I was recently in my local library. It is a nice place – airy, light, quiet and generally a peaceful place to be. The staff are always polite and everyone seems to know what they are doing.
Some people were reading a book, others a newspaper or magazine. One chap was sleeping. There was a gallery of local artists and my particular library is part of a wider complex which includes a theatre and coffee bar (and, of course, toilets).
It got me thinking, what I actually gain from this place. After all, isn’t everything done online – large, well-staffed institutions seem to be a bit archaic. I started to list the benefits of my local library:
- a place to be quiet away from the kids / wife / dog / postman
- a place to be able to use computers (yes, all libraries have them)
- excellent staff – nothing is too much trouble
- I can get any book from almost anywhere at almost no cost
- huge and important reference works are available to me
- I discover areas to research that I never knew possible
- I can take books home (even ones that cost huge amounts)
- I can print, scan and photocopy stuff
I could go on. I truly believe that most of us underutilize our libraries. There is an amazing array of facilities on hand to use whenever we want (within reason).
Perhaps that is the main problem – my library is not open long enough.
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I agree, libraries are extremely underutilized in my opinion.
I’m a software consultant and it seems my industry is among the worst offenders in avoiding libraries.
It’s unfortunate because in addition to normal books most local libraries around me (DC area) have ebooks, audiobooks, and perhaps the coolest for my industry: free access to O’Reilly’s Safari Bookshelf.
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