NEWS: The Death of Libraries and the Birth of the Free Media Hub

I know. I wasn't addressing the article, so much as I was addressing peoples' irrational preoccupation with books.

I think libraries as we've traditionally known them, huge rooms with books and librarians that are simultaneously directors of knowledge and archeologists of books (as well as artists in restoration), are changing. What they're slowly becoming is a weird mixture of Border's clerk, Starbuck's barista, and information desk jockey. I have the absolute respect for librarians; I have little respect for administrators whom run libraries like Blockbusters.

Libraries are slowly becoming media hubs instead of a community's spritius mundi.

By the way, when you begin a serious dialogue with someone, it's not very nice to begin your point with the phrase, "Fuck you, you retarded ass."
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[EDITED OUT STUPID GRAMMAR ARGUMENT]

[Edited on Jan 09, 2005 by christopher]

I think libraries as we've traditionally known them, huge rooms with books and librarians that are simultaneously directors of knowledge and archeologists of books (as well as artists in restoration), are changing. What they're slowly becoming is a weird mixture of Border's clerk, Starbuck's barista, and information desk jockey. I have the absolute respect for librarians; I have little respect for administrators whom run libraries like Blockbusters.

Libraries are slowly becoming media hubs instead of a community's spritius mundi.


[Edited on Jan 09, 2005 4:02PM]

I think you are an idiot. Do you go to the library...ever?

Yeah, I love libraries. But they do tend to be noisier than they used to be, which pisses me off. Kids running around un-shushed. It's just not right.

free coffee in downtown denver?? I'm there!!

You don't know a whole lot about grammar: Wolfwood's is correct, you retarded ass. I'm pretty appositive those aren't two independent clauses (note the lack of a verb in the second "clause").

I think that small lending libraries have always tried to appeal to as wide a variety of patrons as possible, so I don't see that a shift in format in their collections is necessarily a sign of the End Times. Of course, I'm an academic librarian, so I'll bow to Salty as the authority, here.

[Edited on Jan 09, 2005 by fatdavid8]

I'll concede the grammar argument. It was way of pointing out that it was probably not the nicest way to begin an argument and a quick way to get flagged. It's inflammatory to begin a comment with "Fuck you, you retarded ass,"
or even avoid any sort of discourse by replacing it with derision, as Salty did. If you're going to object to my point, object to it (as you've done) and avoid the senseless name calling.
My point, and I believe the point of the editor in Denver, is that libraries are using tax money to purchase CDs and DVDs for people to use as though it were a video rental store. Libraries have become noisy, at least the downtown library in Portland, as well as the Denver library. Books that can exist for decades on shelves, as the author of the original article points out, are being replaced by media that is, at the very best, temporary. Book collections are beginning to dwindle, as statistics from the book publishing industry can attest, as what little money goes toward alternative media.

I agree with Wren's sentiment about missing the quiet solemnity of the library.

They are not being replaced by media. Libraries are losing money. Libraries need patrons in order to get the tax dollars that are very much needed. I go to the library on the regular basis and I am also a librarian.

I don't think that you are in any position to determine what should or should not be available at a public library. Public being an very important word here. If some of the public (ie teenagers who might be at a library instead of running the streets) want Ashley Simpson, you really thing that it shouldn't be provided? Sounds like censorship to me.

You also bring up a point that books that sit on shelves are being replaced by "temporary media". I think you need to learn a little more about how libraries survive and what their purpose is before you start going off about "temporary media". Libraries serve people and hold a whole lot of information. Popular music might be one of things made availbel but I don't see why that would be a problem. If people check it out and the rest of the collection still exists (the classics, encyclopedias, medcial books, you name it) what does it matter?

Especially to you Christopher?

BTW...you don't run the boards or make the rules.

sorry for the typos...I"m not used to this little keyboard...

You're not making sense. How are DVDs and CDs so very different from books when it comes to a library lending them out? Why is this like a "rental store" and why are you drawing the comparison?

I work in a library... Not only have we become Blockbuster and Virgin but we are also a babysitting service and free internet gaming place. Parents drop their 4-14yr olds off and eventually, hours later, come back to get them. The kids sit on the internet all day playing video games... Free child care as far as the parents are concerned. They probably ("hopefully" I should say since they are leaving them unattended) don't know that libraries are also a popular hangout spot for child molsters for this very reason... but I am off subject...

At my library we check out far more DVDs, VHS and CDs than books. I am glad it is a service that the library offers but it is kinda sad in a way too. You have no idea how many times a day I hear a parent tell me that they love that we have movies to keep their kids busy at home. We have families with kids who never check out a single book, only audio materials. We also have parents come in and ask for books off their kids school reading lists on tape or CD. Don't get me wrong, we have plently of patrons that check out books including kids... but some of our patrons wouldn't even notice if we took the books out of the library. They don't care, plus, hey it'd make room for more internet PCs and DVDs!!


rant.over.

That's pretty fucked. No wonder kids are getting dumber by the minute.

I say this not as a critic of what you do, but as someone very curious: what is the relationship between patrons and funding? That is, how is funding determined based on people who borrow books?

I completely agree that "the public" is important in determining what does and does not go into a library. As a citizen, I am in a position to critique what I believe to be a serious mismanagement of libraries' resources.

Well, I don't think Ashley Simpson will keep kids off the street, but I do agree with your view on censorship. I always thought of libraries as being primarily about giving books to people lending them books that they themselves did not have access to. I just think there should be a balance between giving the public access to their culture, popular or humanitarian, and keeping it from resembling a Virgin Megastore (which is the author's point.)

I'm not worried about the classics, or encyclopedias, etc., but new literature that is springing up all over the world. Is this being purchased in libraries whose budgets are spent on new movies? I don't mean disrespect in this question, but I am very curious about how much is actually spent on media compared with books

Finally, I completely agree with this. I don't make the rules, run the boards, tell people what to say or not to say, etc. But I do try to show people with whom I disagree some amount of respect, not because I think they're right or I'm right, but because it's polite. I completely appreciate your comments if they're intelligent, critical, thorough, and clear. I don't appreciate comments when they're inflammatory, when they are empty provocations, or when they attack for the sake of attacking.

I don't make the rules, but I do try to follow them.

[Edited on Jan 09, 2005 10:47PM]

[Edited on Jan 09, 2005 by christopher]

I hope you have a library like that around you. If you do, you should feel very very lucky. There is not a single library in my system that is quiet once the doors open to the public. Our budget is also getting cut nearly every year, they are depending more and more on "Friends" groups to raise money or overdue/lost/damaged fines which are only somewhat predictable. And, though our libraries are "non-profit" a profit is made... I couldn't tell you where it goes but my guess is the library director's salary of $100k or the board of county commissioners...?

I don't know how any other library systems run, but I can tell you whats happening with mine...

Our tax funds part of our budget come out of taxes people pay on their homes (property taxes), it doesn't matter if they come in or not. Another part of our budget comes from the overdue/lost/damaged fees that I mentioned before. I couldn't give you exact numbers but I know the larger part comes from the property tax.

Funding about what gets ordered is based on several things... We collect some sex/race/age info to see who is checking out what. They also look at what type of materials are being checked out at each library. Many of our items are based on those stats. We also get grants which are for ordering very specific things like childrens books or reference books, etc. Patrons can also place a request for the library to purchase something (though you'd be waiting a long long time to get it). With more patrons checking out more audio/video materials the stats lean in that direction so they get ordered. And we are getting a lot... it hasn't got to the point where I would say it is replacing books but it is at least equal, at least for fiction, non-fiction only seems popular to kids doing reports or people buying a pet. (Or to me cause I like true-crime and psych books.)

This is just my system and how I have seen it in the 7 yrs I have been there. Like I said, I don't know about other systems, maybe mine is even more corrupt than even I thought... I type as I see...

Um, anyway, now that you know more about my library system than you ever wanted to... I will stop. This ended up being much longer than I intended. YAY for you if you made it this far!



[Edited on Jan 10, 2005 by Khalista]

I used to go to the library with my mom when I was little too. Every once in a while we would go to the Cincinnati Public Library. I miss going there, I havent thought about that in years! I wonder if it's the same... O.o

Christopher,

I agree that as a citizen, you can critiique whatever you want.

Libraries are fighting to keep heads above water. Budgets are cut all over the place --i n Philadelphia by 50% and in Buffalo by over 70% (bye-bye to that library system). Information technology is taking users away (that is not the only reason). State governments are cutting budgets left and right. Libraries have to serve thier patrons.

I never said that Ashley SImpson would keep teens off the street. My point (and I think you are aware of it) is that teens use the library too. I don't think that there is anything wrong with providing some pop culture to our youth or to anyone. WHo are we to judge what others like, want to listen to, or find inspiring.

I agree that we don't want to short change contemporary literature. I'd be curious to hear what authors you feel are left out of your library system. I'd also be curious to know how many patrons would want those books?

Contemporary literature can be a difficult thing to collect There is so much of it and it's rarely reviewed. If patrons are not familiar with the author, they may not check out the item. Things like book clubs and reading groups can help with this. Maybe you could start one?

Libraries are great places that serve a lot of people. Unfortunately yes...as many have pointed out, they are becoming noisey (and sometimes stinky too). This has more to do with some of the social problems in this country and less to do with library administration,

My library serves a lot of homeless (and believe me stinky) patrons. some of them excel through the programs we offer (computer classes, job searching). some of them just have a warm place to stay during the day and something to do.

From what I can see and what I read...library administrators (for the most part) are doing the best that they can with the dwindling resources that they have.

I don't feel criticized for what I do. I do feel passionate about libraries (yes I"m a dork) and I will defend them. Especially when discussing library policies and politics with someone who doesn't go to the library (at least that's how it seems).

I'm glad you try to follow rules. Like a good boy should. I've always had a problem with that. Do you always use the crosswalk too?


[Edited on Jan 10, 2005 by Salty]

Is there a reply forthcoming, christopher?

I remember the ol' Portland Library.

The building was one of the best for libraries I've ever seen.. I was impressed at the comic selection the system offered and teh Flux got her library card.