Okay, so things are going from bad to worse around here.
About two years ago, a new Director hit town with all kinds of ideas about how to change the library. (She sits directly under the City Librarian) Clearly, she has never heard the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." She preceeded to move our focus to multimedia items that "circulate." Thus, thousands of books are hitting the trash to make room for DVDs. Then, she decided to force each library into a "type" and then change the collection at each library to fit its "type." So, you can now no longer go into a library and find the typical things you would expect to find. If you want a children's book, you should go to one of the children-focused libraries. If you want a video, you should go to one of the media-based libraries. It's really ridiculous.
The ultimate happened today, though.
She has now decreed that not every library will have librarians. Some libraries will have computer terminals where you can chat with a librarian online. But there will be no physical librarians in some of our branches.
Call me crazy, but what is a library without a librarian? What is this world coming to?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
that is weird! We have a children's library here, but all the other libraries have children's books, too. It's just a special library. and they are throwing away books? SAD. I know our library system is no longer ordering books in French, but they will still keep the old ones until they fall apart (I asked)
Who needs librarians when most people only come in looking for videos to sedate their children? What you need are clerks hired from blockbuster.
This is just one example of mounting evidence that the profession needs to make a stand -and quick - if it is to survive in the 21st. century. Library Schools and the ALA should be concerned that such libraries exist!
from a Canadian Librarian
Ugh, my branch is a "Family" branch, which I found out from my friend, who works for the library system. There's tons of people squashed into a small space.
I used to spend time at the library. Now I just reserve stuff, pick it up, and get the h outta there.
Libraries are no longer the quiet lovely places they once were.
Post a Comment