What do you think of libraries?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Jodie wrote: "I work in a library and we give the books we can't use to charity or sell them as a fundraiser we also use them for book crossing so people can share them. We don't charge for anything other than..."

That sounds sooo much better than Liam's library Jodie! Perhaps he could suggest some of your things to them!

[B the BookAddict]

Dale wrote: "I'd be distraught without a library as I'm not into the whole E book thing for reading."

Am with you there, Dale, I'm not into ebooks and love my library. It's always felt like such a hallowed place.
I love to hold, feel and touch a book; I'll admit to even liking the smell of a book:) Being able to flip back through pages to re-read a passage, while holding my place with my pinkie... Just can't get these things on an ebook.

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

We don't have a cafe, but we don't charge money for anything other than printing or lost books. Lots of book clubs and audiobooks and ebooks started early this year, although nobody is really interested that much. 90% of the people who go the library prefer real books.

We also have six branches across nearly 50 square kilometres, and going by the doorcounts at the different branches probably serve something in the area of 5000 people a day.

[Lisa]

Liam wrote: "Currently same amount of librarians, just all occupied tagging/checking stuff in. The couple of branches we have that are already self-serve RFID get inundated with complaints about the lack of sta..."

That's a shame, Liam. The library I work at has had RFID for at least the past 5 years and it's working really well for us. Some people prefer the self check, but many like to come to the desk and chat with us librarians.
My biggest problem is technology babysitting. I'm sick of people clicking their fingers at me and complaining that their FREE internet service isn't fast enough.
Tipping the books into the bin is awful! Our books that are in good condition get donated to a local charity, and the books that are a little dodgy are sold for 10 cents each. To end up in the bin, they need to have pages missing or be absolutely filthy.

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

Yeah typically the books that are discarded are pretty daggy. The best ones go into the booksale, currently everything is 20c or something, the rest into the bin.

And I agree about the babysitting. Another thing that annoys me is people who seem to think we're there to be an IT help desk. My general rule is that if their question isn't about how to print or scan something, I can't help them.

I had a mother ask me how to delete her son's facebook account yesterday. Like, really?

I hope RFID won't change stuff too much, from what most of the staff have been saying though there's not going to be anything other than self-check at most branches. If someone doesn't want to do it, we'll just do it for them at the self-check machine. I much prefer the wand. I'm old fashioned before my time.

[Donna R]

Country WA welcomed us in summer 94, I spent many a day 'loitering' in our shire library reveling in its air conditioning (and books of course).
My husband sang his citizenship anthem there - along with the Shire President, accompanied by boom box!
Over the years I met many friends in that library and my memories of it are fond.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Libraries are so much more than just taking a book out to read, aren't they Donna:)

[Michelle]

I know this may sound like a ridiculous whinge, but I just found out that my local library charges $3.20 just to reserve a book!
Seriously??
Considering you can buy second hand and ebooks for not much more than that I'm baffled at how they can justify charging such a high fee just to reserve a book.
Does anyone else have a library that charges this much to reserve a book?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Ours used to charge $1 but stopped ages ago. 1st July they started charging 20c per day per book for late books.
Your library's charge is ridiculous!

[Mish]

I agree, it's ridiculous. Our library only charges for late returns.

[Jodie]

You are kidding I work in a library and we don't charge anything and hopefully never will. We don't even charge for late returns. This is what happens when libraries stop getting funding.

[Lauredhel]

$3.20 for a reserve?? Reserves are a basic function of libraries, in my opinion. Ours is free for reserves, interlibrary loans, ebooks, Zinio magazines, etc etc. There's a late fine, or a replacement fee if you lose a book, and that's it.

[Dale]

Tracey wrote: "I didn't know libraries could charge to reserve a book? That seems unfair to me. Late fees ok but reserving?"

Our library is the same. Charges $2. I rarely reserve a book. I have to be desperate.

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

Our library has no fees whatsoever unless you lose or damage a book, and for printing/photocopying and so on. If you're very late with a series of returns, your loan allowance is reduced, but you'll never be charged unless you actually fail to return the book.

I'm pretty sure there's only one library in South Australia that I'm aware of that charges late fees, actually. I completely fail to see the point of a public library that charges you money for anything, least of all putting a book on hold. Bloody hell you guys are unlucky.

[Michelle]

I would have considered reserving a book to be a basic function as well.
I would understand them charging a fee if the book needed to come from another library as that involves the cost of transporting it around, but $3.20 just to reserve a copy that is already there is outrageous to me.

[Zoey]

$3.20 to reserve a book seems a bit much. My library doesnt charge to reserve & we can reserve books from any of the libraries across Tassie & they will be sent to your local one for you for free. They do have an Express Service where the they have copies of the most popular new release books & you can hire them for $4 a week for those who dont want to wait there turn on the hold list. I just prefer to wait my turn,if I am going to pay money then I want to keep the book, but it seems quite popular. I guess some people are a bit impatient

[Bibloquill]

our library here is pretty substandard and is the meeting place for refugee groups in the area which causes it to be over crowded and noisy. I rarely use it. not to mention the selection is poor. I only go in for books in Serbian or Croatian .

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

Michelle wrote: "I would understand them charging a fee if the book needed to come from another library as that involves the cost of transporting..."

Our system is currently in the process of being connected to all South Australian public libraries. 80% are already hooked up, so you can pretty much borrow a book anywhere using any card and return it anywhere else.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

That's a good idea Liam. We have that with our local council areas, but with 2 councils in our area we can't use the one card for both, we have to have separate cards.

[Donna R]

Staff of Subiaco City Library (Perth) coordinate the Tim Winton Award for Young Writers (20 years old) and the Shaun Tan Award for Young Artists (11 years old) - bravo to them! A wonderful example of a civic service promoting creativity in our children and while using living patrons. An anthology of winners stories is now published Hatched: Tim Winton Award Winners 20th Anniversary Collection and I plan to buy extra copies for donation to my local library and school.