What's wrong with the public library?

[dele]

Although I've never had this problem with a public library, one of the biggest reasons I hate my university library is because it's so hard to find anything! You look up a book and they send you up to the third floor to look in section TR3501, but when you get there, all the books seem to be about astrophysics when you're looking for Voltaire! You go back to the computer to try again, and it was actually ST1530, and Heaven help you if even the librarian knows where that is!

 

[Mouse]

... damn the place for the smell of Costa's coffee, for the sofas in order to sit and read, for the glittery green carpet that entices you into the warmth...

Is that what public libraries need to be like to attract people in? More like bookshops?

 

[phil_t]

I am considering going to get another library card soon, as my old one has now expired due to non-use for about a decade I think they are excellent for reading books that you are interested in but not all that sure about buying, especially since the price of paperbooks is ever going upwards.

I dont think there could be much done to change libraries, I kind of like the sterile atmosphere they produce, its peaceful when you just want time to yourself for a bit I would say the best new thing about libraries in recent years has been the computerisation of the records (at least in my County), so that you can order a book from any library in the area and get a phone call/email when it arrives at your local library for collection - this is the future of course, using libraries online for a fixed fee like they are starting to do with video and DVD rentals, but having said that I dont think the old library buildings will ever go out of use, they are still too popular a method of getting books out to those who cant necessarily afford to keep buying them.

Phil

 

[Mort]

Although I've never had this problem with a public library, one of the biggest reasons I hate my university library is because it's so hard to find anything! You look up a book and they send you up to the third floor to look in section TR3501, but when you get there, all the books seem to be about astrophysics when you're looking for Voltaire! You go back to the computer to try again, and it was actually ST1530, and Heaven help you if even the librarian knows where that is!

I loved the university library. Part of me actually wishes the local library was bigger, with several different floors, and a little musty. I used to wander around the university library, searching for some quiet, unused corner table next to a window so that I could attempt to study. But then I would just sit and gaze out the window at the people below as they wandered from class to class, bumped into friends, or sat on a bench eating their lunch. I also used to scan the shelves in amazement at some of the books covering the most obscure subjects. "A Study of the Effects of Iodized Salt Versus Sea Salt on the Habits of Carpenter Ants in a Coastal Scrub Environment."

 

[Ell]

Sounds like what I used to do. I'd love to go deep in the bowels of the main stacks; get lost in the dimly-lit, low-ceilinged, mustiness of it all and pick books at random to flip through. Weird, yes, but a time fondly remembered.

 

[hay82]

"A Study of the Effects of Iodized Salt Versus Sea Salt on the Habits of Carpenter Ants in a Coastal Scrub Environment."

Now thats a classic.

I would like a library where I could get hot chocolate, sit in a nice comfy chair and read for hours without people making any noise.

 

[Occlith]

the number of people coming into the library has increased...There is a steady decline in the number of books issued...We are supposed to do some marketing and start getting new people through the doors, but many people I talk to tell me their lifestyle is too busy to be able to visit a library.

People have the time to visit for internet use but have a lifestyle that prevents them from visiting the library…
Sounds like it may be an image related issue. Marketing research is a good idea.
Do you have events to attract various age groups? e.g. poetry readings; author or illustrator visits; reading or writing competitions; child reading programs?
Partnerships with businesses, schools, the media?
Book displays that publicize or tie-in to local, national, or world issues? censorship; environment; sports; pet ownership; art; etc.

 

[magemanda]

My local library would be my constant weekend haunt as a teenager because there was no way I could afford to buy my own. But now that I can afford to buy books brand new, it's become a bit of an obsession. I love bringing home a haul of books from a bookstore and lovingly cataloguing them in my list of books I own (yes, I am that sad) and having them watching me from the bookshelf, glowing with the fact that it is a book I haven't yet read and will be able to explore within the next few weeks. Love it.

Plus, my current local library opening hours are really awkward considering I currently commute to work and will not get home until nigh on 7.30 most nights.

Lastly, I re-read and re-read and re-read books. I love to go back to old favourites. I like to give a book a second chance, if I wasn't an immediate fan the first time round. Obviously there are some books that I buy and just don't enjoy - these go to the local charity shop for someone else's potential enjoyment, and to help raise money.

 

[headpodd]

Is that what public libraries need to be like to attract people in? More like bookshops?

Every single one of the libraries I have visited have not been appealing in terms of environment.
I would say that having a coffee shop and comfy chairs to encourage people to sit, relax, read and drink must be a win-win.
It is not as though you are losing purchases by having people reading the books on site (as could be claimed by book shops) and you can only gain revenue by the selling of drinks etc in order to be able to keep buying the books you need to keep the library attractive in terms of books available.
If you don't actually make the coffee etc yourself you could lease a part of the library to the local coffee chain thus bringing in revenue that way - they of course would get the purchase revenue but you would get the lease money, the wonderful aroma of coffee pervading the library and an added incentive to draw people in.
Space however would be a critical consideration.

Speaking for myself, as someone who often pops into local establishments for a coffee, I would far rather that coffee be had in the local library rather than a cafe etc (unless of course I was with a friend and wanted to chat).

The point raised already here about opening hours is also valid - although I appreciate that you can only open certain times due to wage considerations - if you do not open on a weekend, or for reduced hours you could consider closing for one day of the working week and therefore open for an extra day or more hours on the weekend to pick up the "workers".

For what they're worth - these are my opinions anyway.

 

[Eugen]

...or am I flogging a dead and mummified horse?

Flogging a dead and mummified horse.

Last I stepped into a library was to do research on a thesis. Now I can do it online, and I wouldn't trust most libraries to stock what I want to read in the line of fiction. Bloody pain bringing a book back each time you borrow.

 

[David181173]

I can't really blame lack of access since my local library is open until 8 pm two evenings a week. What happened with me is that I lost my library card about four years ago and I've never been bothered to go and get it replaced. If I did have a card I would probably me more inclined to drop in, as I pass the library on my way home.

I guess one reason why I don't feel a pressing need to renew my membership is that I didn't think the library was very well stocked. As others have said, one gets the impression there is hardly any book buying budget left as libraries focus on computers and on serving the demands of the ever increasing army of family historians.

It now costs about a £1 to order a book from another library in the borough. So you have to go the library, find out if they have the book in any branch, pay, go home and wait and then head along again when it comes in. This all seems a bit long winded if you can get a second hand copy delivered to your door within a couple of days using the Amazon Marketplace service.

My local library catalogue is not available to search online. I wish it was. It sounds like a very good idea, which could help renew libraries.

 

[lies]

Before Mouse loses faith in mankind, I shall say this: I love libraries. I absolutely adore them.

That doesn't mean I think they're flawless though. There are quite a few things that bother me about libraries.

I live in a small town and we only have a small town library. It was enough for me in elementary school. It even got me through high school, though I did become member of two other libraries during that time (That was a bit of a hassle. I always had to rely on my friend to get my books back in time because the town where the library was wasn't exactly within cycling distance.). Now that I'm in college though, I've made the capitol library my home base... and even that one isn't big enough for me.

It takes a library months, if not years, before they get the new books on the shelves, there are too few copies, so it takes months, if not years, after they've made it to the shelves, before you yourself can actually take them home. Also, there are quite a few books that go missing. I know this is not the staff's fault, but it's really annoying. There's a book in my local library that has been reserved since 1997. The staff didn't know, or didn't care. Also, if people put the books back in the wrong place, you're royally screwed. The library won't buy a new one, because it's out there somewhere, but who wants to go through the thousands of volumes looking for that one? It's madness.

Also... I brought my book back one day late at the university library the other day, and they fined me €0,75. I couldn't believe it!

 

[Mouse]

It's very interesting reading all your comments! Thank You

From the look of things we are going in the right direction -

catalogue online, reservations only 25p - 60% of which are supplied within a week, fines are less than uni's - 15p a day

Things that I can't do at present are - organise any events as I don't have a budget and book purchasing is mainly centralised, so I can't buy the books I think we should have. The current trend is to let the public buy the books eg. they fill in suggestion cards or groups are given a sum of money to spend

What do you think of this option? Would you feel involved? Think it's a good idea?

Before Mouse loses faith in mankind

I have just had a conversion...

 

[lies]

15p a day

That's still a lot, if you ask me. The uni library is one thing, but our ordinary library only asks 5 cents a book a day, and a pound is worth much more than a euro, so... But England's pretty expensive anyway.

 

[fluffy bunny]

And the libraries in the Wakefield district ask 6p a day. But they don't have an online catalogue

 

[ecks]

My local library would be my constant weekend haunt as a teenager because there was no way I could afford to buy my own.

This was exactly the case with me when I was little. When I came here and was little and didn't know any english, books helped me learn it, and I couldn't have accomplished this without a library. We had some kind of an old Command Line Interface search catalog, and I was proud because I was the only one that knew how to use it. If our library didn't have a book, I'd place an order and within a week it's there. That was of course in NYC. Here in New Jersey, our library is so small and there are small selections. But they have classic literature, which is what I mostly read now. And now, I usually would rather study at a library rather than at home, because there's no distractions. The reason why I think most libraries are suffering is because mostly kids that can't afford books use them, but now kids barely read and just watch movies all the time.

 

[Occlith]

The current trend is to let the public buy the books eg. they fill in suggestion cards or groups are given a sum of money to spend. What do you think of this option?

I never heard of this. The public can choose the books and are given money by the library to buy them? Did I read this correctly?

 

[Mouse]

Yes, we've been doing it for about a year or so.

Library User Groups, community groups and general public (including non-users) are given the opportunity to select the books.
Then we have the book suppliers automatically sending us Top Ten Bestsellers and pre-set authors and subject areas such as Travel Guides.

Kind of does us librarians out of a job...

 

[Rogue]

I love libraries but they are driving me nuts.

Most of the time I don't get the books I want to read 'cause they are reserved (which costs 1 Euro). If I get them they are mostly translations and I have to come to hate translations. Most of the time they are really awful. They have only 3 little shelves of English books.

They books aren't divided into sections like "adventure", "crime" or "science fiction" and so it takes ages to find new authors or books.

There are too many books and too little space. A new library is planned (which is good) but they are going to build it at the end of the world!

Half of the books I want to read arn't there (I've not yet found out why they have the 1st and 3rd book of Jasper Fforde but not the 2nd).

Most of the books are outrageous ugly and some of them I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot-pole. They are either really old, damaged or full of stains.

There's no possibility to sit down in cosy chairs and start reading.


Last summer I worked in Vienna and was delighted by their new library. It was just gorgoeus! Tons of books, easy booking and comfortable chairs and silent corners. And a breathtaking structure!

 

[StillILearn]

Hello, Mouse

I'm a former librarian, and I certainly use the library. (I use all three of them that're within driving range, in fact.) If something isn't immediately available to me at the library, I'll sometimes buy it. If I find that I just love something that I've borrowed from the library, I'll buy it. Oftentimes I'm just too darned impatient to wait my turn -- as with a new Barbara Vine, for instance.

However! If somebody wants to read a book that's gone out of print, sometimes the only place to find it is at the library!

How are you liking the Tom Robbins book?