to think that we NEED libraries? This is horrific.

[StuckInTheMiddleWithYou]

Would MN like to run a campaign on this?

www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/terence-blacker/terence-blacker-hands-off-our-public-libraries-2057131.html

Can every single person on this thread tell me when was the last time they set foot in a library?

Last week as DD reads books for the summer reading program. Astronauts!

Oh dear lord, how can anyone ever think it's a good idea to give up libraries!?!? Has this government learned nothing from how wrong privatising things went last time around?!

What I don't understand is why people buy books in the first place. You read them once, then they just clutter up your house and gather dust. I've never understood why people don't use libraries more. I read a lot, never buy books, and wouldn't want to even if I could afford it.

I'm in despair with the new government, I really am. I had no time for Labour - they were a bunch of idiots who seemed determined to remove everyone's right and ability to actually think for themselves. But these new idiots are certainly no better. How can it possibly be so hard to get a government who actually does a decent job?!

And I was in my library yesterday.

The village in which we live also has the benefit of a mobile library service once a fortnight - this is a lifeline for some of the more elderley residents.

We DO still need libraries and this is STILL horrific - keep me counted in!

Ivykaty44 - my brother (or his partner) and I take our dc to the library every wednesday before swimming.

We went this morning this week as unable to get on wednesday but go every week without fail.

Does elderley have the extra e in? Must get dictionary from library next time am there!

What Annie wrote. I was in our library on Thursday. We can't afford to buy books. Also, we rent and have to move a lot, so can't keep a lot of books.

In library yesterday at about 7.30 pm and it was packed with all sorts of people, looking at CDs, DVDS, comic books, browsing magazines, using computers.
In the city where we live the library is really central and always busy. It has been a lifeline this summer and ds has been really moticated by Space Hop.
As a child, going to the library was a joy for me, it was literally like stepping into another world- a world where there were books (there were none in my house.
I love my library and would literally chain myself to it to defend it. I think libraries are one of the few things I would fight for tooth and nail.

We go every Tuesday. So the last time we went was four days ago.

Ds has been motiVated by space hop!! Oh yes, and people were also reading BOOKs in the library yesterday evening in case anyone was going to pick up on that!

Do you know (I'm on a roll now), some people won't go to the library because are afraid of germ contamination on previously handled books - my dad is one of these. He didn't realise that most libraries these days have a selection of reading material that has never been loaned as it is new to the library and generally, in my experience these are displayed as new titles.

He went to check this out recently and was really pleasantly surprised to find books he felt he could handle and indeed proceeded to borrow. Guess with all the funding cuts these will not be as readily available in future times.

EveWasFramed72 wrote:
"NO qualifications are needed to be a librarian in this country. "

I can't let this go past - it's completely untrue! Librarianship is a respected graduate profession, and many library assistants are now on an NVQ qualification route.

There'll surely be uproar at this proposal - libraries are essential for civilised society!

So why is it that libraries can't get people to go in them...?

i was brought up to use the library - it is part of everyday life (havd not even thought about germs!)

But so many people don't use the libraries and we wil miss them when they are gone - cause that is what will happen, along with archives and museums

they will fold without footfall and people supporting them

get your father in the library and tell hime to wear gloves!

I am a member of 2 libraries. The library in my home town that I never go to and the Bodleian Library in Oxford which is not a public library but I go once a year.

Truely, I think people have an emotional attachment to libraries but most rarely use them. Ours has newspapers and magazines which are freely available in shops and not really read. The books on the shelves are overwhelmingly popular pulp fiction that within a year will be available in many bargain book bins and charity shops. The reference books are compleley out of date so the most important and widely used thing in the library are the 60 PCs they have installed.

My view is the book buying budget of the public libraries should be diverted to providing public computer access - not privatised.

i was in our local library today, got out 8 books for dd1 and 2

I was in today,yesterday and the day before.

Kids getting Space Hop medals,taking books back,choosing magazines from the 2nd hand magazine rack.

I go in 3X a week most weeks(they also run Tunes for Toddlers) and our city library at least once a month and a nearby town library as they have fab book groups and things for kids.

Our county lets you take books,DVDs out and in from any library which is great.

expat - are library services devolved

We love the library. Our DCs' nursery regularly take them for a walk to the library to look for information about what they're doing, and we go every few weeks. It always seems very full (fairly deprived area). I will now up my attendance on principle.

the internet isn't better ffs.

i use my library twice a week despite being able to afford books.

i effing hate call me dave.

Yes I think they are so I don't think Scotland will be affected.

Ds's nursery takes all the 3 & 4 year olds to the library once a week. We also take him a couple of times a month.

I worked in bookshops for years and got out of the habit of visiting the library (pesky staff discount . When I went back I got that "all these books! I can take them home! And it's free!" feeling that I had as a child all over again.

We can reserve books online, check the stock of all the city's libraries and have books transfered to out local library, put in requests for the library to buy books - all free.

Yes, Amazon is cheap but libraries are free! (for now)

I'm a medical librarian and we fully expect the government's baleful eye to seek us out sooner rather than later. As one senior administrator said when asked to approve our budget one year "Why does the hospital have to spend this ridiculous amount of money on magazines?" *

(*They were, of course, medical journals)

the city library in plymouth is rammed on mondays and thursday with all the families hanging out at rhyme time :-)

I was in the library on Thursday.

They should stick a Costa or Starbucks in them if they want figures to go up. I wouldn't mind paying a sign up fee but would be horrified if they privatised or got rid of them.

Oh and I was in the library last week. I study there when DP is looking after the kids and I need some peace (we live in a two bed flat with n we live in an area where three kids)

We also go to bounce and rhyme and have been to yoga and baby massage.

Our klibrary is well used but then we live in a city area where incomes are mixed and people have varied needs that can be met by the library.

One of these is learning to use a computer, another is access to development plans for the local area. Access to bloody public loos too!