Re: OT: Public libraries

On 4/21/2025 9:58 PM, bitrex wrote:

Six new town libraries are either under construction or recently opened in Massachusetts, at a total cost of maybe around $200 million, so maybe people in different parts of the US tend to value different things..it something municipalities around here do continue to spend money on.

>
Do they generate traffic?  Or, just interest in spending tax dollars>
We have 27 different branch libraries, here.  Serving a population
of about 500K -- so 15-20K patrons (on average) per branch.

 She found townspeople will turn to a good library for just about every service under the sun, even ones that aren't really appropriate, like resume-writing and tax preparation! "Sorry we don't do that, here."

Libraries aren't used like that, here.  During tax season, one can
get "free" support from other providers -- some commercial.
You can pick up forms at the library.  But, often, only the "popular"
forms.

Being a town librarian in a well-trafficked library is a bit like working a generalized help desk, where people look for support with all sorts of life-problems, often but not always related to information gathering. She found it easier to think of herself as some kind of "information broker" in the public service in that role, rather than as someone who specializes in just books.

The librarians will show you how to do a web search.  And, as I mentioned,
Inter-Library Loans (for those few who need the service; ISTR it being
about $80 for them to process one of my requests).
There are all sorts of perverse restrictions on what the library can
get for you.  E.g., if it is on the stacks at the local university
(50,000 students), they WON'T get it for you; instead, you have to
go there, get one of THEIR library cards and retrieve it for yourself.
Ditto with many places that only offer items in their "reserve"
(not to be checked out) sections.
I.e., they won't even LOOK for a copy of it elsewhere (so, don't ask for
anything that is available nearby!)

For better and worse, on bad days being the help desk can be as lousy as any customer tech support job.
 But along those lines large library science conferences these days seem to spend more time talking about AI than they do about the printed word.
 

The branches are sited in areas of wildly varying demographics,
wealth, etc.  *MY* branch is always empty.  No one sits to read the
daily newspapers flown in or browse the stacks (why not store the
books in less expensive space?).  Perhaps half of the workstations
are in use at any given time.

 What less expensive space is there to store books on a timescale of 50-100 years than public property? The capital is committed, no landlords to endlessly raise rents. Over that time scale it probably amortizes out to pennies per sq ft/yr

It doesn't have to be well lit space with 4 ft tall (short) stacks.
Instead, it can be "back room" space that is used solely by library
staff ... if THEY are the people who will be pulling it from the stacks
and placing it in the "for pickup" section -- either indoor or outdoor
lockers (driven by your online actions).
For areas best served by "bookmobile" services, there is an obvious
limitation as to the number of titles they can "deliver"; so, an
inherent throttling of the source of those titles.

Branches in the less afluent areas often see more use (of the workstations).
(You'll also find hypodermic syringes in the parking lot and people
sleeping outside.)
>
But, the traditional role of a library seems to be preverted into
one of a social gathering place (for "activities") and internet
cafe.  None particularly require a "library" for those purposes
(e.g., the local park district also offers activities as well
as special facilities for them -- potter's wheels, kilns,
tennis/basketball/pickleball courts, exercise machines, meeting
rooms, etc.)

 Modern librarians don't tend to see that as "perversion" it's part of the plan. THE COMMUNIST PLAN!! just kidding..

I suspect they are trying to remain relevant.  We went from 6.5 day
service to "40 hours" over 5 days (closing at 5PM on 2 days and 6 or 7
on the other three -- opening at 10).
There's been a definite effort to sponsor "activities"... but, those
activities could (and sometimes are) just as easily sponsored by any
of the many parks (indoor facilities) here.  One can play with
Legos anywhere; a library meeting room isn't required.
The most "library like" activity is the storytimes for youngsters.

<snip>
 

That differs from what we see, here.  The trendline has been steadily downward
(from personal observations as well as comments from the librarians that
work at the local branch)

 Ya, towns tend to spend money on what their residents and their governance values. I believe most everywhere the public library system tends to operate under the purview of the town/county/municipality government, so if it sucks for reasons other than lack of funding, you know where the buck finally stops.

The city walked away from its involvement with the library.  It is now a
county function (despite operating within the city limits)

Cases of nepotism and mismanagement of town libraries happen even in enlightened MA though, and there is drama and in fighting like any other industry. Ineffectual management probably gets the boot quicker in wealthier towns up here compared to some other places, though.

I suspect wealthier areas have less need for these services.  Most folks
will OWN a computer.  Will *buy* a book (esp if involved in a "book club"
as there is no guarantee that the library *system* will have enough copies).
Instead of borrowing DVDs, folks *stream* content (we see the libraries moving
in that direction, already)
In the less advantaged parts of town, the exact opposites are true.

Maintaining a 3D printer would require someone on staff who could do so.
They have to contract for maintenance of the public PCs -- even the
terminals that are used to check out materials are unsupported,
locally:  "The computers are down.  We have to record your library card
and the 15 digit identifiers of any materials you are checking out
ON PAPER (and then reenter them, manually, when the computers come
back online)"
>
Tell your girlfriend not to move west (or, MARRY her and ensure you can
support her!)

 She did her time in the public service and she now works for a major research-oriented university and makes near six figures in the academia-support role (a number of big schools have huge research libraries), she don't need my "support", lol..

It is sad to see public institutions being cast aside.  OTOH, if they are
no longer relevant or won't invest in the technologies required to
remain relevant...