#public libraries

[fostershyperfixator]

My local library had a days since James Patterson last published counter.

[allsortsoffuckedup]

Hey hey, as a librarian, can I just say don’t pace yourself at the library. I get a lot of customers saying “oh I shouldn’t get too many books out at once” but like you should!!!! Max out your card, take everything we have on a subject you’re interested in, make a book fort in your home. We love that shit! It doesn’t matter if you read them or not; just take them for an adventure and bring them back whenever they’re due!

For public libraries, one of the ways we secure funding year to year is lending. Governments don’t want to fund more books if they’re not being used and the way we measure use is by issues. Regardless of whether you read it or not, whether you have it for a day or a month, if you issue it to your library card, we get the stats! It makes the library look good!

Help your local library; get books out even if you know you can’t read them all!

[crookedbluebirdkingdom]

Books on Libby have started disappearing.

My friend pointed it out first, and then I started noticing too. Why would books that multiple libraries definitely, 100% had digital access to a couple of months/weeks/days ago disappear?

Amazon is invoking exclusive rights to them.*

Ebooks that the public library once had digital copies of are now only available through Amazon. Audible boasts on their covers about Audible-exclusive audiobooks that did not used to be Audible-exclusive. Entire series and collections are disappearing overnight.

Keep your eyes on the privatization of media and your libraries.

*earlier versions said "getting"; Amazon has likely always had these rights, but in the face of boycotts they're tightening the leash, so to say [source 2] [source 3] [source 4] [source 5] (sources indicate that Amazon is refusing to sell to libraries)

**librarians in the notes have also noted that, in addition to Amazon often refusing to sell to libraries/increasing their number of exclusive/privatized titles, libraries have to repurchase eBooks/audiobooks every eight uses (another user said $50-$100 for every 26 check-outs or for a whole year), so cuts to library funding have reduced their access to media as well

[booksinmythorax]

Advice From a Librarian to Combat the U.S. Literacy Crisis #1:

If you don't read books: Read a book. Read any book. Read a book you loved when you were a kid. Read a book that interests you now. Read an entire collection of poetry or essays and think about why the author or editor arranged those works in that order. Read an erotic novel. Read nonfiction. Read graphic novels or manga. Read a kids' chapter book or a YA novel. Read a book digitally. Read a book on paper. Read an audiobook and really focus on it - if you notice yourself spacing out, scroll back to the last words you remember and try listening again. Read any book. And then when you finish it, celebrate for a minute (get those endorphins going!) and then read another one.

If you read books: Try reading a book that intimidates you. Maybe it's thick. Maybe it uses archaic language. Maybe it's a book that was translated from a language you don't speak into a language you do speak. Maybe it's a genre you don't normally read. Maybe it's the same kind of book as always, but you put your phone away and really focus on reading for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. (I know I've been struggling with this.) What scares you about reading? What challenges have you been avoiding? Try getting out of your comfort zone just a tiny bit, celebrate for a minute, and then try again.

[homunculus-argument]

I like that the library can send me automated text message reminders that my stuff is due, but I wish they also had an option to personalise the messages. I would like to make them more personal. Specifically passive-aggressive, with progressively less on the "passive" as the date approaches. Like three days before they're due it's like "hey I just wanted to remind you that you still have my stuff, in case you've forgotten that you were supposed to return them. No pressure though! You have three days :)"

Then a day before the date there's another text like "hey you still have my stuff, right? Yeah you have them, I'd know if you'd have returned them, I keep tabs on everything. Return them tomorrow. :)"

And on the day they're due it's just this picture

[lakecountylibrary]

LIBRARY WRAPPED

You checked out... probably some stuff? Thanks for doing that :)

Used our wifi maybe? For something?

Look we actually don't know what genres you read or how many times you renewed Gender Queer.

We don't want to know.

Our gift to you is privacy.

Take it.

Be free.

[academic-vampire]

It’s always a great day to check out a large stack of books from the library

[twunkish-cleric]

As a librarian I know that a lot of people get scared or embarrassed about telling us that they damaged a book, but I need everyone to know that it actually has a really important reason, particularly for water damage, like if you got the book wet. Tears and such are relatively mild problems depending on the rarity of the book, but wet paper molds very easily, so if you get a book wet and we don't know, it can mold and that mold can spread to other books and potentially become a health and safety hazard.

So when librarians tell you to report any damage, please don't be too scared to! We're not going to yell at you, there are actual reasons why we need to know!!