It depends entirely on the library. I've seen some that were basically community centers full of books -- they had a children's wing, a tween/teen wing, all the adult stuff, a senior area, study cubicles or roomlets, some larger rooms for classes or workshops, etc. Then a bulletin board listing all their activities like story hour for children, tutoring for students, various book clubs, offshoot activities with their affiliated organizations like if they had contacts at the Y, etc.
One problem nowadays is that where libraries used to be quiet, lined with carpet and wood, now they're mostly hard surfaces and metal so the sound bounces around. And they've gone from books to so much computer equipment that the clattering keys and wheezing electronics add to the racket, making a very unpleasant atmosphere for people who need quiet to work.
Another problem is that most towns have few resources for homeless or other poor people, but public buildings like libraries typically can't make someone leave unless the person is misbehaving. So then the library becomes the default homeless/poor shelter, which makes most other people want to avoid it and refuse to fund it, so the whole thing declines and the town basically doesn't have a library because nobody will go there except those who have nowhere else to go.
Contrasting that, some libraries have started lending other things besides books, such as a seed library or tool library, and that's relatively new as an added service.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-04-04 01:11 am (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-04-04 01:25 am (UTC)One problem nowadays is that where libraries used to be quiet, lined with carpet and wood, now they're mostly hard surfaces and metal so the sound bounces around. And they've gone from books to so much computer equipment that the clattering keys and wheezing electronics add to the racket, making a very unpleasant atmosphere for people who need quiet to work.
Another problem is that most towns have few resources for homeless or other poor people, but public buildings like libraries typically can't make someone leave unless the person is misbehaving. So then the library becomes the default homeless/poor shelter, which makes most other people want to avoid it and refuse to fund it, so the whole thing declines and the town basically doesn't have a library because nobody will go there except those who have nowhere else to go.
Contrasting that, some libraries have started lending other things besides books, such as a seed library or tool library, and that's relatively new as an added service.