Your Local Libraries

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Paul wrote: "As for the muscle talk, I think the motivation is probably down to the fact they're being paid a few hundred thousand to get a body like that. Afterwards they have little motivation to keep up the ..."


What muscle talk? You've lost me.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Paul wrote: "The weird setup near me entails the nearest library is actually inside the local high school making it... 'fun'... trying to browse in there. The next nearest one is called the Great Boughton (subu..."

Not ideal library situation, but at least they keep on top of new release hist fic then. :-)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Well it is official. I will be able to get books from my library only about once a month. :(
My hubby has changed jobs and that job takes him the opposite direction to my library. He used to drop off and pick up my library books for me and now he can only do it once a month for me.

Sad.

Will have to time my reserves for monthly group reads to his once a month trip passed the library and I won't be able to be as spontaneous with my book borrowing.
Good chance to get on top of a lot of the owned not read books I have. That's the upside.

[Anne]

My ILL section of my library has a section when I request a book as to what I want to pay. it has $00.00 there and dure to my finances I hit that. i was just thinking now that I have not received sev eral books lately that i requested that I guess some libraries will charge mine for me to get it and if i am not willing to pay, they I don't get it. Too bad. but with my situation and so many free ones there and on my kindle, I guess I will have to do without on some of the group reads.

[Darcy]

What you need is to get a bus, and convince those librarians that you (or your hireling) can be trusted with their stock and make a return of the bookmobile!

I've considered doing this, but I'm not sure I can afford it. I'd have to work something out with local town councils.

[Anne]

Since I live month to month where would i get the bus and the gas for it?

[Darcy]

Anne, your post came in while I was writing my reply to Terri's post. Whoopsie... lesson learned *always quote*

It's a shame about the fee for some ILL though.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Darcy wrote: "What you need is to get a bus, and convince those librarians that you (or your hireling) can be trusted with their stock and make a return of the bookmobile!

I've considered doing this, but I'm no..."

They have already got three mobile libraries. :-)

They are all different colours.

[Darcy]

Terri wrote: "Darcy wrote: "What you need is to get a bus, and convince those librarians that you (or your hireling) can be trusted with their stock and make a return of the bookmobile!

I've considered doing th..."

Could they not add your farm as stop on a need-to basis?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I wish! How awesome would that be! Door to door weekly library service.

[Sandra]

So sorry to hear about your library woes Terri. I am so fortunate to have great library access here in Prince Edward Island. There is even a delivery service for people unable to get to a library branch to pick up their books.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

That would nice. :-)
There may be a service like that in the towns where my library is. I would ring them and ask, but I live out on a farm a long way from them (too far to deliver) and I am technically in the next shire.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Read this article in the BBC News about a library book that was returned 55 years late.
(Dawn...this could be you one day..;)..)

Oxfordshire library book returned 55 years late
A library book has been returned nearly 55 years late, leaving staff stunned.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-...

[Jane]

Anne wrote: "My ILL section of my library has a section when I request a book as to what I want to pay. it has $00.00 there and dure to my finances I hit that. i was just thinking now that I have not received s..."

I did ILL for years; I'm a retired librarian from a community college. Some libraries state in their policies that they charge, so we would only send to people who didn't charge. [Places like Princeton or Harvard want to discourage requests.] If a faculty member wanted the book, we'd ask how much they were willing to pay and send accordingly. For students or community patrons, we sent only to libraries that didn't charge. Since I've retired, another lady has taken over. She follows the same guidelines I did. And sometimes she calls me for advice.

[C.]

I always tell the librarian filling out an ILLS form for me to put that I am willing to pay $2.50 and I have never yet been charged for any of the books.

I live in OH,and some books have come from libraries out west like Utah and Wyoming,but they still didn't charge me! :]

[Bobby]

My library has a box "how much are you willing to pay" and I always check "0". And I get about 90% of the books I request. The only time I don't is when the library says they can't find any library that has it to loan out.

[[deleted user]]

I hate to get political, but here I go. I live in a small, very conservative community. I love my library, but the selection is very limited. I, along with others in my town(including the awesome librarians here) have been pushing for a new, upgraded library. I'm not saying this from a selfish perspective. Our library is damn near in ruins. Unfortunately the Tea Party people around here have thwarted our cause. They'd rather tax payer money be spent on making it easier to purchase guns. I'm blue collar, but I'd be thrilled to pay a slightly higher city sales tax to upgrade our library here. Sorry about the rant, but I'm pissed.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I'm pissed for you Derek!!! I don't care if they want guns or paper hats, I don't think anyone should stand in the way of improving literacy in communities.
Okay..if you already had a fairly nice and flashy library and the library were just being greedy, that you can understand. But books man, and a place where a community can congregate to do prgrams such as computer literacy, or book groups. that is an absolutely invaluable servcie for communities.
People will not use a library properly, especially the younger generations, unless the library is a place they enjoy hanging out.

[happy]

Derek wrote: "I hate to get political, but here I go. I live in a small, very conservative community. I love my library, but the selection is very limited. I, along with others in my town(including the awesome l..."

The county just north of me has a library bond issue this fall (a new branch, rebuild the library HQ and expand another branch). The tea party types are doing the same thing - Why do we need to build/upgrade libraries for. So far, the early polling show the bond issue will pass.

[[deleted user]]

Yeah Terri, it makes me so mad. Our library hosts summer reading groups for children, allows people without computers to have access to the internet & promotes local authors. They even let our small homeless community to come in get out of the heat or cold even if they have no interest in books or computers(which is so awesome to me). This has recently been an ongoing debate in my town. Unfortunately, I'm on the short side. I'm kind of shy, but last week I felt compelled to write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper about it. In todays paper, I got completely pummeled by response letters. I'm not very popular except with the library staff & a few others.

[[deleted user]]

happy wrote: "Derek wrote: "I hate to get political, but here I go. I live in a small, very conservative community. I love my library, but the selection is very limited. I, along with others in my town(including..."

Good for that county happy! I sincerely hope it passes.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Derek wrote: "Yeah Terri, it makes me so mad. Our library hosts summer reading groups for children, allows people without computers to have access to the internet & promotes local authors. They even let our smal..."

Good on you for using your voice. Forget those that pummeled you. Just be proud you had something to say and said it. We live in democracies after all. A privilege so many countries don't have.

[Darcy]

Oh, I love a good 'against-the-grain' event. Good on you Derek for writing. And let the pummelers pummel. Also, causing a broo-haha tends to not make people popular, but that's good. Agitation makes people start thinking, and despite what they say, thinking is good.

But in response to the pummelers: How would they have known to (incorrectly) use the term Tea-Party if they'd not read a book. If face to face, blow an enthusiastic raspberry at the end :D

[C.]

My daughter lives in a small town one county away from Memphis[60 mi. away] TN. and she doesn't even have any 'Public' libraries around her!

South-western TN.couldn't care less about funding libraries, so theirs are very underfunded 'Private' libraries and it would cost her $50 to get a Memphis library card and then she would not even be able to return books at any library except a Memphis branch!

Illiteracy,no surprise there,duh!

[Darcy]

I'm not much of a library user now, but as a child and when I had no money I depended on the library system here. I'm saddened to hear that there are places where publicly accessible libraries are not valued.

[Eileen]

Derek wrote: "Yeah Terri, it makes me so mad. Our library hosts summer reading groups for children, allows people without computers to have access to the internet & promotes local authors. They even let our smal..."

Have you gotten involved with your local government besides on this issue? Have you spoken to your local representatives? From what I can see, it is the squeakiest wheel that gets what it wants from them. That is not always fair, but it is the way the system works and, quite frankly, was designed to work. Just because the local paper chose letters that pummelled you does not mean that there may not have been other letters supporting you. And plenty of folks who didn't think to write in.

Too many people have no idea where their tax dollars are going and assume that their county council, or local reps are doing exactly what they would do. If you got down into the weeds of how your local government spends your tax dollars, you might be very surprised. Unpleasantly so.

Also, just because you are willing to bear the burden of a higher sales tax, or property tax, or income tax does not mean that everyone else wants or can handle that increase. There are retirees on fixed incomes, families trying to raise children, folks without jobs - none of whom can easily afford that increase.

If you want to help your library, you might want to start a Friends of the Library group in your community. We have one where I live. It takes donations of used books in the basement of the library and then resells them for anywhere from 50 cents to $1.50. It also sells the older books the library no longer wants. It would give your library a small additional source of income and help you establish a group that would have some political influence.

Better to be a positive influence than to just complain!

[[deleted user]]

Hi Eileen.
I didn't mean to sound as if I were only complaining. Yes, the group I'm involved with, trying to get our library improved, has gotten involved with our local government. We've seen the Mayor many times & made our voices heard at city council meetings. It's not going to happen, though. Not anytime soon anyways. I don't expect to always be on the winning side or anything.
We too have a Friends of the Library group & I try to help out as often as I can. Many of the new books we get are funded by our FOL. I've volunteered many of my Saturdays working used books sales for FOL. I appreciate them very much.
As for taxes, I'm not going to act like I know where every cent is going. I doubt if anyone does. All I can say is that I make just enough money to squeak by myself. But I have in the past & will in the future vote for tax increases or extensions to improve our schools & hopefully , one day, our library. I'm definitely not saying every tax increase is a good one. I think they are sometimes necessary though. We have to build new schools & libraries eventually. I just think there are too many people here who think any tax increase or extension is a bad one. That's just the opinion of one simple man though. It's a good & stimulating debate though. I was a bit fired up last night after reading the paper, but I respect opposing viewpoints. I'm glad to live in a democracy where we all have the right to make our voices heard.:)

[Jane]

Derek wrote: "Hi Eileen.
I didn't mean to sound as if I were only complaining. Yes, the group I'm involved with, trying to get our library improved, has gotten involved with our local government. We've seen the ..."

Good post!!!

[[deleted user]]

Thank you, Jane. :)

[Jane]

Books I have and either didn't like, didn't finish, or feel I will not reread I give to the library. I SO hope they'll look them over and that they'll add suitable ones to the collection, not sell them. I have the library put books on hold for me. Since it's labor for them and costs money for gas to bring books from other branches, they have a minimal fee. I don't mind paying for the convenience.

[Eileen]

Derek wrote: "Hi Eileen.
I didn't mean to sound as if I were only complaining. Yes, the group I'm involved with, trying to get our library improved, has gotten involved with our local government. We've seen the ..."

Derek-

It does sound like you are doing a lot to be involved in your local government. A lot more than I do, if truth be told. If you are unhappy with how your local government is spending its tax revenues, I would still recommend attending council meetings or whatever your community has, especially when they are discussing the budget. You will learn a lot and maybe have an impact.

I recently got some training on how politicians think and make decisions. Not to be too crass about it, but you might consider contributing campaign dollars to the candidates, even ones you may not be fond of if they look like probable winners. They do tend to pay attention when dollars are involved. Also attend campaign functions, or even volunteer on campaigns. It will help your voice be heard.

[[deleted user]]

I appreciate your advice, Eileen. There's no doubt in my mind that you're better educated on that topic than I. Honestly, I normally try & stay out of politics. I am passionate about trying to help out my library, though.
Until the library improvement issue came up here, I'd never even been to a town council meeting. To be completely honest, I only attended those meetings to show my support. I let more intelligent, well spoken people do the actual talking about the issue. I was just a body showing support. Speaking in public is one of my many phobias.
No doubt about money buying political influence. I don't even want to go down that road. I'll come off as completely cynical if I do. However, I do realize that it's a reality.
Let me add one more thing before I sign off & get back to work(my boss is giving me that 'Get the heck off the computer!' glare right now)
If my comments offended anyone, I sincerely apologize. It wasn't my intent to do so. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve & it often gets me in trouble. I'll never learn!

[Eileen]

Derek wrote: "I appreciate your advice, Eileen. There's no doubt in my mind that you're better educated on that topic than I. Honestly, I normally try & stay out of politics. I am passionate about trying to help..."

I agree about preferring to stay out of politics. The trouble with that is that it allows ethically challenged individuals free rein. And it does not matter which party is in power - whenever you have a single political party in control of all or most of the levers of government, the temptation for corruption always (and I do mean always) will overcome good intentions.

As for not wanting to go down the road of campaign contributions, I would mention that often when the political contributions of wealthy individuals are listed, many times they contribute to both political parties. Usually more to a favored one, but they are smart enough to hedge their bets.

And I am not offended. I just want to encourage you to participate in the process more.

[[deleted user]]

I get what you are saying, Eileen & I totally agree. I also thank you for your encouragement.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Darcy wrote: "Oh, I love a good 'against-the-grain' event. Good on you Derek for writing. And let the pummelers pummel. Also, causing a broo-haha tends to not make people popular, but that's good. Agitation make..."

I'm like Darcy. I love a good go against the grain too. I hate it when people complain (which Derek chose not to do...:-) ..) and sit back and do nothing. Not hard just to write a letter as Derek has done.
When I hear people complain I say, ring your local council member, or write them a letter/email...and when they shrug and go "nah, can,t be bothered" I say "well there you go. From small acorns great oaks grow. Sometimes all it takes to get things rolling is one letter or phone call, so if you don't want to be pro active, quit complaining". :D

[[deleted user]]

Thank you for that Terri. I tried to do what I could to help the cause & we are not going to give up even though we're in the minority right now.
And LOL Darcy!!! I missed your comment this morning. That's a good one & I appreciate your sentiments.:)

[happy]

Derek,

Good posts

Good luck on your quest. I hope you get enough people to "see the light" so to speak.

[[deleted user]]

Thank you so much, happy. If we can't get them to see the light in the next in the next 5 years( approximately), we'll have no library at all. Even our opponents concede the fact that, without at least some renovations, the building will be condemned by then. It's not all that old(built in 1960), but it was built in a very flimsy fashion. And even for a small town of 15,000 people, it's much too small for any additions, which are much needed. But hey, all you can do is try.

[Jane]

The one in Binghamton used to be a Carnegie Library [they all looked the same] then the library outgrew it and they had to move. You can't imagine the dissention for, it must have been decades, on whether to rebuild new or to renovate somehing.!! They've been in a renovated supermarket, but you'd never know it had been one; they did a fantastic job remodelling. I don't go there; it's too impersonal. The one I go to in Vestal is smaller and the building is original, close to the high school my kids went to.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

That's novel (no pun intended) to renovate a supermarket and make it a library. It would no doubt have given them good broad floor space.

[Jane]

For once, Broome County did something right!!! :)

[Leland]

On one of the islands out here (not sure which one...there are quite a lot of islands in Puget Sound) there is a library in a tiny strip mall. I haven't visited it yet, but I'd like to.

[Dawn]

An abandoned Walmart is now a library in Texas:
http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content...

I had no idea that Walmart had so many abandoned buildings, just the fact that they use 698 million square feet of land in the U.S. is a bit impressive too. And maybe scary....

[Mark]

Dawn wrote: "An abandoned Walmart is now a library in Texas:
http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content...

I had no idea that Walmart..."
thats such a great looking library. such great idea to recycle a entire building.

derek dont you have an empty building you can use if the old library is past saving?

[Darcy]

Our main library is in an old The Bay store, a few smaller ones in plazas, between the pet shops and a hair salons.
I too like the idea of reusing a space. It can be an architectual education.

I'm with Mark, perhaps there can be a positive spin on what might be an inexpensive property market (not sure if your area has that sort of thing).

[Dawn]

All the ones around here are in purpose built structures. But I really like the idea of reusing space, that Walmart made quite a nice library.

[[deleted user]]

Dawn wrote: "An abandoned Walmart is now a library in Texas:
http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content...

I had no idea that Walmart..."

Definitely scary to me. I wish our Walmart would shut down & turn into a library. I used to work at Walmart & that place gives me the creeps. I avoid it at all costs.

[[deleted user]]

@Mark: That option is being explored, Mark. Unfortunately, most of the empty buildings here, that would be of a suitable size, are in similar condition to our current library building. The bottom line is: whether we build a new library, renovate the current library building, or renovate an existing building & move in there, we're going to need help from the city itself and/or the local taxpayers by way of a sales tax increase, or maybe an extension of our local property taxes, which are set to go down next year.
I think the people will eventually cave in. I just can't imagine the majority of this community being OK with having no library at all. I think that once that prospect becomes closer to being a reality, people will be more open to those options I mentioned. I sincerely hope so anyway. Maybe one of our local oil barons will step up & donate.;)

[Jane]

A latter-day Andrew Carnegie? After all, the original Andrew Carnegie built those libraries over 100 years ago. :)

[[deleted user]]

A latter day Carnegie would be a godsend.:)