Charles Davis writes “from story at
Fusty library authorities will be blamed today for encouraging their own decline in a report which accuses the majority of failing to
take a key book from their own shelves.
Councils caught in the grip of traditional notions of the book-lending centre, ruled by fines for late returns, have encouraged a 17%
national fall in library visits, says the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe).”
Why not?
In a way, I really have to agree with the article. While I think overdue fines should remain in place, it’s obvious that, while everything has changed around us, libraries have remained kind of stagnent. Sure we update our collections and the material types therein. We’ll add DVDs to the collection and get the latest books and catalog and shelve the newest CDs, but that’s merely keeping up with the times, and, if my library is any indication, we’re kind of slow at doing that. We’re just now getting DVDs and I’ve heard that many libraries are doing the same regardless of the fact that DVDs have been out for years now.
Updating and adding to your collection is not changing. All you’re doing is staying relevant. While that’s important, it still misses the point of change. Look at the big bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Borders. Why do people love to hang out there? Simple, it’s because they can come in, sit down, have an expensive coffee, eat a bagel, and read all they want. Hell, they don’t even have to buy the book. They can sit there all day sipping espresso and reading.
So why in goddess’ name can’t they do this at a library?
Libraries are constantly bitching about lack of funds, mine included. But instead of actually doing anything to alleviate budget cuts, they instead whine and complain and try to get more money from an increasingly uncaring city council.
So why not try and solve the damned money problems yourself? Even if the idea of an espresso bar in your library turns you off, I think you’ll have to admit that it’d make money. Here in the Pacific Northwest you could set up an espresso bar in a public lavatory and it’d make money.
There’s a time honoured methodology in business that makes money: Give the people what they want. If patrons would respond well to a small espresso bar in your library, then add one. After all, that way YOU can charge them extortionist prices and then use that money to subsidize collection development, new equipment, or whatever.
Re:Why not?
my feeling is that if we copy what Borders et cetera have done, then who will be able to tell the difference between the library and the bookstore? When that happens, why should we bother paying for a library with tax dollars, we already have Borders!
I think public libraries can learn more from academic libraries. Academics usually have cafes, clubs, and student centres nearby, and the library is an integral and central part of campus. Compare that to public libraries, where the library isn’t always in a convenient location, and may be grouped with council buildings or in industrial areas where people tend not to hang out. We need to work more closely with town planners to survey the built environment, and ensure that we are in the right place, before we even think about fixing anything else.
As for the slow takeup on DVDs, don’t forget it’s only been in the last couple of years that DVD has actually become somewhat standardised and accepted as a mass format. I wonder how many libraries got burned on laser disc. Libraries are slow to take up new technology for two reasons – one, it’s very expensive when first released, and two, it may be superseeded in a year or two.
Re:Why not?
Perhaps you’re right, and there will be no difference between Borders and the library. That may or may not be a bad thing, depending on your point of view. But working with city planners can not only take far too much time, but also backfire. Our library is located in central downtown Yakima, WA, in what used to be the heart of the commerical area of the city. Indeed we’re right across the street from the mall. But in the last ten years, the downtown has slowly fallen flat like a bad flan.
The mall now houses around seven stores and boasts a striking one place to eat, an A&W. Businesses have left the downtown area because of poor planning on the city’s part and even worse planning on the part of the mall owner. As the mall failed, so did downtown Yakima. As such we have become one of the few things people come downtown for anymore. Some folks may think that’s not all bad, but do you know how depressing it is to walk out of our front doors, look across the street, and see a empty building that used to be a mall? Counting the A&W there’s maybe four places to eat near this place.
So city planning isn’t always the answer, especially when you have a bunch of incompetents running the joint. I feel that, besides relying strictly on tax dollars, today’s libraries need to start making their own way and doing things to raise money themselves. If for no other reason than it’s become increasingly obvious that we can’t depend on our city and county governments to do it for us.
Re:Why not?
I wonder how many libraries have considered philanthropic donations to cover specific projects or collection development. Philanthropy can often have way fewer conditions attached to grants than say, a grant from Dell.
Some planners are bad, yes, but some are excellent, like any profession. Where I live, there’s some major urban renewal projects happening to bring back local businesses, increase the number of cultural centres and art projects, and build new housing.
Re:Why not? 🙂 Our city’s idea of urban renewal is to tear down a building… And then leave the vacant lot.
Can I come work with you?
Re:Why not?
It would be interesting for see how many libraries are looking into philanthropic funding.
after losing 39% of their funding over the past two years
, Library of Virginia has an online donation page .