The Library

[bgmnts]

Random topic but has anyone been to their library lately? I went today as their online system showed as having loads of comic stuff I wanted to read. In the end, I left with two books, neither of which I even looked at.

Considering there were sadly more staff/volunteers there than readers of books, it made me quite sad. I'm not expecting anything council run to be very efficient but it was a bit gutting. I'll just have to go again I suppose and try and put everything on hold. The public library is literally one of the best cultural establishments invented; collectively paid for books that can be shared by everyone, yet only two people were in there reading a book or looking at books that were not children, everyone else was using some Xpress service, citizens advice or the computers. Boooo

[Senior Baiano]

Having worked in a public library this... sounds fine tbh. For a normal working weekday morning. Is it a big library or more of a local branch affair?

[Senior Baiano]

In the end, I left with two books, neither of which I even looked at.

Do you mean you picked them up and borrowed them without looking at them, or you haven't started reading them yet?

[bgmnts]

Do you mean you picked them up and borrowed them without looking at them, or you haven't started reading them yet?

Sorry, I mean neither of which I had previously looked at online.

This is definitely mostly me wishing the library could be something more than it is in reality and that more people were interested in it.

But I wouldn't class the shoddy upkeep and administration as fine. Expected, perhaps, but not fine.

[willbo]

mine's pretty good. It has so many new arty/non fiction books I wonder how they get them all. It is an eternal law with all libraries though that in any sci fi/fantasy saga they will have every book except book 1.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Mine's great. I use it a lot. You can order in books from across the county for free. Always loads of events and stuff on as well. Heart of the community. No public toilet in there though.

[timebug]

Ours used to be great. Many rooms with high ceilings, nicely heated so always comfortable at any time of year; then a few years ago they closed it, and bunged a shabby selection of books inside a wing of our local Council House (Town Hall) and it is dreary and cramped with no real choices at all!

[Icehaven]

I've been a librarian for nearly 20 years, the first 11 in public libraries, the last 9 in the same authority just a non public library. The first one I worked in was often very busy, partly for the computers but a lot of people borrowed books too, and particularly a lot of parents with kids. We even used to have to limit how many books on certain subjects we issued per child as we'd get entire classes coming in all wanting books about ancient Egypt or whatever at the same time. I do wonder how much of that still happens or if it's even normal to go to the library to get books for homework anymore.

Anyway the second one I worked in was much smaller and much quieter, but the computers were still always busy, but now almost everyone's got the internet at home I'm sure that must have impacted on library use a lot. I had to go to my nearest library to print something out a couple of months ago and they had at least a dozen computers and I think one other person using one, and on a Saturday afternoon as well. 10 years ago they'd have been booked up all day. It's a large library actually and it was near deserted, I felt quite sad for my fellow librarians who were obviously exceptionally helpful and didn't even charge me for the printing. Dunno if they were volunteers or not, hope not (I won't do the full rant but people offering to do your job for nothing is quite the kick in the pants.)

There was a big drive for our public libraries to be designated "warm places" over winter, presume other authorities did the same, so that may have driven up use a bit. There was someone asleep in the corner when I went to my local one but tbh in my experience there usually is in most libraries, although it's usually because they were pissed rather than just trying to keep warm.

[badaids]

My Dad thought I was gay when I was a kid because I chose to go to the library on Saturday mornings.

[Alberon]

My Dad thought I was gay when I was a kid because I chose to go to the library on Saturday mornings.

Gay.