libraries and librarians

riamu · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:40

i have noticed that my local library is much less busy than it used to be and that there are long periods when it is empty, despite the fact that it is open from 9am to 8pm. Is this due to the internet and people reading books online and kindles? It is such a shame to see it with less people and even the librarians feel that they may not be able to maintain long opening hours due to cuts etc. I hope i don't see my local library closed due to Cameron spending all the money on wars abroad.

Evoss · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:44

Libraries aren't needed now that we live in the age of the Internet, more books online then in any library.

Domo · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:53

Evoss said:
Libraries aren't needed now that we live in the age of the Internet, more books online then in any library.

It will be a very sad day when libraries no longer exist. We value ours.
I don't know what to make of the OP. Odd. :confused:

mollymoo · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:53

I love my library, you kindley online folk will destroy one of my few pleasures, tis a shame and ironic that the mainstream are likely to kill literature, the same way they killed communication.

Domo · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:55

I think there are a few of us left yet mollymoo. They can't get rid of us that easily

IronWarrior · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:56

You can find everything online now, so why visit a library?

PermaBanned · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:57

Domo said:
It will be a very sad day when libraries no longer exist.

Yeah, that's not going to happen.

2bit · 29 Jan 2012 at 00:58

mollymoo said:
I love my library, you kindley online folk will destroy one of my few pleasures, tis a shame and ironic that the mainstream are likely to kill literature, the same way they killed communication.

I didn't understand your post.

mollymoo · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:00

Domo said:
I think there are a few of us left yet mollymoo. They can't get rid of us that easily

I trully hope not, nothing like a book with real pages, nothing like trying to find your page when you nod off

. How could the world possibly try to eradicate paper literature.

Nitefly · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:00

I can't imagine libraries are hugely used these days and outside of academic use I'd be surprised if they didn't disappear.

mollymoo · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:02

2bit said:
I didn't understand your post.

You may have to elaborate there sunshine, ironically I don't understand your post, which is sort of awkward.

DAnDan · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:04

mollymoo said:
I trully hope not, nothing like a book with real pages, nothing like trying to find your page when you nod off . How could the world possibly try to eradicate paper literature.

Meh, what's it contains is more important than the medium used to hold it.

Ebooks and such are hold a lot of advantages over their paper-based forefathers, and as such will continue to gain in popularity.

2bit · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:08

mollymoo said:
You may have to elaborate there sunshine, ironically I don't understand your post, which is sort of awkward.

Quote: -
I love my library, you kindley online folk will destroy one of my few pleasures, tis a shame and ironic that the mainstream are likely to kill literature, the same way they killed communication.

OK,
You love your library,
'you kindley online folk will destroy one of my few pleasures' - who, why?
'the mainstream are likely to kill literature' - again who - I'm certainly not mainstream
'the same way they killed communication' - who is KILLING COMMUNICATION here?
We're talking aren't we?

mollymoo · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:11

DAnDan said:
Meh, what's it contains is more important than the medium used to hold it.

Ebooks and such are hold a lot of advantages over their paper-based forefathers, and as such will continue to gain in popularity.

Books are much more than their content, ahhh no worries I see I'm getting old and clinging to what I enjoy, yeah you go ahead and enjoy your piece of plastic. I sometimes forget my age on here, I remember my first books, I was probably reading before the majority on here were born, I have to accept and bow down to progress I suppose, apparently it's for the good of mankind blah de blah.

mollymoo · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:12

2bit said:
Quote: -
I love my library, you kindley online folk will destroy one of my few pleasures, tis a shame and ironic that the mainstream are likely to kill literature, the same way they killed communication.

OK,
You love your library,
'you kindley online folk will destroy one of my few pleasures' - who, why?
'the mainstream are likely to kill literature' - again who - I'm certainly not mainstream
'the same way they killed communication' - who is KILLING COMMUNICATION here?
We're talking aren't we?

Nooo your not talking your typing.

arknor · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:14

Nitefly said:
I can't imagine libraries are hugely used these days and outside of academic use I'd be surprised if they didn't disappear.

cant see them carrying on either... only the computers ever get used at ours.

most libraries have movies you can take out aswell as books though?

havent been to the library near me for ages but it used to have tons of vhs videos back in the day

2bit · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:14

mollymoo said:
Books are much more than their content, ahhh no worries I see I'm getting old and clinging to what I enjoy, yeah you go ahead and enjoy your piece of plastic. I sometimes forget my age on here, I remember my first books, I was probably reading before the majority on here were born, I have to accept and bow down to progress I suppose, apparently it's for the good of mankind blah de blah.

I'm pretty old too. I get along with life. You sound like a wet hippy - no offence.

To the OP - yes I feel sorry that libraries are under such strain. I guess they face an inevitable decline however we feel about them.

HangTime · 29 Jan 2012 at 01:54

I think cutting opening hours is pretty much a given and potentially merging as well. I know here in Hampshire there is already some sort of reciprocal arrangement where your membership is valid at all the libraries in the county and I think you can take books back to different branches. How long before they shut some of them down, I know in some cases libraries are probably situated in reasonably prime real estate.

Realistically when you think about it the primary function of libraries is just to be a collection of books (and other media), making them available to a range of people. That function is being taken over by digital media and so libraries are becoming something of an anachronism. I can see why some view that as a shame but times move on; I'm sure in years gone by people bemoaned the death of the horse & cart as a means of transport.

20 years ago libraries were essential for research purposes but a lot has changed since then, in a surprisingly short space of time. They still have a big foothold in this country and I'm sure some will remain as much for posterity as anything, especially within academic institutions.

My view is that rather than fight the demise of the physical library, efforts should go towards deciding what to do with all the books (and buildings for that matter). A managed decline, if you like.

PermaBanned · 29 Jan 2012 at 02:22

Yet again, i feel i should bring up the fact that my dad is a librarian. And i can't say i entirely agree with the sentiments being expressed in this thread that libraries are dying out. I'll see if i can actually get him to type something this time (and hopefully not encourage him to sign up

)...

2bit · 29 Jan 2012 at 03:14

PermaBanned said:
Yet again, i feel i should bring up the fact that my dad is a librarian. And i can't say i entirely agree with the sentiments being expressed in this thread that libraries are dying out. I'll see if i can actually get him to type something this time (and hopefully not encourage him to sign up )...

Well you dad seems like a prime candidate to speak on this subject.

Why has he not taught you to use 'I' when referring to oneself?