Demise of Books and Libraries

[Derekl]

The library system is great - access to an enormous number of books, free. The supply in smaller branches can be sparse and may not be to your taste - I get the impression here that the local branches are orientated towards what the local community read. I have used the central libraries here in Solihull and in the past in York. Both seem to have a reasonable supply of fairly recent material and a lot of less recent.

 

More important, though, is the ability to browse, pick on something that takes your fancy, take it home and start reading it. Sometimes a revelation, other times less so, but so what - it has cost nothing. I might (and have) felt differently about impulse purchases of disappointing material when I have invested little short of a tenner.

 

In addition, purchases do tend to take up space and I will not throw them out.

 

The economics of the library system are easily monitored I guess, given that all libraries use the computerised issue system so it must be easy to find out how much of what is being read (or, at least, borrowed) by how many.

 

The public library system seems to me one of the hallmarks of a civilised society and I don't want to see it go, although I agree that it should adapt, as it has been doing.

 

And to add for the useless information department and whoever asked about Mills & Boon above: many thousands of unsold copies were used as part of the foundations of the M6 toll-road. Probably better than burning and a bit more functional.

[PhilJ W]

I thought the Fahrenheit 451 comment was deliberately ironic [and quite amusing] - was I wrong ?

 

Tony

Yes, we don't use Fahrenheit any more, we use Celsius (232.77 if your interested).

[Torn-on-the-platform]

Whilst a university library, Sheffield University's Information Commons (as well as its many other libraries) seem to be thriving. When I was a first year, I was under the impression that the only way to study properly was in the library. The only time there was difficulty getting a seat or a computer was during exam season. Five years later and its almost impossible to get a seat, let alone a computer at any time of year!

 

Whilst this isn't the same as a public library, they prove that there will always be a place for libraries in society. I personally prefer to avoid them - I like to own my own books and study alone (studying with other medical students can turn into an aggressive, demoralising competition), but I understand that going to a library gives great access to expensive resources, and in theory, a quiet place to study, with others around you to help out if required.

 

I gather that one of the bigger, council run libraries in my home borough in London is used in a similar manner by students, particularly those studying for A levels, or on study leave from University. It acts as a valuable community resource, further than just the 'traditional' library functions.

 

We may see fewer small, local libraries, but I very much doubt that the need for large central (ish) libraries will ever disappear.

[TheQ]

Sadly you only have access to hundreds / thousands of books if you live in a major city. If you use a small country library  there is little choice. If you want to order in a book you have to PAY. To go to a major Library, it would cost me a gallon of fuel (no public transport here) about six pounds thirty in fuel. + parking fees.

 The Q

[pH]

Books are a stoarge medium. so long as you don't chuck out the last copy it's OK.

  

Question is, how do you know when / if you hold the last-known copy?

  

If there's only one copy it probably wasn't that good a book anyway

One Sunday in the mid-1970s, one of the colour supplements referred to a book published in the mid-1950s as the starting point of the environmental movement in the UK. (Whether that was true is irrelevant.) By the Wednesday, the waiting list for the copy held by the British Library Lending Division (as it then was) contained several hundred requests. It appeared to be the only copy available for lending in the UK. I think an example like that shows you can't predict future demand based on previous use - a constant problem when weeding library collections.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Is this where I own up and say I work in a library?

 

As many have eluded to, the library of today is a very different animal from that before the internet age. Perhaps what we try to do today can be summed up in our primary outcomes:

 

* Increase literacy amongst children and adults

* Provide access to lifelong learning

* Improve public health and wellbeing

* Help people to use online information and increase their IT skills

* Address worklessness and promote regeneration in deprived areas

* Use library buildings as Hubs to enable a range oflocal services and groups to operate from one location

* Generate income to fund facilities and offset budget savings

 

So it's not just books and not just physical books either. We have audio books and e-books. Large scale maps of the area that we can print off online, as well as a complete set of (paper) OS Landrangers.

 

We have reading groups, both fiction and non-fiction. People come in to study quietly, use the internet, be shown HOW to use the internet. Toddlers come in for Wriggle & Rhyme; older people come in to use Ancestry to research their family history. We have displays and exhibitions, talks and consultations. Artists show off their work, musicians come in to perform. The local MP holds a regular surgery.

 

Libraries are one of the few public spaces available for anyone to use. Even railway modellers have been known to come in to find information about local stations they are modelling. So we get all sorts....!

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Oh, someone was asking how do we know if a book is a "last copy"? 

 

Our library management system flags this up if a member of staff tries to withdraw it. A librarian will make the decision whether it's kept, a new copy bought to replace it (if in poor condition and still in print), sold off or otherwise disposed of (usually because they're very out of date or falling apart).

[Oldddudders]

Even railway modellers have been known to come in to find information about local stations they are modelling. So we get all sorts....!

The reference section must surely be the heart of local history. OTOH, when I was at skool, 50 years ago, it was easy for me to drop into the local lending library and go and look at the latest Railway Magazine. I recall being blown away by finding a picture in there taken by our former Head Boy. Mind you, he then went on to become a barrister, railway author, a member of the TUCC (Transport Users Consultative Committee) and personal friend of several very senior railwaymen.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

I make sure we still take "The Railway Magazine", even though other magazines have fallen by the wayside.

 

Wonder who gets to read it first.........

 

We have even been known to have some members of RMweb in our library. Also a railway author who was researching something was very surprised that I recognised him.

[Karhedron]

Sadly you only have access to hundreds / thousands of books if you live in a major city. If you use a small country library  there is little choice. If you want to order in a book you have to PAY.

This is true but it is still far cheaper to pay a reservation fee than buy the book. My local library only charges 50 pence to bring in books that it does not hold (as long as there is a copy somewhere in the county).

[Dava]

Our village library has a local history section with books on the gypsum works and photos of the GC mainline you can't find anywhere else. as Western Sunset says, the library is a local resource which adapts to changing needs & we stopped the cost slashers from closing.

 

Dava

[sir douglas]

I love my local library (Wakefield), although i miss the feel of the old Drury lane library, the new one makes up for it with about 3 times as mush shelf space and about twice as many computers, i also keep to date with railway matters with the library's monthly copy of Railway magazine, in the museum is a dedicated local history library which i have spent alot of time in.

 

many schools are currently bringing in tablets to make lessons easier, but it worries me that one day schools might completely move off pen & paper, with computers and tablets.

 

another point from that is, every bodies hand writing is unique, would that be lost. you can tell you wrote something by recognizing the hand writing. but not if it was written on a computer and printed out, your handwriting is part of your personality.

[TheQ]

To order in a book from a local library in Norfolk it's 60P, but if from elsewhere it's four pounds fifty.

I must find where the pounds key is on this American keyboard!!

The Q

[Peter Kazmierczak]

To order in a book from a local library in Norfolk it's 60P, but if from elsewhere it's four pounds fifty.

I must find where the pounds key is on this American keyboard!!

The Q

 

Even at £4.50, your local library service will be subsidising part of the cost.

[kevinlms]

To order in a book from a local library in Norfolk it's 60P, but if from elsewhere it's four pounds fifty.

I must find where the pounds key is on this American keyboard!!

The Q

There probably isn't one, but try  Alt+0163.

[DDolfelin]

I am an ardent supporter of civic libraries - almost the imprint of a civilisation I feel.

Our nearest library doesn't charge for obtaining a book and will telephone free of charge when it arrives.

Good show all around.

 

Not so good:

The withdrawal of the Library Van (cuts). They estimated that only 580 people used it as opposed to a 98,000 population.

Those 580 people now subsidise the mainstream libraries from their rates.

 

Not so good:

Extensive refurbishments. Now they don't know if you're bringing a book back or taking it out.

 

Not so good:

There are 13 different places to look for a book if you know the author.

This includes huge shelves marked 'Crime'.

 

The newest innovation: Some books facing out instead of displaying the spine "to make it look like a bookshop".

 

But ... I wouldn't be without a civic library.