Libraries seem to have lost a lot of their appeal is it because of the internet
By oldchem1
@oldchem1 (8132)
May 17, 2010 7:02am CST
I think that British public libraries are wonderful places.
I joined the library 55 years ago, and when each of my children were born I enrolled them in the library and as tiny babies I would take them to get out picture books.
As a child I would spend a great deal of my Saturdays and school holidays in the library, but somehow these days they do seem to have lost a lot of their popularity.
I wonder if the fact that we now have the internet means that less people use the reference sections of the library, or are children just too keen on computer games rather than reading.
Libraries though still offer so much, as well as free loans of books you can loan (usually fro a small charge) DVD's, Videos, CD's and games; libraries also have computers where you can use the internet free of charge.
They also frequently have authors in discussing their books - especially in the children's sections.
I don't think people realise just how good they are.
Did you British people know that when you are away from home you can now borrow books from anywhere on your library card(although they must be returned to a library in the same county as you borrowed it from - great for holiday reading!!
Now that I live in a rural area I use the mobile library more than the on in my nearest town, but I can return the books to any library in Lancashire.
Do you still take full advantage of the wonderful library system we have?
I joined the library 55 years ago, and when each of my children were born I enrolled them in the library and as tiny babies I would take them to get out picture books.
As a child I would spend a great deal of my Saturdays and school holidays in the library, but somehow these days they do seem to have lost a lot of their popularity.
I wonder if the fact that we now have the internet means that less people use the reference sections of the library, or are children just too keen on computer games rather than reading.
Libraries though still offer so much, as well as free loans of books you can loan (usually fro a small charge) DVD's, Videos, CD's and games; libraries also have computers where you can use the internet free of charge.
They also frequently have authors in discussing their books - especially in the children's sections.
I don't think people realise just how good they are.
Did you British people know that when you are away from home you can now borrow books from anywhere on your library card(although they must be returned to a library in the same county as you borrowed it from - great for holiday reading!!
Now that I live in a rural area I use the mobile library more than the on in my nearest town, but I can return the books to any library in Lancashire.
Do you still take full advantage of the wonderful library system we have?3 people like this
15 responses
@karen1969 (1779)
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17 May 10
My mother-in-law works at our local library, so we still go there and borrow books. I think that books are often so cheap these days (50p in charity shops, for example) that it is cheap enough for people to buy any books they like. I do use libraries and so do my kids. I hope they continue as libraries are such a great resource to the community and all the activities they organise are great for kids in the holidays.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
17 May 10
I believe LIbraries will still be the last resort for information gathering and research topics than searching in the internet. at least books can last forever unless there is a secret storage for putting old books to keep them from being forgotten or be used again in case internet isn't around anymore.
@creative_genius (992)
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17 May 10
Oh I am a big fan of the library and visit weekly when possible. They are a fabulous- especially now I need to research things for my articles. I am not keen on finding factual information on the internet. Books appear to be a higher quality source of information. Lately I've not had much time to read for pleasure but when I do the library is my first point of call.
@med889 (5941)
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17 May 10
I was working a a research analyst lately and then I came to know the important of a library with just books and newspapers from ancient days, these are a fortune and a treasure that I cherish till today. I was there for more than a year in the library and it was one of the most intellectual period in my entire life till now. Now I take full advantage of a library.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
17 May 10
We used to have limited access when it comes to information. Libraries were a big source of research. Now the internet has come along and a lot has changed. We have so much information at our fingertips now. A trip to the library is becoming obsolete.
1 person likes this
@karen1969 (1779)
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17 May 10
Certainly for research purposes, I think a lot of us use the Internet as it is so easy to access so much information from all over the world. Our local libraries have a limited amount of space to store everything, but the Internet is huge!
@Nestonlady (132)
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18 May 10
Hi oldchem,
I totally agree with you! I still love visiting my local library and having a good browse.I've also been to a couple of talks at the library, both of which were very interesting and informative.I live in Cheshire and like yourself could in theory borrow books from any library in Cheshire and I wouldn't even have to return them to the same branch.I could just take them back to my local branch and they would be returned from there.When we go on holiday, I always make sure I've got some books with me so I probably wouldn't need to borrow any from a local library but it's still nice to know I could do so if I needed to.Also, if necessary, I can have the time extended on the books.
I've been a member of the library system for 57 years. What a red-letter day it was for me when I joined the library at the age of 7.My Mum had taken me up till then but now I could go on my own and choose my own books! Over the years, I must have read thousands of book on all kinds of subjects. I wonder how much it would have cost me if I had to buy all those books?
Finally, I have to say that another thing that makes a visit to my local library is the friendliness of the staff there. Nothing is too much trouble for them and you are always welcomed with a smile.Yes,British public libraries are wonderful places!
@Nestonlady (132)
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20 May 10
Hi oldchem,
Yes,we live in Neston,although we've only lived here 10 years.We absolutely love it here.I know Prenton fairly well, although I'm a Tranmere girl originally! Nice talking to you :)
@oldchem1 (8132)
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20 May 10
Hi
Guessing froim your name that you're from Neston!!
I spent a lot of time in my early years around that area as my grandmother lived in Prenton (in the day's when no one from there spoke in a Scouse accent!!)
I actually lived in Widnes but have recently moved to a little village near to Lancaster!!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 May 10
When I've been blogging my old diaries I realise that I spent many a Saturday morning picking a book to read along with my best friend. We must've read hundreds of them during the summer holidays. That was before computers and the modernisation of libraries. I don't think children are encouraged to read by their parents which is very sad. Kids spend far too much time in front of computer screens, even at school. I had books such as Watership Down and The Hobbit read to me at school which is the reason for my obsession with books afterwards. I would often escape into a book if things weren't going my way, such as friends letting me down. I spent a lot of time on my own (not without parents and brother you understand, but with no friends around me) but books got me through my childhood, that I am convinced about.
The library I used to go in is still there and it makes me smile whenever I see it because so many in Blackpool have closed down.
However, I now live in Carlisle and I have NO IDEA where the nearest library is, if indeed they have one!
So sad.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 May 10
It's years ago when I visited Glasson Dock....is it still really cold? Probably changed a lot I expect?
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
17 May 10
good observation. yeah the technology has taken over traditional things. like reading books even buying books on the bookstore. i have watched a news yesterday. about this local thrift book store that sells used books . and they said their competition is not other books stores who are bigger or those who sell cheaper but the internet. cause people has more access on it now and they rely heavily on it for information. but still nothing can replace some hard bound books or soft bound books as it is cheaper to buy them than print many pages of information we have read in the net. if in case we need to have a complete copy. and also it is better to our eyes to read books than on the monitor.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
20 May 10
I thought that was the case but I was just in a library not to long ago and there were so many more people in there then I excepted. I was really surprised but glad. I thought the library was going to be empty. I for one love the library or a book store. I love reading and rather read a book then read on the internet. I hope the hardcover books never disappear. There is nothing better then having a book in your hand and reading it.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
17 May 10
Hello oldchem1,
same here in this country, but you know, people shouldn't stop buying and reading books. the internet is the medium but it can't be completely reliable because what if we loose internet someday. we need books in case we can't find old information in the net, most of them are commercials or leads to buying an online book @hvedra (1619)
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17 May 10
In my case I got sick of the librarians acting like you were putting them to great inconvenience by asking them to do their jobs. Ask for any book not in stock and there was a great song and dance about requesting it. "How dare you want something other than the pot-boiler novels we stock in great quantity".
There was a lot of trash and not much quality - I get that people want to read celebrity biographies and such but some of us like something a bit more meaty - and not something bought because it was on discount!
@umabharti (3972)
• India
18 May 10
hi,when i was a child and studying 5th there was every tuesday we had a library period where we went to the small library of our school and fetched a book and for a week it was with us.Those days still continue today at my school.
I am interested in going to the library and just see the books and read the little time i get.However these days we dont have that enough time to go out and sit in the libraries.Times had changed a lot.
@mokkka (881)
• Bulgaria
20 May 10
There is no doubt that most people will answer to your question that they prefer reading reading books as it is more natural that just staring at the computer screen but I have also noticed that nobody bothers to go to libraries any more.People just try to save time because it costs money so that each time they need something they just browse it.
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
17 May 10
I still visit the library often, though I prefer to buy books instead of borrow them. If I'm doing a research paper then I probably won't use the library unless it's the library at my school. The library at my school has more books focused on my field of study. (Of course, they have absolutely NO FICTION, which makes them no good for pleasure reads! I have to go to the local library for that.)
The library's always been pretty crowded when I've gone there, so no I don't think they've lost their popularity just yet.
