Libraries are a little sad nowadays \ stacker news ~alter

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500 sats \ 15 comments \ @Signal312 9 Jan alter_native

I used to be a huge fan of libraries, growing up, and was an insane bookworm. We're talking coming home from the library with two big stacks of books, one in the right hand, the other in the left. And growing up into adulthood, I always checked out the local libraries. I don't do that much anymore, because I mostly read online.

But I'm in a library now, and it really strikes me - very, very few people are here for the books. They're all here for the power, and free wifi. Lots of them are sitting at the free computers, watching youtube videos or playing games.

And nobody is cracking open any of the books.

Actually I guess there's a few. Occasionally some homeschool kids come and get some books. Or an elderly person, for a little chat with the librarian, and to fetch a book to read at home.

But the fast majority of people are transients, just here to plug in their laptop, and use the free wifi.

How about where you live? What are libraries like?

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198 sats \ 2 replies \ @elvismercury 10 Jan

I went to the big central library in a nearby city a couple of years ago. I wanted to browse and read, relive grad school. A guy who was camped by the table I set up at, and who appeared to be high, took umbrage to my presence and threatened to shoot me in the face. I decided that moving tables was the best choice.

In my experience, the clients being served by libraries have, shall we say, diverse needs that have little to do with reading books.

108 sats \ 1 reply \ @Signal312 OP 12 Jan

Wow! That's quite the story.

I do remember talking to a lady on a bus, in a west coast liberal city - this is maybe 2 decades ago. She mentioned that she worked at the downtown library.

I had actually been to that library, and was surprised (this is back when homelessness was confined mostly to downtowns) that a substantial percentage of the patrons were the homeless, and honestly, it just smelled awful.

I mentioned this to the library worker, and WOW the floodgates opened up. She talked about how terrible the whole homeless problem was, and how restricted they were, in terms of what they could do. This was before it had really gained a lot of attention.

Really, nobody normal is going to go there just to browse if it's like that. Or if it feels dangerous.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @elvismercury 12 Jan

Yeah, it's the standard thing of social problems propagating to weird places when they're not addressed at the source.

Not that it's clear to me how they could be addressed definitively, but using libraries (and hospitals) to sop up the dregs of wasted lives is not the answer, and will only be the end of libraries (and, eventually, hospitals).

171 sats \ 0 replies \ @oklar 10 Jan

Where I live, when I last went to my local library, there were 75-85% the same contents as over a decade ago. New editions included a Ukrainian language section and a few other minority languages, and a few new titles that you might find in an airport in English. This was in England, in the UK.

As we are now actively conditioned to be using devices, applications and submit biometric data without a thought, the importance of physical reading media has lost its position of prominence within library funding, as the availability and diversity of reading materia declines, so does the appetite for using the space for anything but a power bank. As the ranking of libraries within local council services declines, more close, and coupled with the economic mismanagement, support services such as food banks, warm places or unofficial power banks and shelter become prioritized.

I'd love to think that we could regain some emphasis on cultural preservation, but due to the general lack of competent governance of late, arts or cultural funding cuts are the canary in the coal mine, and people will respnd accordingly.

49 sats \ 1 reply \ @ZezzebbulTheMysterious 10 Jan

We just don't need to store the physical books anymore.

While i love the concept of a library, in a place that shares information with people, their usage today is reflected in the audience using the real estate, the facilities.

Libraries as a concept that lives on via things like Annas Archive.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Signal312 OP 12 Jan

Yep, annas-archive dot org, very interesting site.

45 sats \ 1 reply \ @OT 10 Jan

Our local libraries are put to pretty good use. The one we like going to has a lot of community programs like craft sessions for kids, knitting and sewing for more mature people. The book selection is decent, I was actually surprised to see they have a copy if The Bitcoin Standard (albeit next to a few scammy crypto books).

The other library in the center of town is next to a homeless center so you see more people going in to get out of the heat or use the WiFi on the couch.

I've made a request that they buy Resistance Money and I'm interested to see if they get it. If not many people are making requests, I might have a good chance to see it in the catalog soon.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Signal312 OP 12 Jan

Are you more rural? Or a wealthier area? I'm just wondering where the libraries are still like they were before.

45 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker 10 Jan

Yep, same experience. But I think it's inevitable as there just isn't much reason to use physical books anymore unless you prefer that experience.

Even most of my reading is on digital now...

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @charonnakamoto 10 Jan

I feel the same way. One could say that the internet has obviated the need for a library as the source of information. And that's the evolution of one technology replacing the older one. The printing press was a massive step forward for humanity and so is the internet, taking over the baton from the physical books. I do think there's a charm in using the internet and doing research in a library. This could be from nostalgia.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Signal312 OP 12 Jan

I used to love it. I spent loads of time in libraries, earlier.

I would ALWAYS go to libraries, whenever I traveled. I don't do it very often now.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @BitcoinIsTheFuture 10 Jan

Blacksmith anyone?

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @nym 10 Jan

I still find it a peaceful place to spend time

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @fishious 10 Jan

I think it's a positive that libraries offer more to the public than just books. Patrons who visit the library for the amenities are actually more likely to checkout a physical book than other patrons who don't even visit the library at all. It's actually one of the rare public spaces where you can hang out and handle your own business without getting bothered, which is great especially for youth and kids.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bit_Alb 10 Jan

Traditional libraries are becoming obsolete.