Library Humor

[bojojoti]

At our last Friends of the Library board meeting, we were discussing the recent break in and our need to install a better security system.  The window that had been broken had been replaced, and we were taking stock to make certain that nothing had been taken.
One Member:  Were any computers stolen?
Library Director:  No, we've accounted for every computer.
Another Member:  What about movies or music?
Library Director:  It doesn't appear any of those are missing either.
Sweet Little Old Lady Member:  Has anyone checked our complete works of Shakespeare?

To which all of us laughed long and hard!

Comments

[winsomeone.livejournal.com]

I just read this. I'm glad nothing was stolen.

There was an actual shooting a couple days ago at the downtown Tampa library. Scary.

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

The clientele at libraries have changed dramatically since technology became a part of their offerings. Libraries used to be the haven of bookworms, dreamers, and intelligentsia--very mild-mannered folk. It now draws the Internet pervert, unruly teens who want the latest music or movie or to play games on the computers, and the homeless. I realize our mission is to serve the entire community, and I support that, but it comes with its problems. We've had to hire security for the evenings, and now we are going to have to stretch the budget (after several incidents) to have security in the mornings, too (would you believe we've had sexual offenders trolling the children's library? Egads.).

We also have had the report that our funding will be decreased, because the housing market has dipped and the property taxes we count on will be decreased. More outgo for security and less funding is not a pleasant outlook.

Call me a fuddy-duddy, but I remember with fondness when libraries were all books. Each year, it seems the percentage of book shelf space is decreased as computers, conference rooms, tech centers, movies, and music continue their encroachment. We are moving toward a bookless library.

[winsomeone.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I agree-there are less and less books and more and more "stuff" in our libraries.

Here, the cost of maintaining the libraries coupled with the loss of tax income from nosediving real estate has forced our libraries this year to change their hours. The gorgeous library I posted about a few months ago(you might remember it-it looked like a metaphorical sailing ship) now is closed all day on Monday and open 11-4 Tuesday through Friday and only open 12:00 to 4:00 on Saturday, closed on Sunday. We have no evening hours and virtually none on the weekends. The days of popping in have ended. Now one must ascertain whether the doors will even be open when a book is wanted. As far as anyone using the facility for research,it's not really open after school is closed for the day, except for those scant hours on Saturday. They've also planned to close another branch near us and cut their entire staff nearly in half, which means those few books they still have are never shelved very rapidly. *sigh*