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Public Libraries

6 years ago

Are public libraries still relevant in today's electronic information age?

I would hope they still are.  However, I ask as, in England at least, so many libraries are being shut down, merged, or reduced in their opening hours.  So I'm wondering.  Do you feel they are still relevant?  Do they need to change with the times in order to be relevant?  Are they a waste of taxpayer money that could be better spent on something else?

Public Libraries

6 years ago
I absolutely love libraries- for some reason they’re one of my favourite settings in stories, fantasy libraries at least. Lighthouses are a close second. I also enjoy going to libraries myself too, and find it a shame to hear they’re struggling to stay in business.

Also live in England and I used to go often to my local when studying for exams- I think they’re fairly well used by students (even though my library is horrendously loud. They host singing days for children ffs like who’s bright idea was that?), but don’t seem to really be used by the younger generation purely for reading. I suspect, sadly, reading has decreased in popularity dramatically since the World has been at peoples’ fingertips, and am generally appalled by how prevelant mobile use is instead of actually experiencing life in all manner of areas.

Who knows how it might change though. I like to think they’re relevant.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

I've always loved libraries myself, and, interestingly enough, lighthouses as well.  In our town, the two libraries were merged, and the one that remained is now closed three days a week, and open limited hours some other days.  It quite saddens me to see it, which makes me wonder if libraries are on their way out, or whether they need to adapt to stay.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
Fantasy libraries are great. Well that and the huge, old, super classy RL ones too. When I was a kid I always wanted to have a library like the one in Beauty and the Beast.



Public Libraries

6 years ago

That's pretty much how I envisage a good fantasy library"

Public Libraries

6 years ago
You can't beat them. There are two from books I read as a kid that have always remained important to me- I sometimes go back and read sections from the books.

'Lirael' by Garth Nix has a brilliant library with different rooms that require varying levels of librarian status to enter depending on how dangerous they are. Lirael, the main character with a strangely alien magic dog she accidentally created, explores the nooks and crannies with one-time-use animal skins she weaves over months with magic.

'Fire World' is another with quite a beautiful romance which develops in a library climbing high into the clouds, surrounded by a field of flowers. It's actually called a librarium because the fire world is a parallel Universe or something where people can 'imagineer' (create through imagination) whatever they want according to guidelines set by the illusive 'Higher', which appears to be some sort of governmentesque body. People can't imagineer in the librarium, but the building seems to shift its rooms depending on what you're looking for, though nobody knows what's past room 42 in the book.

They're both pretty odd series, but there's something mysterious about libraries that really draws me in. They've inspired several aspects of a few stories, usually majorly.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
This reminds me I still have rudimentary plans for a Myst-inspired game about a wizard exploring a magic library that exists in its own pocket universe after its caretaker disappears. I wanted to include short stories from forum members as book items as well as 'portal' books to mini worlds to solve puzzles in, and some kind of collect-the-pieces-of-the-shattered-McGuffin plot to glue it all together.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
The big, fancy libraries of the world are in no danger. The british national library, library of congress, and the NIH come to mind. They are of course still highly relevant - especially near any college campus (uni campus usually have their own libraries - not usually public). The BNL has technology integrated in many of its' exhibits and structures. Many libraries are being built and filled in developing countries around the world.

Small public town libraries may diminish but it's unlikely they will cease to be. Public records and educational materials are too important to completely lose access to for any town anywhere in the world. Information travels well by internet - fast and easy as it is - but sometimes you don't know what exactly you're looking for. Or it's so obscure it may only be found in a library as a hard copy of paper. Knowledge is free to have wherever you go, libraries will stay as they always have been and may update with technology but the information available will be stored as paper first and until it rots it will be read and used by someone somewhere.

Also there are far too many people in the world who love books to let libraries die :) I think most libraries (except the really big ones) will just upgrade tech or just become a storage for public documents as they probably started.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

I hope the people who love books do take a stand and refuse to allow public libraries to vanish.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
Libraries are cool but I mostly just visit ours when they do their book sales. Hardbacks for $1 and paperbacks for 50 cents, hell yes. Got a lot of collectibles with that sweet library binding and people donate some nice stuff that looks like it's never been opened. I pretty much only buy physical books for their looking pretty on a shelf value these days, but in the past I used to buy bucketloads because screw it, they were cheaper than dirt and I could dump them off at the used book store for credit later.

I think our library must do freakin babysitting during the summer or something because there's always some lady reading to a room full of munchkins. They also do computer classes and arts and crafts things? Or let people rent out rooms for them anyway. That and the fact that you can check out a bunch of audiobooks and fairly newish movies there must at least keep them semi-relevant even to people who don't care about reading.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
There's always one dickhead who brings their snotty, screaming spawn to the sacred quiet as well.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
My parents used to abandon me at the library by request when I was like, 11, so I didn't have to get dragged along on shopping trips. People probably don't do that anymore, but I was super good and well behaved since that was when people were expected to actually be quiet in libraries. Also before the invention of cell phones, and inconsiderate jackasses having normal volume conversations or kids playing noisy games on their cell phones.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

I have been buying books a bit these days, especially used books, as the library is closed so often here.  I hope they do find things to keep it relevant.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
My local library has several programs (mainly for kids), a decent amount of computers you can use (for an hour a day I believe), games and movies that can be rented out, and a 3-D printer.

Interestingly enough, it's actually expanded over the years, and now has three branches in the city (1 being in our mall).

They're all used so far as I'm aware, so yeah, they can still be relevant. They do have to expand to be about more than just books however.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

It's good to hear that yours is in such good shape!

Public Libraries

6 years ago
They have the one hour computers here too. I don't use them because they're gross and slow but I imagine they're pretty important for people who don't have computers at home. There's still some stuff (like job applications) you can't really do on a phone.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
Got to love libraries and hard copies (AKA books)! Especially when the EMP from a nukes sets us all back to the stone age.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

I recall reading a book once set in a post-apocolyptic setting, in which the adventurers where searching for an ancient library, precisely to obtain the knowledge from before.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
I preferred digital for textbooks because I never liked carrying an entire gym around on my back. But for pleasure reading, I vastly prefer hard copies.

Local libraries in small towns tend to get a fair amount of activity. But they do evolve with the times. Practically all of them have public computers and printing, which is really nice if you don't have a personal printer and there isn't a copy shop nearby. Apparently as people are pulling the plug on cable, some are turning to libraries to get movie access.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

It's just a case of the libraries adapting with the times, it seems.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
Didn't see this thread when it was new, but it's not off the first page yet so...

I prefer books to digital media. For some reason, when I read an actual book it commits to memory so much easier. Not like that digital stuff where if I set it aside for a few days or even hours, I have to go back and start over or else find something else to read/do entirely.

My first experience with a library was a gargantuan (to a young kid anyway) collection of books in a darkened building that covered half a city block and the rows of bookshelves seemed to go on for miles. It also doubled as a county museum and when I wasn't reading at one of the six large empty tables in a huge empty room, I was perusing the tiny exhibits and imagining myself in the scenes depicted or wielding the tools and weapons on display. It was an actual place of learning and should I ever return there, I'd like to see if their doors are still open.

They had a slide projector and would show little stories with morals to children. On rainy days, I'd go down and see if they'd gotten any new ones in since the fishing wasn't really that good and all the kids my age stayed in playing with their new Atari game consoles or watching some boring movie on their family's new VHS. There was always something new and exciting to learn about within those walls. It was great!

That's why I hope libraries make a comeback. I've been meaning to visit the local one here for a while now, but they are only open during the hours that my business is and I can't close the doors just to go on a book-finding scavenger hunt. Oh well, that's the price I have to pay for getting old, I guess.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

I too have never taken to reading books to digital media.

Nice memories you have there of your public library.  I can recall when I had just turned 4 years old and we moved to a new town.  My parents had to do all the things you have to do when moving to a new place, getting electricity, telephone service, etc.  Along with all that, they made sure to get library cards straight off.  That made an impression on me.

I hope people raise enough of a fuss and libraries start being open more hours.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

I also prefer physical to digital when it comes to reading, there's nothing quite like that "new book" smell, or even the smell of a well cared for old book. My partner has a 100 year old hardback from her great grandmother that she won't even let me touch, nevermind read, hah.

I've not had much experience with libraries, myself, mostly because I was never short of reading material growing up, and as an adult I tend to buy books online via ebay (99p for a 600 page paperback, yeah sure!) or newer books via amazon/goodreads. 

Bookstores, though. I absolutely love bookstores. Whether it be a small second hand book shop with 6 foot high shelves, or larger bookstores with the walls absolutely covered, I can easily spend hours just browsing and flicking through. There's a three floor Waterstones in Newcastle city center that I manage to find an excuse to go into every time I'm going through, and my (third) loyalty card (get a stamp for every time you spend a tenner) is currently half filled.

Public Libraries

6 years ago
Waterstones is so dope

Public Libraries

6 years ago

Libraries can be pretty relaxing and fun in their own way. ^-^

Public Libraries

6 years ago

I believe that the previous roles of libraries aren't as relevant anymore. There is simply no competition between the amount of information available in a library as opposed to world wide web.
Libraries certainly have had to branch out what they offer in order to be utilised. Many now offer children's reading sessions, summer programs, computers, printing, movies, showd and classes on computer literacy and community outreach. 
And because of this they certainly aren't a waste of taxpayer money, now whether the money could be better spent on other welfare or social programs offered by the government or other institutions through transfers is a very difficult argument to tackle. As of now though, I'm of the opinion that libraries could possibly use a bit more funding for wider selections and accomodations.

Public Libraries

6 years ago

Yes, times are changing, and I believe libraries can change with them, and so remain relevant.  It's really up to the public to make sure that happens.