Why I still love going to the library... - Page 2

Fbone · 04-30-2011, 05:04 PM

I still wish my library would stamp the check-out cards. I always forget when my books are due.

mldavis2 · 05-01-2011, 08:22 AM

Libraries still have a purpose although they will be hit hard by budget cuts in the U.S. There are still some things that aren't replaced by eBooks:

Many books are still within copyright protected status, yet old enough not to be worth re-issuing in eBook format due to lagging sales. A lot of my sci-fi favorites fit in this category (David Eddings series for example), and the probability of their being available in eFormat is slim as the author is deceased and it is a niche or cult genre.

Libraries are staffed by librarians.

These people are trained to help readers find appropriate literature and reference material. Not all reference material is available online, especially historical reference material.

Genealogy is a big interest for many of us aging baby-boomers and libraries often have sections set aside for doing this type of research which can be expensive online.

Free services and book loans are important to help lower income persons and students acquire reading material at no personal expense. Not everyone can afford a computer and the monthly fees to keep it online.

Libraries provide a rack with hundreds of current magazine and newspaper issues. There are few online substitutes for this availability.

But libraries are in deep trouble. Funding cuts are laying off staff and reducing purchases. eBook interest is beginning to take traffic out of the library, and fuel costs are keeping people home more often. Things are changing, and not all for the better for those of modest means.

minspargal · 05-01-2011, 08:31 AM

I love libraries although most of the borrowing i do is e-books now. I still volunteer at our local library every week and shelve books.

faithbw · 05-01-2011, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

I still wish my library would stamp the check-out cards. I always forget when my books are due.

Does your library have your e-mail address? My library e-mails me a couple of days before a book is due. There's also a link in the e-mail to the library's website in case I want to renew a book.

I'm glad TPL does this because I always lose the receipts that have the due date on them.

Nyssa · 05-01-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minspargal

I love libraries although most of the borrowing i do is e-books now. I still volunteer at our local library every week and shelve books.

That is awesome! I volunteer in the library at the school my children attend. Its great being able to encourage children to read, especially the middle-school students. All of the elementary kids now know who I am and to which children I belong - that goes a long way when it comes to their getting involved, and using the library on a regular basis.

Fbone · 05-01-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faithbw

Does your library have your e-mail address? My library e-mails me a couple of days before a book is due. There's also a link in the e-mail to the library's website in case I want to renew a book.

I'm glad TPL does this because I always lose the receipts that have the due date on them.

Yes, they do. And I still forget

Dates and time are very recondite entities to me.

SolRaven · 05-03-2011, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stickybuns

With an ebook reader, I could ostensibly do all my reading from home (or the beach or where ever) and never step foot in another library.

My library is on the beach, so I can read at the library, and be entertained by their beach bum clientele.

grumpy3b · 05-03-2011, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

We should give the shelters computers so these guys can visit the eLibraries and scratch their digital bits.

a case of NIMBy? hmm?

sakman70 · 05-04-2011, 10:51 PM

There's an interesting concept here that I just learned about at a convention. Not sure how far along they are at this (or if it's already been discussed at this forum), but the trend in the future might be to bring your device to the library and get a download for free (one at a time also), but it seems to be in the works...

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives...r_can_they.php

grumpy3b · 05-04-2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakman70

There's an interesting concept here that I just learned about at a convention. Not sure how far along they are at this (or if it's already been discussed at this forum), but the trend in the future might be to bring your device to the library and get a download for free (one at a time also), but it seems to be in the works...

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives...r_can_they.php

An interesting idea but in a way quite inefficient given the energy costs to get a person to the library. The web is by far a more cost and energy efficient delivery mechanism.

Still I am truly amazed by the level of tech even at my small town library. I recently went there for the first time in probably 15 years and was floored at the changes from where they were. The free wifi's web connection runs around 20Mbps. Were it not for the fact I can't use the chairs they have there for more than about 10-15 minutes I would probably use them far more often.

tubemonkey · 05-04-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy3b

a case of NIMBy? hmm?

You gotta keep 'em separated

Spoiler:

tubemonkey · 05-05-2011, 12:03 AM

From the article in post 24:

Quote:

He told those present that "all the major trade publishers have agreed to work with aggregators to make it possible for libraries to offer e-book lending" with the addition of certain "controls." These controls would require library patrons to be onsite in order to access the e-books. And furthermore, libraries will only be able to lend one copy of an e-book to one individual at any given time.

grumpy3b · 05-05-2011, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

From the article in post 24:

Quote:

He told those present that "all the major trade publishers have agreed to work with aggregators to make it possible for libraries to offer e-book lending" with the addition of certain "controls." These controls would require library patrons to be onsite in order to access the e-books. And furthermore, libraries will only be able to lend one copy of an e-book to one individual at any given time.

Wow, I missed that in the article. Yeah at $5/gal for gas I want to drive to the library to read a $6 book. That works. But it does point to how publishers and some quarterly report Scrooge McDuck wants to kill not just the US library system but kill them on a global basis. Not even RIAA has stones like that.

Oh, geeze seems I wrote that not in the lighthearted way I was thinking about it. Just add a sense of wonder at the bald faced greed and insanity about the quoted "idea".

apbschmitz · 05-05-2011, 04:03 PM

In the St. Paul neighborhood where I live, going to the library is a real God-bless-America moment. The library is filled with kids, mostly Somalis, who are working out the computers, reading, studying, getting ahead. I doubt many of them have a computer hook-up in the house, so it's a place to take care of their web-ish business. But it's also a community center, a place for them to hang with their pals. Not very good for people who think a library must be quiet, but on the whole the commotion and energy is sweet.

Nawpkin · 05-06-2011, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stickybuns

With an ebook reader, I could ostensibly do all my reading from home (or the beach or where ever) and never step foot in another library. But if I did that, I would miss out on listening to the old guy seated behind me singing a loud and VERY off key rendition of a Cold Play tune!

It always amazes me how people have the gonads to do stuff like that in public. I always wonder, do they just not care or do they not realize they are as loud as they are? haha

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04-30-2011, 05:04 PM	#16
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,296 Karma: 101697116 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	I still wish my library would stamp the check-out cards. I always forget when my books are due.

05-01-2011, 08:22 AM	#17
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	Libraries still have a purpose although they will be hit hard by budget cuts in the U.S. There are still some things that aren't replaced by eBooks: Many books are still within copyright protected status, yet old enough not to be worth re-issuing in eBook format due to lagging sales. A lot of my sci-fi favorites fit in this category (David Eddings series for example), and the probability of their being available in eFormat is slim as the author is deceased and it is a niche or cult genre. Libraries are staffed by librarians. These people are trained to help readers find appropriate literature and reference material. Not all reference material is available online, especially historical reference material. Genealogy is a big interest for many of us aging baby-boomers and libraries often have sections set aside for doing this type of research which can be expensive online. Free services and book loans are important to help lower income persons and students acquire reading material at no personal expense. Not everyone can afford a computer and the monthly fees to keep it online. Libraries provide a rack with hundreds of current magazine and newspaper issues. There are few online substitutes for this availability. But libraries are in deep trouble. Funding cuts are laying off staff and reducing purchases. eBook interest is beginning to take traffic out of the library, and fuel costs are keeping people home more often. Things are changing, and not all for the better for those of modest means.

05-01-2011, 08:31 AM	#18
minspargal Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 154 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Device: sony reader	I love libraries although most of the borrowing i do is e-books now. I still volunteer at our local library every week and shelve books.

05-04-2011, 10:51 PM	#24
sakman70 Member Posts: 20 Karma: 556842 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Upstate NY Device: kindle (droid)	There's an interesting concept here that I just learned about at a convention. Not sure how far along they are at this (or if it's already been discussed at this forum), but the trend in the future might be to bring your device to the library and get a download for free (one at a time also), but it seems to be in the works... http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives...r_can_they.php

05-05-2011, 04:03 PM	#29
apbschmitz Lord of Frogtown Posts: 149 Karma: 1154748 Join Date: May 2011 Location: St. Paul MN Device: Kindle	In the St. Paul neighborhood where I live, going to the library is a real God-bless-America moment. The library is filled with kids, mostly Somalis, who are working out the computers, reading, studying, getting ahead. I doubt many of them have a computer hook-up in the house, so it's a place to take care of their web-ish business. But it's also a community center, a place for them to hang with their pals. Not very good for people who think a library must be quiet, but on the whole the commotion and energy is sweet.

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