Are libraries outdated?

tenofspades

tenofspades

tenofspades

Associate
Joined
10 Apr 2021
Posts
223
Libraries cost 5% of a person's council tax. (approx, that's just an example of one council)

Are they outdated when a person can buy/download books really easily these days?

I am quite fond of libraries but you visit then and the books are always so old, I do like the use of the computer at a library though.

I guess in the old days libraries were a way the wealthy paid a bit more, and allowed anyone to loan out modern books. A treasure trove of knowledge back then and literary enjoyment. Now it's more difficult to see what libraries stand for, a city will have about 10 libraries but there'll be one or two main ones, and the rest starved back to part-time hours.

What do you think? Have they still got a place? When is the last time you visited a library, and why?
 
We went a couple of months ago to print off some stuff.

I don't want them to go anywhere, they're very useful places, particularly for the elderly. It gives them a reason to leave home and go read, keeps the old grey matter going. It's also a social space for a lot of people, to have a chat and catch up on who's curtains have been twitching the most in the 'hood lately.
 
I've not had anything to do with a public library since the late 90s. From some Googling the one in the town I work in seems to be combined with providing some social care services which would make sense as a way to combine costs.
 
Certainly have a place.

Knowledge and reading must be freely available to all.

I've not used them for years but have no problem my council tax funding them.

I always read books in book form, feels more an activity and less draining on the eyes than staring at a screen.

E: They also have pcs for people to use if they can't afford to run one at home. A lifeline nowadays.
 
Last edited:
As a kid in the 80s/90s I went to the library all the time, we were poor and that's how we got books. Early reading ability had a big positive impact on my education. If we had to buy books I wouldn't have had them. I also did summer activities at the library - design / digital media things, pretty good.

If you gave me the choice of 5% council tax back, or keeping the library, I'm taking the 5% because the library is providing no value to me right now. A lot of things my taxes are spent on provide no value to me. :(

Main libraries have a "Russia can't make it go away by cutting undersea cables / EMP" value, so I wouldn't want that knowledge store to be completely lost, but does my town need a small library? Not really.
 
Last edited:
How in the world does a library cost so much money.. They must be all paid for building cost wise, they don't buy tons of books and they have like 3 minimum wage employees.
Where's all that money going?
 
ChroniC said:
How in the world does a library cost so much money.. They must be all paid for building cost wise, they don't buy tons of books and they have like 3 minimum wage employees.
Where's all that money going?
Click to expand...

Leased in a lot of cases. Otherwise building maintenance ain't cheap. Probs get fleeced on some IT contracts. Dunno what the deal is with the books either, may be some sort of contract around them.
 
There are mobile Library's which are fantastic in my opinion, one parks about 50 yards from my house every Friday and I can get them to bring me any book in the County area Library system ( I think the entire UK if you search the database of other Counties and get the code for the book you want )
I find that incredibly handy personally since I can order a bunch of nice hardbacks that would have cost a fair bit in shops.
I dont want to see them end.
 
Last edited:
Local library here is more like a community center. Worth it in my opinion, not everyone will use them but for some they are vital.

Where is the 5% figure coming from?
 
No.. not everyone can afford to have a computer or internet at home. My local library is more of an internet cafe for people to apply for jobs.
They also run local banking there, the banks take turns on different days to run banking services.
Citizens Advice Bureau also operates from there and so does the local council.

Where would I go to get my green food waste bags?!
I did look at the books on offer in the areas of my interest and quite frankly there was none! I have better Chess, Finance, Management, IT books at home.. I should really ask if I can donate some.

But the fiction and kids books looks modern enough...

When I was a kid I used to walk to the local library to borrow books, Tapes and vinyls (CDs had only just come out and by the time they was mainstream, I stopped going)... on the odd times I would book a study room.
 
Our local libraries are called Gateways and combine a few other services as well including out of hours doctors, and special services for children.
 
I use ours at least once a week. If they stopped the library service a lot of stuff also falls by the wayside, ebooks, talking books, community activities, classes etc. Access to council services, filling out forms, advice centres. Just somewhere nice to sit, warm and read or use a computer while in town.

They do have new books but why not read old ones too? Definitely worth 5% and maybe more.
 
Which council?

Not all councils are the same, nor are all libraries*. For example my council spend about 1.5% of income on the Libraries, which like some of the other users have said, are also centres for things like banking (we've gone from about 7 banks/building societies to 1 on our highstreet), contact points for the council, meetings about local services and planning applications, clubs for kids to help them read etc (especially in the summer holidays), it also hosts the local theatre, it's where the jobcentre will send you to do things like apply for jobs if you don't have a computer at home (and IIRC the librarians will help with various things), it's where you can easily print something off, or get it photocopied.
Also IIRC the likes of the local library can be used as an emergency shelter/gathering place if you're evacuated from your house due to a fire nearby (schools are also often used), as

A lot of stuff is still only really available in paper form if you want the known reliable version, or it's older.

*Especially if for example you're looking at the year when a major library refurbishment is billed in.
 
Agree with @Hagar - libraries are worth the 5% and maybe more. While important for kids and perhaps the elderly, I've also gone there quite a bit in the past as an adult, although not as much in 2025, just to read. Somewhere quiet, warm and a change of scenery from your home is nice.
 
I initially read this title as "Are liberals outdated?"

Good job I checked the rest of the thread without going straight into my response.......... :cry:
 
I worked in a library for a year in the early 2000s. Not including the staff computers, it had around a dozen internet-ready computers that could be used by the public. This was a way of keeping libraries current.

Nowadays, it's quite common for a library to be part of a leisure centre. Where my mum lives, her library is part of her leisure centre, which is also the GP surgery and the local police. This is probably to save costs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom