My aesthetic is superheroes and time travel. Personal and multifandom blog. I may write occasionally. You are welcome to send requests if you like.
Mostly, I just have a lot of feelings.
I once saw someone point out something I hadn’t really considered before- libraries are one of the only places that are warm and dry where you can stay for long periods of time if you have no money. If you’re someone with nowhere to go during the daytime, they provide a safe environment in which to keep a roof over your head for a while- and all while you can access information.
So yes. This.
It’s weird…libraries almost feel /wrong/ now. It’s like I walk in and think “This is great…where do I put my money?”
I used to work on a campus library and if you want someplace to put your money, so to speak, make sure you put books back in the designated areas. I know you think you’re being helpful by reshelving, but even if you pull something out to read a couple paragraphs just stick it in the basket for things you didn’t want. I don’t care if you know EXACTLY where you are. In academic libraries (at least in Texas) our funding was determined by how many books people looked at. So we got additional funding based on books not being reshelved. If there’s a designated shelf/basket for things you don’t want, stick things in it!
What @standbyyourmantis said about not reshelving is true for public libraries, too. Our funding is dictated largely by how ‘used’ we are, so we scan all the items that are laying about as In House Use. That, tied with Reference Count and Door Counter numbers (we have to manually put in the time we take for references) to prove we’re providing a needed service. We also have to count the number of people who come for our programs, which not only helps funding but shows that the programming/services are needed, as well. So, basically, if you want to feel like you’re making sure we’re getting paid and staying around, keep these in mind.
I didn’t know that’s why you’re not supposed to reshelf!
Wow! That’s astounding!
LIBRARIES!!!
I’ve lost how many times I get asked about how much it costs to get a library card. It’s free. Everything is free unless it’s late or you lose an item.
Free. Free. Free. Free.
I wanted to add a thing because I recently discovered my local library system also offers FREE access to a bunch of different paid services. Like, I’d been wanting to get access to Lynda.com so I could check out some of their video course stuff about like using Adobe Illustrator and how to format ebooks. And it turns out I can just… log in to Lynda.com using my library card info and do all the video courses I want like… from my house. Whenever I feel like it. It’s amazing. And they offer access in the same way to tons of other paid resources, like LOTS of grant-seeking information and databases, geneology services, academic pay-wall papers, research and homework help, streaming movies… I’m always discovering new and interesting things that my area libraries offer that I had no idea about.
Libraries also offer a ton of cool classes totally for free; a few of the ones around me have regular classes on things like soap-making, book binding, personal finance, business planning and management, art, independent film, social justice, tons of talks by like visiting or local academics… it’s wild. There are a bunch of writing classes if you’re interested in writing. (The fancy city library downtown even has a writing center run by the community college in the same building.)
As a volunteer raptor educator, I regularly go around to area libraries to introduce people to our bird ambassadors… like you can show up at the library and see a bunch of birds of prey up close and learn all about them. I sign up for the library programs a ton even though they involve the kind of public speaking that scares me shitless because I am just SO STOKED ABOUT LIBRARIES.
And speaking of the fancy city library, they have like a freaking media lab. It’s amazing. They’ve got tons of up to date computers, you can use all sorts of expensive software like the Adobe Creative Suite, they’ve got a media lab where you can learn how to use all sorts of cameras and film projects in front of a green screen, they’ve got a little audio recording studio, they teach classes on 3D printing and have 3D printers you can use. There are so many free resources to help everybody learn tech skills, from little kids to seniors, whether you want to learn something highly technical or just how to check your email. There are literacy programs, parenting classes, DND sessions… a lot of communities don’t really have community centers anymore, if they ever did. But libraries can absolutely be that, and most of them are already doing all of it, they’re just hoping you’ll stop in and take advantage of all that cool shit they’ve set up for you. Most libraries are definitely not as crazy loaded down with resources and events as my fancy city library, but even the smaller libraries are probably offering more resources than you’d think.
AND on top of it all, they’re protecting your privacy, concerned with your rights, not designed to take your money, and they just wanna help you learn things.
