Hypothetical question for those who use the library a lot.

[shaylahc1]

I live in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC) and we were facing a major library crisis. They were talking about closing down ALL the branches except 2. People were outraged! They reduced hours for a while, and then started a huge volunteer drive. The volunteer drive has been a huge success! Our library branch alone has acquired over 90 new volunteers. Due to the huge outpouring of support we were able to reopen on Mondays, one of the days that had been closed due to budget cuts.

I am a library volunteer and enjoy it. It's 2 hours a week and I like knowing I am supporting a cause I believe in.

I encourage people to look into volunteering at your local library to show your support.

 

[postage stamp]

I have never understood libraries being closed on weekends at ALL. Seriously, be closed every week day or nearly every week day, and use the money to stay open evenings and weekends when people can actually GO to the library!! Who on earth is in a library in the middle of a weekday??

College students
Retired people
Stay at home parents
Home schoolers
People who work on weekends
people who work nights
Architects
Schools on field trips
Historians
Genealogists
Authors
Lawyers
Tutors
Artists


The library is a truly AMAZING place that can be so much to so many people in so many ways. It's FAR more than just a place with a bunch of books in it.

 

[SoonerSarah]

It likely would be a big deal here.

We are the only public library in the county. There are libraries on the schools, which you do not have access to unless you are a studen, and there is one other library that is one county over, it's 30 minutes away and costs $$.

We have a high homeless population. I know they escape to the library a lot during the summer, considering that we live in west Texas, that's a large portion of the year.

I know the library has a lot of clubs that meet there and classes on computer's are taught there as well.

I would be happy if the library closed for one day during the week and was open on later hours during the other day (currently it closes at 5 or 6 except one day is at 9-and it's not Friday or Saturday).

I will also say that we rarely go to the library anymore. Ours is horrible, the book selection is pathetic, a vast majority of the books are from 1970 or before. The town that we used to live in was half the size of this one, and their new book selection was 4 times the selection here. However, here, they have a huge DVD and video rental system, which upsets me. I don't mind DVD's and such being borrowed, but they will add new movies at a much higher rate than new books.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I should add that I really like the way our library is schedule. Yes, I'd love it if it was open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days a week like Barnes and Noble, but that probably isn't realistic.

So it's open 5 days (Tuesday through Saturday) and on the weekdays it alternates. Wed. and Fri. it's open 9 to 5, which lets the stay at home moms come for story hour, and morning AA meetings and all those things, and Tue and Thurs it's open noon to 8 which is great for me as a working parent, for community groups that want to meet in the evening etc. This also means that all 3 days when the middle school has a late bus (the library and the middle school are adjacent, no streets to cross between them), the kids can go to the library and come back for the 2nd bus.

We're also in a pretty urban area and there are other libraries open other hours. One may actually be closer, but I think of this as "my" library since I'm over by my son's school often enough that it's convenient to use it.

 

[aprilgail2]

I couldn't see the library here ever closing on a weekday- the schools also use the library after school hours for the kids on home teaching-- if the kid is suspended or out of school for some other reason they meet the teacher in the library and do their school work after the school day is done- so for many its starting at 4pm for their home tutoring. They don't go to kids homes to tutor unless the child is out for some reason like illness that they couldn't go out to the library but they try to not go to peoples homes.

 

[Darcy03231]

Our library is open 9-9 M-F, 9-5:30 on Sat and 1-5 on Sunday. It would be a big deal if they closed because its the only library in our city. During the summer (when school ends and before school begins) they do close on Sundays, but is well publicized and has been that way for years.

 

[JeffreyY]

Here in NYC (at least the Queens part) they have closed the libraries one day a week. Unfortunately most are now closed on Saturdays as well as Sundays (always closed on Sundays). I wish they would stagger the days as Sat. is when most school kids go to get books, do homework etc..

There are many libraries (I have 3 within a mile) so if they staggered the days it would be easy for people to get to another library if needed. The way it is now only the main branch is open Sundays and a few are open Saturdays but they are not easy for my family to get to.

I guess budgets need to be cut somewhere but use common sense, they yell about how poorly our school children are doing and then close the libraries when they need them.

 

[Pigeon]

We use the library a great deal, and yes, it would be inconvenient for it to be closed more than it already is closed. I think a good library system is well worth funding adequately.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I have never understood libraries being closed on weekends at ALL. Seriously, be closed every week day or nearly every week day, and use the money to stay open evenings and weekends when people can actually GO to the library!! Who on earth is in a library in the middle of a weekday??

Seriously?!?!?!?
Not everyone works M-F from 9-5!

Have you EVER gone to a restaurant, movie, grocery store,department store on a weekend?

Have you EVER needed to go to a hospital emergency room, call the police or fire department, call the customer service line for one of your banks/cable company on a weekday after 9 pm?

Have you EVER gone to Disney at a time that wasn't Mon-Friday from 9-5?

The people working those jobs are the people who will need to go to the library during the weekday!!!

 

[splash5]

My husband is the Director of our local library. They have been hit hard by budget cuts. In the past 2 years, he has had to lay off several staff members and cut the budget for materials (books, cds, dvds, etc.) It is sad to see that people in the community are not willing to pay for the library. It is a proven fact that when the economy has a downturn, more and more people look to the library to help fill their needs. They come to the library as a community center, for meetings, socialization and to check out materials - all free for pennies on the dollar in taxes. Our local library is also a Carnegie Library and on the historical register - we are in dire need of re-hab to make the building capable of handling modern day electronics, but people won't support a levy. It is our fear that libraries will not survive in the coming years. Think about how important it is to the community.

 

[shaylahc1]

College students
Retired people
Stay at home parents
Home schoolers
People who work on weekends
people who work nights
Architects
Schools on field trips
Historians
Genealogists
Authors
Lawyers
Tutors
Artists


The library is a truly AMAZING place that can be so much to so many people in so many ways. It's FAR more than just a place with a bunch of books in it.

I agree. I work at the library on Mondays and there is always a line of people 30-40 deep waiting to get in at opening.

 

[shan136]

I had to stop reading through most of the posts about 2 pages ago because it frustrates me how many people underestimate the value of their local library system. Yes, it is a place to check out a free book or video, but it is so much more than that. Libraries provide great educational support for our local schools and business.

During a time when school budgets are being slashed and many people are losing jobs, the library offers the tools and resources to parents to fill in the gaps in their child's education and to job hunters the library offers many classes for improving computer skills as well as providing access to the internet and job hunting databases that many in the community don't have in their homes.

In Connecticut, we are fortunate to have a statewide library system which allows residents to use any public library in the state. In my town the library is not much of a priority, however, I have access to the hundreds of other libraries in other towns across the state. Luckily I have a car. For many in the area, driving 15, 20, 30 or more minutes is not an option so a reduced schedule really makes a negative impact on the community.

I strongly urge the posters on this board who view their local library as a mere convenience to spend some time there and maybe volunteer, perhaps learn to hold this great community service in higher regard.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I would rather pay a little more in taxes then see the library be gutted or close. I know that sounds unbelievable, but what can I say, I'm a nerd. To me, the services that libraries provide are a key to a healthy, civilized society. When you think about it, the very idea of a library is wonderful. Access for everyone to learning, and entertainment and a safe place for kids to go after school.

Also, I already pay taxes for some really stupid things, so I'm not going to complain about contributing to the library. I'm there every Saturday, looking for a good book or a movie or some music for my iPod.

Ri also has a system where your library card works statewide, so that's neat.

 

[mrsklamc]

I had to stop reading through most of the posts about 2 pages ago because it frustrates me how many people underestimate the value of their local library system.

It frustrates me how many people are making this into something it's not. No one is saying the library isn't important or doesn't provide valuable services. We're just saying no one has 'library emergencies' that can't wait one day.

 

[disneylover1959]

Our local libary cut back on the hours it was open last year, but recently went back to the normal hours. We realized that we always took the library for granted, and now we appreciate it even more.

 

[Sagginit]

College students
Retired people
Stay at home parents
Home schoolers
People who work on weekends
people who work nights
Architects
Schools on field trips
Historians
Genealogists
Authors
Lawyers
Tutors
Artists


The library is a truly AMAZING place that can be so much to so many people in so many ways. It's FAR more than just a place with a bunch of books in it.

you tell them lol. yeah im one of "those people" who goes on the weekdays b/c i have to work weekends so that the M-F people have somebody there when they go places on the weekend. im used to it but M-F people sometimes forget that yes, people do go to the library or food shopping on a tuesday morning or thursday afternoon.

i started using my local library but there are people who just abuse it and i feel like i get almost nothing out of it. some dvds have waiting lists for years it seems and i get peeved when i see people walking out with 50 dvds and 30 books a week and i have to wait a month to get a book. i volunteered at a library when i was younger and spent much time in the one in college researching for a dept., but you would never see college kids taking out more than they could possibly read in a lifetime just b/c they could. next time you are taking out 100 books at a time and feel that no one funds the library maybe its b/c you just emptied the shelves and they dont know what they are funding.

 

[shan136]

It frustrates me how many people are making this into something it's not. No one is saying the library isn't important or doesn't provide valuable services. We're just saying no one has 'library emergencies' that can't wait one day.

They may not be hospital type "emergencies" but a library with limited resources and hours serves no one. If we don't give the institution the care and feeding it needs, it will not survive.

 

[mrsklamc]

They may not be hospital type "emergencies" but a library with limited resources and hours serves no one. If we don't give the institution the care and feeding it needs, it will not survive.

It can survive being closed one day a week.

 

[jodifla]

It can survive being closed one day a week.

But with that mind-set, one day turns into two the next time they run into budget trouble. Then nights go, then they stop putting money into buying resource material, they lay librarians off, etc.

 

[mrsklamc]

But with that mind-set, one day turns into two the next time they run into budget trouble. Then nights go, then they stop putting money into buying resource material, they lay librarians off, etc.

Not necessarily. Like many people here I grew up in a town where the library was never open on Sunday, and it still thrives. Besides, if that were the case they would have just closed the branches as planned. Not everything has to be all or nothing, there can be a reasoned middle ground.