breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,918 
Location: PNW
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Post by breetheflea on Jul 10, 2022 16:14:07 GMT
I was just brainstorming my ideal public library, for fun because I'm weird... I always wanted to be able to walk to the library, but the libraries of my life have always in a downtown or business area  I wish the book drop at my library was a drive-up... it's on the outside of the building but you have to park and walk to it, annoying when it's raining and you only have one book that's due. When my kids were little, I wished the kids area had a gate with a latch because one of my kids was a runner... I also see pretty libraries online that look like converted houses, with wood shelves, and cozy chairs.. why can't I have one of those? My local branch library just started having shopping baskets available š This is all for fun, I'm not criticizing the over-worked librarians dealing with tiny budgets and cranky patrons. What about you? |
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Post by ameslou on Jul 10, 2022 16:26:53 GMT
A quiet nook with a comfortable chair and lovely lighting.
I love that my library system is fairly large for the size or our community and that most of the time they have the book I want to read. I'm in and out of there at least twice a week to pick up my holds. And they just upgraded the online catalog. It's a huge improvement over the old one. BUT - the app I used on my phone no longer works, which is a bummer.
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Post by epeanymous on Jul 10, 2022 16:56:07 GMT
Even though I can walk to our library, I agree with you about the drive-up; I once had to pay to replace a book because it got wet just on the journey from the curb to the drop box.
Before COVID, public libraries were one of my main places to get work done. We have some great ones here. My ideal is: individual work stations (annoying to have to sit across the table from someone while working) with plenty of room to spread out; meeting/community rooms for people who want to discuss things in the library; plenty of accessible outlets for laptop cords; a Children's section that is separate from the adult section and has a comfortable area where parents can sit with kids; a new-in/new releases shelf (my library system lets you reserve them in advance but always holds back a bunch so that people can immediately get the hot new releases, and I love that); and some quiet reading chairs for adults interspersed in the stacks.
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Post by Lexica on Jul 10, 2022 17:01:26 GMT
I used to go to my library weekly when my son was growing up. We would start in the kid's area and load up on books he wanted to look at and have read to him. Then I would sit him down where I could keep an eye on him and let him start looking at a book while I grabbed what I wanted to read. We never stayed and read our books in the library because they had so few comfortable chairs. It was just easier to bring them home and curl up on our own couch to read.
Our library also had a "Friends of the Library" store attached where they sold all kinds of books for super cheap prices. They would have fill-a-bag days where you could buy all the paperback books you could fit into a shopping bag for something like $5. I found lots of interesting old books in that store.
I haven't been to the library in years now. I haven't purchased many physical books either, and those that I have bought I have purchased on Amazon. Now I read mainly from my Kindle. And this reminds me that I still have several paperback books that I need to bag up and drop off at the library store.
It would take a lot to get me to return to the library to remain and read there. I like to drink coffee or my ever-present ice water while I read and I've never seen a library that permitted that. Nor should they due to the risk. I want a comfortable chair and a soft throw to put on my legs. Sadly for me, I think I have come to a parting of the ways with libraries. And I attribute that mainly to the convenience of my Kindle and joining Amazon Unlimited.
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Post by jenjie on Jul 11, 2022 2:49:54 GMT
ā I also see pretty libraries online that look like converted houses, with wood shelves, and cozy chairs.. why can't I have one of those? ā You would love this. Itās an historic mansion on the outskirts of Philadelphia. Itās the Ryerss Museum and Library. This page has some info and pictures. I used to ride my bike here from time to time. The regular public library was closer but I liked to visit both. I never visited the museum, but the library smelled musty like old books. kristinerobinsonsinteriors.com/2014/10/18/burholme-the-historic-ryerss-museum-and-library/ |
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Post by Skellinton on Jul 11, 2022 3:01:23 GMT
I wish I had a home library that had a secret passage to a hidden room.
For our real libraries I don't know why they don't have drive up drop offs, that is something they really need to add.
The only other thing I wish about the library is that those little pencils would actually stay by the computer where you look up books. They NEVER have pencils there when I go in and I am trying to get several books for Prek. I usually have about 20 I want to look for since there will actually only be 5 available. I don't blame the librarians at all for the books.not being where they are supposed to be because I am sure it is impossible to keep the kids books filed correctly. Kind of like shoveling snow during a snow storm, but I wish they would chain those damn pencils down. Of course the obvious solution would be me just having a pen in my purse, but I think my purse eats them.
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Post by Zee on Jul 11, 2022 3:06:58 GMT
My perfect library is my Kindle. I don't have to wait it go anywhere or physically return things or worry about fees or damage. I don't have to deal with the weirdos that are inevitably hanging around the library. I can enlarge the print if needed and read with the lights off in bed. I can instantly look up an archaic word in the attached dictionary, or Wikipedia.
The only thing I don't like about it is when reading a book that comes with maps, they're too hard to see usually in the Kindle and too hard to get back and forth to reference.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Jul 11, 2022 8:45:45 GMT
I'm very blessed to have libraries nearby.
My closest one has changed a lot since I have lived here. It used to be absolutely jam packed with books. So many lovely shelves with books.
But somewhere along the line they decided that they needed a renovation. And instead of fixing the air conditioning (that stops working several times each summer, and therefore closes the library until it is fixed), or fixing the plumbing (the basement area floods every so often, and now can't be used as a community space), the powers that be decided that the main floor of the library needed to look open and airy.
The library got rid of 40% of their physical books, and put in five open, padded benches that form an S shape in the center of the main floor. Presumably to read on?
But then they roped off the area when unhoused people used them to sleep on.
So now, decorative unusable benches?
Anyway, got off on a long tirade, I guess...
I would just loves lots more books again.
Oh, and pre pandemic hours again.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
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Post by Mystie on Jul 11, 2022 13:31:44 GMT
I used to work in a Columbus OH library branch that had a beautiful sitting area with windows that looked out onto woods, and a fireplace, and comfy chairs. And that was where the new books were shelved, so it was very inviting (as a patron) to browse the new books, grab a few, and retreat to a comfy chair for a better look. It wasn't a huge library, but it was new (25 years ago, lol) and thoughtfully designed and decorated.
My current library in Virginia is the very ugliest of industrial early-70s architecture, with no windows and no seating areas. It's purely functional. The city keeps mentioning plans for a new building, but who knows? When they've had patron surveys for what we'd like in a new library, I always mention windows, trees, seating areas, and fireplaces (among other things.)
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,731
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Jul 11, 2022 15:19:01 GMT
I love my library just the way it is. I was on the building/renovation committee when it was completely redone about 10 years ago. It was originally built in the late 1800s and hadn't been touched since. We kept the old part of the building for a computer area and the historic books section and added on a beautiful new addition. It has plenty of comfy seating, plenty of tables to work at, lots of books, meeting rooms and program rooms, quiet work rooms, and a large children's room that is separate with a door and also has a children's craft/activity area and story time area. It's a really awesome place.
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Post by padresfan619 on Jul 11, 2022 15:22:07 GMT
Our library is walking distance from our house and I absolutely love it! My only wish would be that there would be more kids at story time! I take my son to weekly story time and we are always the only people there. The childrens librarian is so sweet and indulges us but I was hoping my son would have a bit of a social outlet after spending so much time at home due to Covid.
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Post by Basket1lady on Jul 11, 2022 15:43:59 GMT
One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to pop into beautiful libraries. We saw the Book of Kells and all we saw was one page. But you could go up into the library and coming up that staircase and turning around to see the library is my absolute favorite memory of Dublin. I think we stayed up there for at least a half hour! And there's an old church in Trier, Germany, that was turned into a book store and cafe. Genius!
I can't imagine a library without a book drop. That would have made life hard for me when the kids were little and had 20+ books to return. We had a special shelf in the playroom that was just for library books. But I still remember many a times taking that long receipt and checking books off it when we were returning books to the library. There was always one or two that would go missing only to be found in the back pocket of the car seat or in the toy bins.
As people read more and more on a digital platform, I like to see how libraries are changing to fit in with the times and current needs. In northern virginia, libraries are becoming more of a community center with a library. They are centers for online work, job applications and interviews, work spaces, preschool enrichment, maker spaces, GED and ESL support.
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Post by Bridget in MD on Jul 11, 2022 17:12:11 GMT
I was just brainstorming my ideal public library, for fun because I'm weird... I always wanted to be able to walk to the library, but the libraries of my life have always in a downtown or business area I wish the book drop at my library was a drive-up... it's on the outside of the building but you have to park and walk to it, annoying when it's raining and you only have one book that's due.When my kids were little, I wished the kids area had a gate with a latch because one of my kids was a runner... I also see pretty libraries online that look like converted houses, with wood shelves, and cozy chairs.. why can't I have one of those? My local branch library just started having shopping baskets available š This is all for fun, I'm not criticizing the over-worked librarians dealing with tiny budgets and cranky patrons. What about you? There are 3 libraries in my county. When they renovated the southern branch, they put in a drive thru but they cut it WAY TOO TIGHT and put an island there so you still had to get out of the car to get it. And hope you didn't frick up your door too.  IT was so bad (and embarrassing) that they actually had to redo it, but not until years of complaints/bitching. Our newest library (central county location) took that into consideration and made a really great drive thru, which has been fantastic when they distributed covid tests and masks. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 18, 2024 6:07:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2022 1:14:10 GMT
Secret bookshelf door to private reading rooms...you get the key once you check out and return 1000+ books.
Hammocks?
I've actually looked a bookshelf secret door kits online but so far my husband thinks it's too goofy. I wouldn't be able to keep it a secret anyway.
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Post by librarylady on Jul 12, 2022 2:21:14 GMT
For 40 years our library had a drive through book drop. Then the remodel to make things better. š” I get angry every time I visit (which is often). No drive through drop. One has to park and walk more than 60 steps (I counted) to get to a tiny slot to return books.
Forget the idea of dropping a book off on the way to work...
š”š”š”š”š”š”š”š”
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,020
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Post by mimima on Jul 12, 2022 4:34:10 GMT
My library just put a branch in the mall near me and my big complaint is that the book return isn't drive up!
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Post by peasapie on Jul 12, 2022 11:17:12 GMT
I wish our library had more regular activities for kids. My grandsons love to go for the occasional days when there are fun things to do, like treasure hunts for books or art activities. But they are only held once a month or so.
I borrow books for my iPad via the hoopla app, so Iām not in the library too often unless Iām bringing the kids in. I used to enjoy sitting at Barnes and Noble in a comfy chair around other readers, so I guess if my library was set up more like that Iād be there more often.
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Post by monklady123 on Jul 12, 2022 11:34:24 GMT
For me it comes down to one thing... Parking!  The story of my life here in Northern Virginia. lol. But seriously...there's a branch closer to me than the main one I go to, but I avoid it because there is NO parking during the week when school is on because they share their parking lot with a county-wide high school program and an elementary school, AND the high school program put up several trailers a few years ago that took some of the parking spaces. And there is no neighborhood parking because all the school employees take the ones that aren't zoned. ugh. So I'd have to go there after school hours or weekends and mostly I don't want to. lol. First world problem for sure. I've never had a library with a drive up drop off. The closest to that would be the branch with no parking...they do have a pull-through spot for returning books but you still have to get out of your car to put the books in the slot. I wouldn't ever sit in comfy/cozy chairs and read so that doesn't matter to me. Besides the "ick" factor of how many people have been sitting in those chairs, I never read at the library anyway. I just take my books home. I suppose in an ideal place maybe we could have a cafe type place next to it, like at bookstores. Maybe indoor seating and an outdoor garden area. I love our library though... some of the things they offer: -- quiet study areas (an enclosed room with tables) -- private study areas for groups -- smaller rooms that are completely enclosed that can be reserved for as little or as much times as you need for things like job interviews. They have a big red sign that they stick on the door that says "JOB INTERVIEW IN PROGRESS, DO NOT DISTURB!" They've added more of these since covid because not everyone has internet that can handle Zoom, or they don't have a good quiet space for an interview. -- English classes. -- book clubs -- tax help in season -- kids' programs -- various community programs in their auditorium -- a lending "library" for garden tools and equipment -- a community vegetable garden for the food bank Just off the top of my head. |
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IT was so bad (and embarrassing) that they actually had to redo it, but not until years of complaints/bitching. 
The story of my life here in Northern Virginia. lol.