Public Libraries ...
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wrote on 27 Aug 2022, 16:00 last edited by
How essential are public libraries to the public these days?
The last time I went to a library, I was there to donate some 3D printing supplies that I no longer needed. I try to think if there are still many "low income" folks who would rely on the public libraries for essential functions, even that is shrinking once you subsidize their Internet access some other ways. I can imagine young parents occasionally taking their young children to the public library for story time, though that's more like a "nice to have" rather than an essential function.
When did you last visited a public library, and why?
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wrote on 27 Aug 2022, 16:09 last edited by
2 weeks ago for a kid's storytime.
I was dropping Lucas off every other week a few years ago. He used it a lot for various school assignments.
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How essential are public libraries to the public these days?
The last time I went to a library, I was there to donate some 3D printing supplies that I no longer needed. I try to think if there are still many "low income" folks who would rely on the public libraries for essential functions, even that is shrinking once you subsidize their Internet access some other ways. I can imagine young parents occasionally taking their young children to the public library for story time, though that's more like a "nice to have" rather than an essential function.
When did you last visited a public library, and why?
wrote on 27 Aug 2022, 16:15 last edited by@Axtremus said in Public Libraries ...:
How essential are public libraries to the public these days? <
The library in my town has a very active public involvement. Possibly proving your point, I don't go there much anymore myself, but that's for reasons other than loss of interest in the library.
I think my town would erupt in flames if the library closed.
My library has a whole floor devoted to making spaces available to public groups for meetings. It also sponsors book sales twice a year for cheap that are jam packed (this I know from experience). Also, don't forget that many (most?) public libraries now have online checkout, which I used quite a lot at one time.
Mostly, I would HATE to see public libraries disappear because of their wonderfully civilizing influence in a community, and for their role in history and tradition, and their precious stores of books and other materials that they have always made available to people who may not have access to them otherwise. Also for their community schmooze factor.
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How essential are public libraries to the public these days?
The last time I went to a library, I was there to donate some 3D printing supplies that I no longer needed. I try to think if there are still many "low income" folks who would rely on the public libraries for essential functions, even that is shrinking once you subsidize their Internet access some other ways. I can imagine young parents occasionally taking their young children to the public library for story time, though that's more like a "nice to have" rather than an essential function.
When did you last visited a public library, and why?
wrote on 27 Aug 2022, 16:59 last edited by@Axtremus said in Public Libraries ...:
When did you last visited a public library, and why?
Tuesday.
Because I'm not a fucking philistine.
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wrote on 27 Aug 2022, 17:38 last edited by
Here it’s mostly families with kids, but it seems pretty busy.
In NYC it was families with kids and homeless dudes spending a few hours in climate controlled comfort.
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wrote on 28 Aug 2022, 01:05 last edited by
I use it for audiobooks. I've listened to so many books while I work. I just finished one yesterday. I've listened to about 15 books in the last 6 weeks, thanks to my local library and the Libby app.
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wrote on 28 Aug 2022, 01:43 last edited by
Besides… No libraries = no sexy librarians…
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wrote on 28 Aug 2022, 04:40 last edited by
I love physical books and libraries, and I'm sad to see them go, but their time is over.
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wrote on 28 Aug 2022, 11:13 last edited by
Dunno.
Nothing like holding a book in your hand.
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wrote on 28 Aug 2022, 14:16 last edited by
I’m sure back in the sixth century or so there were old timers who wouldn’t let go of their scrolls and adopt the new-fangled codex, too.
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wrote on 28 Aug 2022, 22:36 last edited by
@Klaus said in Public Libraries ...:
I love physical books and libraries, and I'm sad to see them go, but their time is over.
A buddy of mine has a degree in LIS. Are you sure you know everything that libraries do, or are you basing your assessment only on what you see from the street?
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wrote on 28 Aug 2022, 22:49 last edited by
Homeless shelters for example.
The archives are important, analog and digital.
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@Klaus said in Public Libraries ...:
I love physical books and libraries, and I'm sad to see them go, but their time is over.
A buddy of mine has a degree in LIS. Are you sure you know everything that libraries do, or are you basing your assessment only on what you see from the street?
wrote on 29 Aug 2022, 01:45 last edited by@Aqua-Letifer said in Public Libraries ...:
@Klaus said in Public Libraries ...:
I love physical books and libraries, and I'm sad to see them go, but their time is over.
A buddy of mine has a degree in LIS. Are you sure you know everything that libraries do, or are you basing your assessment only on what you see from the street?
I don't need to know everything that libraries do. It is sufficient to observe how library after library is downsized a couple of times and then finally closed for good. My department's research library has just been stripped of any personell, and these days it is almost exclusively used as a work room for students who don't give a shit about the books in it.
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@Aqua-Letifer said in Public Libraries ...:
@Klaus said in Public Libraries ...:
I love physical books and libraries, and I'm sad to see them go, but their time is over.
A buddy of mine has a degree in LIS. Are you sure you know everything that libraries do, or are you basing your assessment only on what you see from the street?
I don't need to know everything that libraries do. It is sufficient to observe how library after library is downsized a couple of times and then finally closed for good. My department's research library has just been stripped of any personell, and these days it is almost exclusively used as a work room for students who don't give a shit about the books in it.
wrote on 29 Aug 2022, 01:53 last edited by@Klaus said in Public Libraries ...:
@Aqua-Letifer said in Public Libraries ...:
@Klaus said in Public Libraries ...:
I love physical books and libraries, and I'm sad to see them go, but their time is over.
A buddy of mine has a degree in LIS. Are you sure you know everything that libraries do, or are you basing your assessment only on what you see from the street?
I don't need to know everything that libraries do. It is sufficient to observe how library after library is downsized a couple of times and then finally closed for good. My department's research library has just been stripped of any personell, and these days it is almost exclusively used as a work room for students who don't give a shit about the books in it.
The number of public libraries in America has stayed relatively the same since '96. In fact there are more today than in '96.
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wrote on 29 Aug 2022, 07:22 last edited by
My hospital has a library. When I first started out we would read articles in actual journals. And photocopy reams of pages.
Now, it’s the most useless building in the institution. No one, I mean no one reads real paper journals.
Its only use is a quiet space for residents to study for exams. Which is important in of itself but it’s not really used as a repository of information. -
How essential are public libraries to the public these days?
The last time I went to a library, I was there to donate some 3D printing supplies that I no longer needed. I try to think if there are still many "low income" folks who would rely on the public libraries for essential functions, even that is shrinking once you subsidize their Internet access some other ways. I can imagine young parents occasionally taking their young children to the public library for story time, though that's more like a "nice to have" rather than an essential function.
When did you last visited a public library, and why?
wrote on 29 Aug 2022, 13:51 last edited by@Axtremus said in Public Libraries ...:
When did you last visited a public library, and why?
About a month ago. We take the kids about once a month to return ~15 books and check out another ~15.
You should also know there are many, many books in the kids section that are focused on lesbian, gay, and trans subjects. Like, a surprising amount.
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@Axtremus said in Public Libraries ...:
When did you last visited a public library, and why?
About a month ago. We take the kids about once a month to return ~15 books and check out another ~15.
You should also know there are many, many books in the kids section that are focused on lesbian, gay, and trans subjects. Like, a surprising amount.
wrote on 29 Aug 2022, 13:57 last edited by@89th said in Public Libraries ...:
You should also know there are many, many books in the kids section that are focused on lesbian, gay, and trans subjects. Like, a surprising amount.
Yeah, recently read a news article about a town voting to defund its only public library because the staff refused to remove LGBTQ titles from the library:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/08/26/patmos-library-jamestown-close-lgbt-book-ban/7906130001/