To NOT want a self service library

[weirdbird]

My normal library installed self service machines, so we changed libraries as they where a nightmare to use and I couldn't watch the kids and check out books, and it took 4 times longer to use the library and I ended up with 3 billion bits of paper that I had to keep, now they are making the library I moved to self service as well.

I am gutted that they are doing this, cause it just makes going to the library such a stressful experience that I don't want to go and I have always loved going to the library since I was a child.

Am I being really unreasonable?

I didnt feel safe having to take my eyes of my children for so long to check the books out, the thing is you can't choose to use the counter or self service, they remove the counter and its only self service....

Woh!

Self-service library?

oh dear.

Do you mind saying which county you are in, as it must be a county-wide decision by the sound of it?

I'd be happy to help draft letters, I think you could make some serious complaints about this.

Well that decision will not have been taken by library staff at branch level. Councils just want to cut, and cut, and cut library services, including staff salaries, until you just won't have a free basic public library service any more. Definitely complain.

I'm in the UK, I spoke to the manager who was very nice and is sending me a form to complain to the area manager about it.

The whole of Surrey is slowly introducing them, and yes as far as I can see it is just a way to cut down on staff

Same thing happening in South London. What with self service supermarkets now, soon we won't have to talk to anyone when we go out.

oh what a shame I always enjoyed the whole booking out experience and got to know the librarians,

My local library doesn't have a self service machine but there is talk to them introducing them sometime in the future.

I'm not against them per se but at the same time I forsee problems.

I'd definitely campaign to have a counter reinstalled just so you have a choice. There is so much talk about how to get more people into libraries and boost numbers of borrowers but I don't think alienating them is the way to go.

Like you weirdbird, at least if someone else is issuing books you can run after your children if they run off. As proven by yourself it's hard to try and issue the books and keep an eye on the children.

There are also elderly people to think of. Many elderly people don't like change. Elderly customers make up huge numbers of customers that visit libraries. To them it's also a social thing where they can chat to the library assistant for 5 minutes about the weather or whatever. Faced with new equipment how many of them will stop visiting, or not visit as often as they can't cope with the change.

As Marina said it's not the branches that decide these things it's higher powers who have probably never in their life worked a day in a library. They look at figures and find ways to save money on staff wages etc