Are libraries outdated?

I guess adapt or die springs to mind.
I would be sad if we lost our library however they do (and ours has) need to diversify.
like many I guess ours has a pc corner, but they also have lego club and craft events on for either parents and babies or young kids up to 7 or 8 perhaps (with literary themes) and we always used to enrole our lad in the summer reading challenges.
He used to go to the Lego club and one of the craft things each week. could be a coincidence but he is doing really really well in English / reading at school. his time at the library certainly didn't do him any harm.
 
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Used to go all the time when I was a kid because it was a great way to get books that I wouldn't have been able to afford/read otherwise. I think I read all 100 odd of the 'Biggles' books from our library when I was 10/11! Stopped going at around 16 (outside of the uni library for studying) - but now I'm 35 and have a 3 year old we go probably every single Saturday.

For me, the only 'outdated' element of the library is that the opening hours just don't work for a working person. Our local library's hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday and 9-4 on a Saturday - then closed on a Sunday. It's just baffling to me. I'd love to go on the way back from nursery collection some days but not a chance - and if we have something planned on a Saturday we can't then go on a Sunday because 1 of the 2 non-working days at the weekend it's fully closed.

It'd be a huge shame if we lost libraries, . I'd rather a larger % of my council tax went towards the library than on some of the other slightly ropey council choices.
 
I went to the library quite a lot when I was a kid, and I've been quite a few times in the last few years now that I have kids. I wouldn't want them to go, they are one of the few community cornerstones left in many areas.

Plenty of less worthy things that councils ***** money on if cuts are needed IMO.
 
tenofspades said:
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Are they outdated when a person can buy/download books really easily these days?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?
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Yes, they offer a place of community,they get to meet other kids and you know...interact.
People moan about kids getting ADHD etc and then go ' do we need books or libraries '
Or the fact kids have nothing to do...

List goes on, they are an integral part of kids growing up to me.


Ipads etc for kids...no thanks.

Parent of a 4 year old who is absolutely amazing at reading and loves the library sooo much.

Well worth the money.
 
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All the local ones to me have been shut down in the last 10 years, shame as they offered plenty of services that elder people used, free computer courses, printing etc.

Towards the end they were one of a few places you could rent video games from too
 
Don't use one and haven't personally for years, but I think they are a fantastic resource, one of the ever reducing number of places you can go without a need to spend money, for both adults and children, gives people access to a whole host of resources not just literal books as others have already mentioned.

My parents regularly use one as Essex work with London libraries so the number of books they have access to is thousands upon thousands and they tend to prefer reading a physical book but are trying to avoid buying more as they age :D
 
Yes - but give it 5 years and they will boom again, as people grow tired of AI-generated tosh filling their senses, and crave the work of real people once again.
 
Went to mine last year for the first time since the early 2000's as they have a ebook platform.

I happily support them instead of another subscription model such as Amazon and Kindle.
 
Brilliant for kids.
We’re in our local library most weekends with our 4 year old.
 
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I still greatly miss my old local library , it was in a quiet part of the town where I lived in nw london, used to love going there and just chilling out then they demolished it along with the little youth centre next door and built high rise flats, then there was a stabbing 5 months after the tenants moved in! London progress. ...
 
My local "Community Hub" as its called, is pretty busy. Lots of groups meet there including a daily parents and kids group that do a group read and singalong, a coffee and biscuits get together and various other groups. Personally, I reserve books online and then go and pick them up. The computer bank is also a well used facility. So, it has its uses and I am glad to pay my 5% council tax for the place. Its modern, clean and well run.
 
I do a free creative writing workshop. Fills an afternoon on the first Tuesday of every month.
 
nitram100 said:
I still greatly miss my old local library , it was in a quiet part of the town where I lived in nw london, used to love going there and just chilling out then they demolished it along with the little youth centre next door and built high rise flats, then there was a stabbing 5 months after the tenants moved in! London progress. ...
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what with youth clubs taking a battering over the last 20 years library's are really the only place left where people can go if they want to get out of the house somewhere safe and quiet to meet friends actually in the real world and not get up to mischief. it would be a travesty for them to go.

I did read over the weekend that the government is planning on bringing back youth clubs and have freed up a bunch of cash.
it all looks and sounds great but it's all well and good having a short term project and a few flashy refurbished units to get in the news, but the test will be of they keep it up and roll it out everywhere.
until that happens however libraries are all kids have at the moment really.

also libraries are for everyone not just kids. sometimes adults need a place to go as well
 
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I thought libraries these days were a mixture of books, pc's,

Also community centres and also breastfeeding mum sessions ? (IE childrens centres)?

Cant remember the last time i went in to a library
 
My town's library converted into a full on centre for fun and learning and has since been called the Discovery Centre. They have a cafe on the ground floor, kid's play/learn area on first floor, ,proper modern toilets with no touch taps and hand wash etc. It's actually rather nice indeed.
 
I suspect Libraries are very much one of those things, where the amount of good they do is very hard to measure. But if they disapeared over night a lot of other problems would pop up. I also think many are doing a good job of reinventing themselves, and their offering is certainly more then books.

I think they now have a very important role helping people to access services which increasingly need to be accessed online, as banks close branches and government departments become harder to contact by phone or post.

I think there needs to be a requiment for banks and utilities who expect people to access their services online to support libraries both financially and to allow library straff to triage edge cases where proper human contact is required.
 
200sols said:
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?
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I was going to say this.
5 percent? I can't believe that without evidence
 
slinxy said:
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.
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This is really what libraries should be moving towards. Rather than having one dedicated building to act as a library, it should be a community hub that provides various different services. Would potentially get more people into using the library as well if they have to call in to make use of banking services etc.
 
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