My local library is a MESS

Lobolover · 04-20-2008, 05:48 PM

I can never find what I want.Seriously,they only have it via a leter,so you have to go through hundreds of books to shelves ridiculously close to the ground,so that your kidneys get cold siting on the floor,going through two sides of a bookcase either to miss the book youre looking for and look like an idiot when the librarian finds it in a minute,or find out its not there,but in the back OR in their storage in my old school-from where I couldn't take any books,even when I went to school there.Course,they also lack dozens of the books I'd wanna find.

anyone have this kinda problem?

Ervserver · 04-20-2008, 08:23 PM

NO, not been to the library in many years. Buy all my books from Amazon

DaleDe · 04-20-2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lobolover

I can never find what I want.Seriously,they only have it via a leter,so you have to go through hundreds of books to shelves ridiculously close to the ground,so that your kidneys get cold siting on the floor,going through two sides of a bookcase either to miss the book youre looking for and look like an idiot when the librarian finds it in a minute,or find out its not there,but in the back OR in their storage in my old school-from where I couldn't take any books,even when I went to school there.Course,they also lack dozens of the books I'd wanna find.

anyone have this kinda problem?

You might suggest they use index cards and build an index system like every other modern library on the planet. 3x5 cards can do wonders for searching for a book.

Dale

cmbs · 04-20-2008, 09:14 PM

I think you should just go up to the librarians and tell them what you want and let them find it. That will solve that. Is there an online catalog so you can browse from home and go in prepared?

You could also bring in a blanket for floor sitting shelf browsing.

Patricia · 04-20-2008, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

You might suggest they use index cards and build an index system like every other modern library on the planet. 3x5 cards can do wonders for searching for a book.

Dale

I haven't seen a card index for over a decade. All the libraries I visit use a computerised cataloguing system.

DaleDe · 04-20-2008, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patricia

I haven't seen a card index for over a decade. All the libraries I visit use a computerised cataloguing system.

Yea, I was getting a bit over the top here wasn't I. But if there is nothing a card beats nothing. It's what my church library uses but they may be going to computer soon.

Dale

montsnmags · 04-20-2008, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Yea, I was getting a bit over the top here wasn't I. But if there is nothing a card beats nothing. It's what my church library uses but they may be going to computer soon.

Dale

I have never used a library. It is an anathema to my book-shopping, text-hoarding, buy-stuff-because-I'm-feeling-depressed, must-own-what-I-read self.

However, I must say that those "cards" in their Dewey or Universal Decimalised cabinets are some of the most attractive items of itemisation I have ever grokked. There is something so extraordinarily "tidy" and practically archaic about them, with their badly-varnished-and-flaking drawers, the pitted and unpolished brass handles, and the yellowing and stiff bits of sometimes handwritten cards inside that smell like a mix of the requisite mothballs and an aging, particulate dissembly that just makes my head sizzle and my spine fizzle.

Okay, possibly, I should seek help. Likely, I won't.

Cheers,
Marc

Lobolover · 04-21-2008, 09:02 AM

cmbs-I ask,but they always tell me to find it myself.also,their the only library in the area,and one of the many departments of a library chain that is around the entiere city,so that may be a problem.

cmbs · 04-21-2008, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lobolover

cmbs-I ask,but they always tell me to find it myself.also,their the only library in the area,and one of the many departments of a library chain that is around the entiere city,so that may be a problem.

What do you do when you go to a place of business and you are treated rudely? Go spend your money somewhere else. Unfortunately this is different. You could try a different branch. You could try writing to the library board - public libraries are paid for by taxpayers and belong to the public! The librarians really should be more willing to help, particularly if their filing system is a mess only they understand.

If this is systemic, it's time for new leaders.

You could move!

Our librarians, all I've ever met in the parish, are very nice and helpful.

Lobolover · 04-21-2008, 03:01 PM

ehm-ive an old debt from a certain villiage library thats a part of the chain,so I can't realy go screaming bloody murder.

cmbs · 04-21-2008, 03:41 PM

Pay the debt.

Lobolover · 04-21-2008, 04:10 PM

do I look like Rotchild ?

JSWolf · 05-01-2008, 04:07 PM

I agree. Paying your library fine is a good idea if you want to continue to use your local library.

Lobolover · 05-01-2008, 05:35 PM

it's not MY library fine,and it was froma library that BECAME A PART of our local library organisation.And considering THAT library used to be open ONE DAY for two hours,and that it's in a cul-de-sac villiage not easy to get to-

mjh215 · 05-05-2008, 08:25 AM

I still visit the library regularly. But I must admit I find less and less of what I'm looking for there. Just this previous weekend they had a booksale, and cleaned off some shelves, one topic in particular was one I frequent. It went from three bookcases down to two shelves.

They have increased certain other collections. Ones I noted were a large supply of graphic novels (comics) and DVD's. Every year it seems they increase they're 'digital' resources. What fun it was for me to be scanning through titles with some guy streaming rap music while doing whatever 'research' he was supposedly involved in.

I get most of my books at fleamarkets, truth be told. Paying a quarter to a dollar for a book that's been out of print for fifty to one hundred and fifty years is nice.

-MJ

04-20-2008, 05:48 PM	#1
Lobolover Gorosei Posts: 421 Karma: 334 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Microsoft Word	My local library is a MESS I can never find what I want.Seriously,they only have it via a leter,so you have to go through hundreds of books to shelves ridiculously close to the ground,so that your kidneys get cold siting on the floor,going through two sides of a bookcase either to miss the book youre looking for and look like an idiot when the librarian finds it in a minute,or find out its not there,but in the back OR in their storage in my old school-from where I couldn't take any books,even when I went to school there.Course,they also lack dozens of the books I'd wanna find. anyone have this kinda problem?

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04-20-2008, 08:23 PM	#2
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	NO, not been to the library in many years. Buy all my books from Amazon

04-20-2008, 09:14 PM	#4
cmbs non-believer Posts: 384 Karma: 713 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: Cybook Gen 3, JetBook Lite	I think you should just go up to the librarians and tell them what you want and let them find it. That will solve that. Is there an online catalog so you can browse from home and go in prepared? You could also bring in a blanket for floor sitting shelf browsing.

04-21-2008, 09:02 AM	#8
Lobolover Gorosei Posts: 421 Karma: 334 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Microsoft Word	cmbs-I ask,but they always tell me to find it myself.also,their the only library in the area,and one of the many departments of a library chain that is around the entiere city,so that may be a problem.

04-21-2008, 03:01 PM	#10
Lobolover Gorosei Posts: 421 Karma: 334 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Microsoft Word	ehm-ive an old debt from a certain villiage library thats a part of the chain,so I can't realy go screaming bloody murder.

04-21-2008, 03:41 PM	#11
cmbs non-believer Posts: 384 Karma: 713 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: Cybook Gen 3, JetBook Lite	Pay the debt.

04-21-2008, 04:10 PM	#12
Lobolover Gorosei Posts: 421 Karma: 334 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Microsoft Word	do I look like Rotchild ?

05-01-2008, 04:07 PM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I agree. Paying your library fine is a good idea if you want to continue to use your local library.

05-01-2008, 05:35 PM	#14
Lobolover Gorosei Posts: 421 Karma: 334 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Microsoft Word	it's not MY library fine,and it was froma library that BECAME A PART of our local library organisation.And considering THAT library used to be open ONE DAY for two hours,and that it's in a cul-de-sac villiage not easy to get to-

05-05-2008, 08:25 AM	#15
mjh215 Guru Posts: 988 Karma: 12653 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: None of your business	I still visit the library regularly. But I must admit I find less and less of what I'm looking for there. Just this previous weekend they had a booksale, and cleaned off some shelves, one topic in particular was one I frequent. It went from three bookcases down to two shelves. They have increased certain other collections. Ones I noted were a large supply of graphic novels (comics) and DVD's. Every year it seems they increase they're 'digital' resources. What fun it was for me to be scanning through titles with some guy streaming rap music while doing whatever 'research' he was supposedly involved in. I get most of my books at fleamarkets, truth be told. Paying a quarter to a dollar for a book that's been out of print for fifty to one hundred and fifty years is nice. -MJ