Are Libraries still relevant?

[Hoolahoophop]

I've just completed a questionnaire for my local library service who are considering shutting some of the smaller libraries in my area.

I was wondering how many keen readers still visit the library.

I go a couple of times a month to select kids books with my DC.

I read for about half an hour a day while breastfeeding my youngest to sleep. I can't hold a book so use my kobo. I buy my kobo books because borrowing ebooks from my library, putting them on the PC, click and drag, plugging in my kobo, clicking and dragging some more feels so inconvenient and costs so much time I'd rather just buy a book for a few £ direct from my kobo using Wi-Fi.

So as an adult the library no longer works for me. Just wondering how other readers feel.

Libraries are vital, always have been, and hopefully always will.
I go to our local one once or twice a week. It is in a shopping centre, which is unusual, but means that the large amount of people who use it can exchange their books and do their shopping, it’s full of school children and always busy. The staff are great, and it is a lifeline for the children here, in a country where few people can afford to buy books.

I joined my local (small town) library mostly for ebooks, audiobooks and the free magazine (via app). Occasionally reserve an actual book for collection. I never go in just to browse, would rather look at the online catalogue, am disabled and find it hard to park near enough. I suppose in future it will just be all online.

Zadie Smith’s article was excellent, thank you for sharing it Minutiae. Does anyone know what happened to the library in her article?

My local library runs bounce and rhyme 5days a week with crafts for kids. Always busy. The staff help teach a few older how to read. They have craft specific sessions for the public. Book sales ext. it's so much more than a library it's a community hub and it's very much needed

We used to go all the time as we had a village library and then to the town library as they got older but now we haven't been for several years as the teen section is maybe 100 books in all and all old ones.

Mistaken is spot on.

I work in a library, and can tell you they are still very relevant. Baby Bounce, Rhyme Time, Arts & Crafts, Coffee Mornings, Book Club, Talks, Courses, then there's students coming in to study, people coming in to use computers - a lot goes on besides borrowing books.

However 'footfall' is normally recorded so if people don't use smaller branches then they will close eventually.

Forgot to mention the Outreach/Home service which is brilliant for those who can't get out to their local library.

Absolutely love and support my local library.

I read a book a week (not a big telly watcher) so borrowing from the library saves me £££

I'm a childminder and take my little ones there weekly for reading, choosing books and rhyme time. The love going so much that they pretty much ask to go every day.

Libraries are FAB

Libraries are amazing. Ours hosts so many amazing free activities: baby bounce and rhyme, book groups, Scrabble club, Raspberry Pi programming for kids, conversational language classes... There’s also a free rail with clothing that homeless people or anyone who needs it can help themselves to. There are jigsaws out on tables and anyone can add a few pieces (or finish the whole thing!) as they pass.

For a lot of kids it’s the only safe and quiet place they have to do homework. For a lot of older people it’s their main social outlet. People are always queuing up to use the computers and printers. It’s warm, dry, open into the evening, and free. There’s wifi, coffee and that’s before you even get to the books. Ours also lends ebooks, DVDs and board games.

The staff are basically frontline social workers, helping vulnerable elderly people, homeless people, and people with clearly undiagnosed severe mental health issues every day. They cheerily help kids with homework, run quizzes and community events, and curate interesting exhibitions including regular displays of rare books and documents from the stacks.

I used to work in libraries myself (not this one), and am totally passionate about them. They are one of the absolute best assets our society has and I would happily pay more council tax to subsidise them.

www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jun/01/three-in-10-uk-children-own-no-books

For that headline alone libraries should get more funding. Anything that helps children become readers benefits society as a whole.

I use the library for physical books. There is no charge for ordering. All different age groups in there when I pop in.

When our council had a review of library services they had a proposal to cut smaller libraries & the library buses but there was a huge push back. Ended up closing bigger libraries one day a week so service was still accessible to all.

I'm a fan of our library which is just a room in the leisure centre, but a few years ago the opening hours were slashed which makes it harder to pass by. It isn't open when I'm there for DC's activities. There's one evening for later opening and a few days of 3-4 hour windows.

It was a great place to go and drop in if I felt lonely when DS1 was a baby. We also used to do rhyme time sessions. It was also great when it was open around my Brownies spot, a free outing and access to information for researching badges. The slash in hours has made it much less accessible.

I use it most for variety for the DCs, particularly DS1 who likes non-fiction easy readers.