Libraries, public, renaissance of: DDC 020.336

[Cyril Haearn]

Stopped in Schiedam (Nederland) on a Sunday, most of the shops were open and the library was open
In Germany public libraries are not allowed to open Sundays
Maybe they should open, is a library a leisure facility?

[Cyril Haearn]

The Grauniad reports that Trafford libraries will abolish fines, +1!

[Cyril Haearn]

Hi,
Oh crikes..........has it been that long

Must make a point about looking in..................almost walked past it yesterday

Will tell er indoors and she will probably remember to remind me................

Hey NA
Still waiting for your report, please go inside next time!
Thanks in advance

[hjd10]

About two years ago I attended a meeting at my library which was about how to increase usage.

I suggested fewer opening hours during the day, more in the evenings, and Sunday opening. I said this would mean the library would be open during more hours when people were not at work or school.

We were told that the council's staff would be unlikely to agree to such an approach.

Adapt or die.

I've often thought that libraries have missed a trick, I'd have thought that incorporating services such as a coffee shop that people want, would help get more customers through the door. It would be easy to add these services to some libraries, however when have local councils every come up with good ideas?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Hi,
Oh crikes..........has it been that long

Must make a point about looking in..................almost walked past it yesterday

Will tell er indoors and she will probably remember to remind me................

Hey NA
Still waiting for your report, please go inside next time!
Thanks in advance

Will tell er indoors when she gets in to remind me again, old style library used to be a regular thing.
are you local or just interested in modern Library's ?

Well was given orders to go there today, Auto opening doors - Café full of OAP's - Some books waiting to be taken home via a self scan - some sort of community benefits section - many computers to surf on - a lift and staircase to an viewing area, not sure what to view, street full of cars and buses - conference rooms - another library with old Paignton books etc - took about ten minutes - some middle age love birds kissing on the stairs - well its some where to go and get warm for free - probably much more - but maybe somewhere to go when I am older and need a stick.

Most of the stuff Torbay Council does fails almost overnight or costs every year for the next 25 years, one of the worst councils in the country, even gets a mention in the house of commons
Plenty white elephants to employ mates etc.

[pwa]

Judging by my own family, the future of our nearest library does not look good. My mother (in her 80s) once used libraries a lot, but her books now come handed on by friends or from charity shops. My son doesn't read fiction much but my daughter seems to have a book on the go all the time. But she buys them. As a family we go into the library when we want new recycling bags for garden waste, which the councils sells there. It is just not how we get our reading matter any more.

[Cyril Haearn]

Hi,

Hi,
Oh crikes..........has it been that long

Must make a point about looking in..................almost walked past it yesterday

Will tell er indoors and she will probably remember to remind me................

Hey NA
Still waiting for your report, please go inside next time!
Thanks in advance

Will tell er indoors when she gets in to remind me again, old style library used to be a regular thing.
are you local or just interested in modern Library's ?

Well was given orders to go there today, Auto opening doors - Café full of OAP's - Some books waiting to be taken home via a self scan - some sort of community benefits section - many computers to surf on - a lift and staircase to an viewing area, not sure what to view, street full of cars and buses - conference rooms - another library with old Paignton books etc - took about ten minutes - some middle age love birds kissing on the stairs - well its some where to go and get warm for free - probably much more - but maybe somewhere to go when I am older and need a stick.

Most of the stuff Torbay Council does fails almost overnight or costs every year for the next 25 years, one of the worst councils in the country, even gets a mention in the house of commons
Plenty white elephants to employ mates etc.

Hey NA
No I am not local just interested, I did work in the book trade many years ago
Diolch yn fawr iawn

[Vorpal]

I love libraries. Not only do I use the library regularly, but I take my kids, too. When I was in the UK, our village library was busy on the days it was open (IIRC, Tues, Thurs, Sat). They had story time for the little ones on weekday mornings, and the local preschool came in sometimes, too. There were often a few people standing about chatting, and the hour or so after school was busy, too. Some of the children got books or DVDs from the village library that they ordered from other libraries; series of young adult novels & stuff like that.

[Cyril Haearn]

I love libraries. Not only do I use the library regularly, but I take my kids, too. When I was in the UK, our village library was busy on the days it was open (IIRC, Tues, Thurs, Sat). They had story time for the little ones on weekday mornings, and the local preschool came in sometimes, too. There were often a few people standing about chatting, and the hour or so after school was busy, too. Some of the children got books or DVDs from the village library that they ordered from other libraries; series of young adult novels & stuff like that.

Standing about chatting, is that allowed?
The storytelling sessions are good for grownups too, +1

[Mick F]

Judging by my own family, the future of our nearest library does not look good. My mother (in her 80s) once used libraries a lot, but her books now come handed on by friends or from charity shops. My son doesn't read fiction much but my daughter seems to have a book on the go all the time. But she buys them. As a family we go into the library when we want new recycling bags for garden waste, which the councils sells there. It is just not how we get our reading matter any more.

Spot on.

[gbnz]

at my library which was about how to increase usage.

I suggested fewer opening hours during the day, more in the evenings, and Sunday opening. I said this would mean the library would be open during more hours when people were not at work or school.
.

Hmm.....following relocation, I dropped into my local library as a priority.

Or would have done, but turned out that despite being the main, central library in the county, it closes at 5.30pm weekdays, doesn't open any evenings and is closed at weekends. In short, I need to be >67 or have a P45 to use it

[JohnW]

Personally, I think that they should close them all and the councils could spend more money on other stuff. Stuff that the people use, rather than a small minority.
....................

Mick...............surely that was said tongue in cheek.

[Vorpal]

at my library which was about how to increase usage.

I suggested fewer opening hours during the day, more in the evenings, and Sunday opening. I said this would mean the library would be open during more hours when people were not at work or school.
.

Hmm.....following relocation, I dropped into my local library as a priority.

Or would have done, but turned out that despite being the main, central library in the county, it closes at 5.30pm weekdays, doesn't open any evenings and is closed at weekends. In short, I need to be >67 or have a P45 to use it

Essex may not be the most cycle-friendly county, but it is library-friendly. The Colchester & Chelmsford libraries are open 'til 6:30 pm and also on Saturdays & Sundays. Most village libraries are open at least a few hours outside 'office' hours (e.g. Saturday morning), and even some tiny places get mobile library service.

Some libraries in Essex also have homework help or homework club just after school lets out.

[Mick F]

Personally, I think that they should close them all and the councils could spend more money on other stuff. Stuff that the people use, rather than a small minority.
....................

Mick...............surely that was said tongue in cheek.

Nope.
Not at all.

Close the libraries, turn them into housing.
Spend the money on street cleaning, local services, cheaper parking at hospitals, better bus services, road repairs, hedge clearing and tree felling.
Loads of stuff could be done instead of spending on libraries.
If you want a book, go into a charity shop and buy one. When you've read it, take it back.

[Lawrie9]

Most libraries will go as councils seem to be going bust all over the place. The big ones were fantastic places and I used to use the photocopier and got vinyl records out as well.