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One Librarian’s Look at the World

Category: Public-Libraries

Weed What When?

bq.I think the days of libraries saying, ‘We must have that, because it’s good for people,’ are beyond us. There is a sense in many public libraries that popular materials are what most of our communities desire. Everybody’s got a favorite book they’re trying to promote. – Leslie Burger My library expanded back when I [...]

Successfully Networked Public Libraries

I got an e-mail about the doctoral program at Florida State University. Clicking through the links led me to these studies on Public Libraries & the Internet. When I get time, I intend to go back and read them through them a lot more thoroughly.

Reinstated in Valparaiso

Sue Martin, who was recently suspended from her job at the Valparaiso Community Library, has been reinstated. bq.I am extremely pleased to share that the Valparaiso City Commission voted 4-1 last night to dismiss all charges against library director Sue Martin and have reinstated her as library director effective immediately. The commissioner who brought the [...]

ExpressCheck

Our Director was so excited over the Express/Self-Service Checkout demonstrations she saw at ALA this year that she has been wanting to do the same thing around here. So… As you can see, we are just beginning to get started today. Reaction from the staff and our patrons has been quite positive. What this isn’t [...]

Out of Business

bq.Public libraries spend less than 10 per cent of their budget on books and are losing borrowers at such a rate that they will all have closed in 15 years, according to a former managing director of Waterstone’s bookshops. Tim Coates, a consultant who produced a report 14 months ago on the “cumbersome” management of [...]

Solano Internet Policy

bq.There are no easy answers in providing Internet access in public libraries. It is further complicated by the fact that library users want and demand more computers and access to technology. – Solano County Library

DVD Firestorm

bq.Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms is once again riling people up by questioning whether the county’s public libraries should be spending $559,000 on DVDs, including popular movies and television programs. Opponents act as if she is advocating book-burning, but she makes solid points. She doesn’t think it necessary to provide library patrons with free movies [...]

DVD Reaction

For more reaction about the Ronda Storms Resolution, you can read these letters from in opposition from Ben Ostrosky of TBLC, David McCant, and Arthur Brown. Her supporters include Mike Nielsen and Francis Geiger, the latter of whom scarily enough resides right here in my own dear county.

Storms Warning

Ronda Storms is a member of the Hillsborough County Commission. And apparently is so bored with her position that she constantly finds things to raise an uproar about. This week it is about the selection policy for DVD materials in the Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library. bq.Led by Storms, commissioners on Wednesday recommended the library spend a [...]

Latt Maxcy Blog

I just found out that the Latt Maxcy Memorial Library (which is about 10-15 minutes away) has the Latt Maxcy Memorial Library Blog. It is apparently something of a well-kept secret.