Library – Love or Loathe?

RuqeeD · Post by **RuqeeD** » 11 Feb 2012, 10:14

Maud Fitch wrote:
Donating is the way to go but since the public library system in my city does not accept donations, I find other outlets like charity shops or the University. At the University, I deposit my near-new books in a specially marked box and after the librarian has processed them, these books are shelved in the Leisure section of the library or in the lounge room of the students Halls Of Residence. It gives the boarding students something to read other than text books.

Is there a particular reason why they don't accept? I would've thought they'd love it if more people donated...

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 11 Feb 2012, 17:51

RuqeeD wrote:
Maud Fitch wrote:
Donating is the way to go but since the public library system in my city does not accept donations, I find other outlets like charity shops or the University. At the University, I deposit my near-new books in a specially marked box and after the librarian has processed them, these books are shelved in the Leisure section of the library or in the lounge room of the students Halls Of Residence. It gives the boarding students something to read other than text books.
Is there a particular reason why they don't accept? I would've thought they'd love it if more people donated...

It's the same here .... no idea why, I did ask but all I got was that the instruction here.

Anyway Oxfam benefits for my old paperbacks so at least they circulate

Bighuey · Post by **Bighuey** » 11 Feb 2012, 19:31

I gave a bunch of books to the Utah state prison one time. It was through a used book store. They said those cons are tickled to death to get them.

Maud Fitch · Post by **Maud Fitch** » 12 Feb 2012, 07:06

Bighuey wrote:I gave a bunch of books to the Utah state prison one time. It was through a used book store. They said those cons are tickled to death to get them.

Funny you should say that, Bighuey, because not so long ago prisoners used to repair, bind and cover books here.
Now, apparently it’s outsourced to an organisation named Peter Pal Library Suppliers which I found out is Australia's largest in-house end-processor of shelf-ready books for public libraries. So instead of prisoners or library staff ordering the books, part cataloguing them, stamping and covering them, it’s all done by this one group.
It's probably a worldwide trend so perhaps it explains why the offer of donating our books to public libraries makes
for unwanted double handling.

Bighuey · Post by **Bighuey** » 12 Feb 2012, 09:54

Maud Fitch wrote:
Bighuey wrote:I gave a bunch of books to the Utah state prison one time. It was through a used book store. They said those cons are tickled to death to get them.
Funny you should say that, Bighuey, because not so long ago prisoners used to repair, bind and cover books here.
Now, apparently it’s outsourced to an organisation named Peter Pal Library Suppliers which I found out is Australia's largest in-house end-processor of shelf-ready books for public libraries. So instead of prisoners or library staff ordering the books, part cataloguing them, stamping and covering them, it’s all done by this one group.
It's probably a worldwide trend so perhaps it explains why the offer of donating our books to public libraries makes
for unwanted double handling.

That sounds reasonable. Probably a lot of books people donate are in pretty rough shape. Ive been guilty of that, giving away books that should have gone to the garbage.

Va_treehugger · Post by **Va_treehugger** » 15 Feb 2012, 02:53

Forgive me if I have already posted this, but the thing that gets me about Libraries are MANY of the Librarians I have run across have been so unfriendly, unhelpful and just plain uninterested in helping you. I have moved a lot and have been to many different libraries. What's up?

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 15 Feb 2012, 04:46

Va_treehugger wrote:Forgive me if I have already posted this, but the thing that gets me about Libraries are MANY of the Librarians I have run across have been so unfriendly, unhelpful and just plain uninterested in helping you. I have moved a lot and have been to many different libraries. What's up?

Unfortunately that can be the case, as with bookshops ... some have absolutely outstanding staff, others have staff who hardly know whether they are dealing in chewing gum or books - it's the look of the draw I guess!
But I am fortunate in that my local library has a superb, knowledgeable and exceptionally helpful librarian .... she has an encyclopedic knowledge of books and authors .. and not surprising is an avid reader herself. Unfortunately some other members of staff are just clock watchers with little or no interest in books or reading, ok for checking in & out books & stocking the shelves but I have learned over the years to avoid them and take my queries to the 'main woman'.

In general you get a better service in the independently owned bookshops (rapidly disappearing unfortunately!) than in the big retail chains, although I make an exception for Waterstones, also some second hand & used bookshops have very knowledgeable and interested staff and also have the time to give you and you meet some really extraordinary knowledgeable collectors in them. It's trial and error I'm afraid.

Bighuey · Post by **Bighuey** » 15 Feb 2012, 10:08

The head librarian in San Diego retired a while back with a retirement pension of 250,000 dollars a year. If librarians make that kind of money I guess they can afford to be a little snotty.

Maud Fitch · Post by **Maud Fitch** » 25 Feb 2012, 22:30

Bighuey wrote:The head librarian in San Diego retired a while back with a retirement pension of 250,000 dollars a year. If librarians make that kind of money I guess they can afford to be a little snotty.

Yeah, that is above average! Occasionally I get the old ones who still 'point' but my local council has been training library staff with a PR approach and the younger ones are extremely helpful, IT knowledgeable, interested in what I'm reading and actually walk me to a particular shelf. Wonder what their superannuation payout is going to be?

In 2011 James Patterson took out 5 spots in the Top 10 Most Borrowed Titles list in UK libraries with a whopping 2.3m loans. He’s been in the Top 10 for five years. In my local library he’s currently rated as the hottest author. Based on this, staff do an eye-catching book display in the library foyer to entice readers. Imagine with that many library patrons liking him, what his book sales must be!

Bighuey · Post by **Bighuey** » 26 Feb 2012, 09:46

Come to think about it, most librarians Ive run across are mostly grumpy old ladies, but the younger ones are a little more friendly.

RuqeeD · Post by **RuqeeD** » 26 Feb 2012, 15:17

There was a consultation at my local library which the public was invited to and it looked like for a moment that they were going to shut it down but thankfully after many discussions they decided to keep it running. However, all the staff is being let go and it is only going to run on a voluntary basis which really sucks for those who've worked there for a very long time. There just doesn't seem to be a viable solution that would benefit everybody

Maud Fitch · Post by **Maud Fitch** » 28 Feb 2012, 03:16

RuqeeD wrote:There was a consultation at my local library which the public was invited to and it looked like for a moment that they were going to shut it down but thankfully after many discussions they decided to keep it running. However, all the staff is being let go and it is only going to run on a voluntary basis which really sucks for those who've worked there for a very long time. There just doesn't seem to be a viable solution that would benefit everybody.

What a pain, Ruqee. I guess it all comes down to money. Wages, equipment and purchasing books. Council administrators seem to think Google will answer everything, Amazon will supply all the books and nobody needs to actually talk to a person any more. Not true, is it. Apparently there's 70% of the internet which the average person does not access because they don't know how and let's not forget the elderly who will be cut out entirely. Bureaucracy forgets that a public library is for everyone. Any idea where those staff members will go now?

Our City Council amalgamated all the local libraries and this seems to be working better than small, autonymous libraries, plus the interlibrary loan situation is second to none for speed and value.

-- Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:58 pm --

Bighuey wrote:Come to think about it, most librarians Ive run across are mostly grumpy old ladies, but the younger ones are a little more friendly.

Author Jasper Fforde must think librarians are a friendly bunch because he's dedicated his new book to them.

bedheadisme · Post by **bedheadisme** » 20 Nov 2014, 11:24

I love buying books. If I don't buy a book I always end up frantic, wondering if I'm going to want to read that book again. Recently I discovered that with my Amazon Prime membership I get a ton of eBooks for free in addition to the other perks that prime offers me. So I've been reading a ton of their free eBooks from their section and have been turned onto a few new authors and series.

The most recent I read were:
Descent Series
Cornerstone Series

rssllue · Post by **rssllue** » 30 Nov 2014, 19:01

Gotta love it!

ALynnPowers · Post by **ALynnPowers** » 30 Nov 2014, 22:15

I love the library, but I lived in a bit of a small town and our library never had any "new" books, especially books that I was interested in. It was nice for research and old books though!