There were about 40 people waiting to get in the door when it opened, mostly mothers with pre-schoolers and senior citizens, along with a few others like me who were neither.

Back when the 2007 library bond issue was on the ballot, one of the promises made if it passed was that library branches would be open more after the new construction. And they did increase for a couple of years, before being rolled back to pre-construction levels a year or two ago.

Libraries here need to be open more hours of the week.

I don't buy that it's an issue of staffing. There were plenty of people behind every counter. Now that book checkout is self-service, how many staff need to be on duty at one time? Spread them out a little bit so that our libraries can be open from 9AM to 9PM Monday - Thursday!

There really aren't enough libraries in SA to accommodate the public. Somf of them are really outdated and small like Cody and the on near Wurzbach & 10. They could use more hours. They could also use some signage advising the often loud ill-mannered kids to observe quiet in the Library since their parents never taught them that.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

Maybe if more people who had the time volunteered, they could extend the hours...

But in today's world of government cutbacks, I don't see this happening otherwise.

Cheers! M2

If professional stadiums can be built with "Just 10 cents tax" I don't see why we can't do the same for libraries and schools.
Seems easier than try to get a bunch of volunteers to run the library everyday.