Comments on: Why Closing More Public Libraries Might Be The Best Thing (…Right Now)

By: Logo Contest Entry – Andy Woodworth « Libraries and Transliteracy

Logo Contest Entry – Andy Woodworth « Libraries and Transliteracy — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:51:29 +0000

[...] latest logo contest entry comes from Andy Woodworth. Andy has written about transliteracy several times on his blog Agnostic, [...]

By: Peter Dreimanis

Peter Dreimanis — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:38 +0000

In my opinion, this is all way off base. Let’s get back to the
basics of what makes a library, namely books. Libraries are not
community gathering places, they are not there to provide
social environments; there are plenty of other places in a community that can accommodate these needs. To even consider, as mentioned above and as I have seen in person, that an upgrade of library services would include a *reduction* of books is ludicrous. And to even consider or joke about “getting rid of all the books” is just nonsense. No books = no library; it’s as simple as that. I go to the library for one and only one reason: the books. I don’t care about the librarians and the services they provide beyond the basic services of maintaining collections. I don’t care about any extraneous programs eating away at the library’s financial ability to maintain and grow its collection of books, and I don’t care about new library renovations that create some pseudo community or architectural showpiece at the expense of reducing the size and quality of the collection. But I suppose I’m just “old school” and I need to get with the times, where books just are not that important anymore when compared with all the superfluous and shallow “services” that seek to supersede the basic and eternal function of a library: a repository of books.

By: Patron Relationship Management (PRM) – Mosio’s Future in Libraries » Mosio: Mobile Reference + Text Messaging

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:18:35 +0000

[...] Woodworth: Why Closing More Public Libraries Might Be the Best Thing (…Right Now) Aaron Tay: Why libraries should proactively scan Twitter & the web for feedback – some [...]

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:53:50 +0000

Yep. You and my father pointed it out. As well as people on the LIS News posting.

But thanks.

By: Claudia

Claudia — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:54:44 +0000

Interesting column but please use correct grammar.

Not less public libraries but fewer.

By: Beatrice Priestly

Beatrice Priestly — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:39:08 +0000

Everyone brings up some good points. However, in my mind, I am thinking the best and only reason to close some branches of libraries is that we have let our customers become too territorrial. Librarians as a group do mix and mingle. They go to meetings, workshops, conferences, classes, etc. But our customers dont mix much. They stay in their neighborhoods never meeting people different from themselves. never smiling at a stranger or speaking to persons in a friendly way. The Council for the Humanities here in NJ sponsored a program on the politics of civility. But this ideas of being cordial to one another goes beyond politics. who knows combining neighborhood branches may yield new acquaintances or friends or a network of connections for us all. After all, lifelong learning does not only take hold in books.

By: John Kirriemuir

John Kirriemuir — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:02:48 +0000

Dear Tess (if that is your name),

That was an entertaining response.

Out of curiosity, are you one of the Tea Party protest group sign writers?

Sincerely,
John

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:37:46 +0000

First, I paid for my education. Second, if you are going to remark about how out of touch I am, you might not want to reference a television series from the 1960's. Third, you used a "LOL" in a reply. The fact that is positioned right next to "Dummy and Dopie" really makes me chortle since I love irony. Fourth, insofar as why anyone finds my opinion valuable, I direct you to here and here. Fifth, thanks for taking the time to comment. I look forward to future trolling.

By: Tess

Tess — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:20:49 +0000

Andy,
I’m happy your parents paid for your education so you can tell us all how it is. When in fact you seem to out there to really know anything about the system. How is it in Mayberry with Dummy and Dopie? LOL I personally don’t see why anyone finds you or your openions of enough value to add their thoughts to yours. You do not deserve the attention you are getting for talking about thing you don’t understand.

By: Steve Matthews

Steve Matthews — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:03:57 +0000

BTW: There is NOTHING that I “have in mind that would be vastly superior to a library” because there is nothing superior to a public library – good, bad or indifferent! But, there are commercial alternatives that will take it’s place to fill the void. Guaranteed!