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Libraries Under Threat

Some interesting points raised there and I wonder just how much the movements of population come into play here. For instance, has the catchment area of Spring Hill Library been significantly reduced due to the massive clearance of houses in the Ladywood area and their replacement with a few tower blocks? Not having lived in Birmingham for over 50 years, I'm not in a position to assess this.
Many library authorities have experimented with things like Sunday opening, and these sorts of things are frequently discussed by librarians' associations such as the National Acquisitions Group (N.A.G.). To what extent they were successful and whether any such trials took place in Birmingham, I wouldn't know. A friend in Bournemouth uses his local library for meetings of the Local History Group, and I'm sure many others do, but this is only once a month and in the evening as most would be attendees are at work during the day.
There's no doubt that heating these old buildings and maintaining them has a very significant cost. Pensioners want access during the day as many are afraid to go out in the evening.If savings have to be made, councils will opt for the easy option - libraries, in much the same way as they opt for easy sources of revenue such as motorists with speeding and parking infringements.

Maurice
 
Why are we trying to save paper books? I use a Kindle and would not consider reading a novel again except on it. I believe certain books will survive e.g Atlases as I prefer looking at maps that way. Authors will still write but output will be digital. I find it so convenient to carry a small Kindle that gives me access to Internet, play games, listen to music, look at photos, read newspapers and read books - great for travelling.One bonus I find when reading books on it is the facility to automatically look things up e.g. strange place names or people, just click on the name and it goes straight into Wikipedia, books will never do that. Maybe the way forward is central libraries with mobiles going to local areas. In the short term maybe use the existing buildings to provide training on using tablets etc, believe me, people can learn at any age, I have taught people of 75 and over to use computers.
We can try and fight change but it's better to work with it.
 
Oh Sheldontony, I don't agree with you, and apparently statistics recently taken show that many people still like books. I am fairly computer literate, have been using one since 1982 but would not dream of having a kindle, except perhaps to take on holiday. I just love the feel of paper. That might be different perhaps if I read novels which I rarely do, most of my books are fact, not fiction. Books I think are here to stay, not as many maybe, but they won't die, I am sure of that.
 
I'm with you Shortie. You can't beat the feel and smell of a good book, the thrill of turning the page to see what happens next, longing to finish it yet not wanting "the journey" to be over.
OK .. in some ways you can do some of this on a Kindle, but I'm resisting! As you can see, I read a lot of fiction, but my non-fiction/reference books have an important place on my bookshelf. Knowing me, I'd be sure to delete something on a Kindle that I really wanted to keep.
Plus, it's sometimes cheaper to buy a paperback from a supermarket/charity shop than to download it from Amazon ... and, of course, the library's even cheaper! LONG MAY THEY LIVE!!!!!
 
Shortie, Charlie, agree with you both, I am 83 yo and have a PC for last 10 years (had 4 in fact) and find it very useful and enjoyable but would never buy a kindle, I get great pleasure in browsing through my local library checking out the new books and the 'books for sale' section, I enjoy handling the book, turning the pages, all part of the pleasure of reading a real book. I have a book case full of mostly non fiction books, particularly Art books which I fondly glance through and refer to occassionly, still have my text books bought in 1956 when I studied for my City and Guilds in Telecommunications when I joined PO Telephones, Atkinsons Volume 1 and 2 Telecoms which I am informed are now quite valuable as they are out of print. Long live books. Eric
 
so sad to hear that spring hill library is closing
i spent hours there as a child in the fifies i still love reading books and i woudnt have a kindle if i want to read it as got to be a book
josie
 
There are many advantages to books over electronic technologies. The first being they do not require batteries and the second is unless a it is a rare and valuable book it will not get stolen. Thirdly at bedtime if you fall asleep reading a book there is no worry about it falling on the floor and it unlikely to get broken or left switched on. I am sure there are other advantages as well.:friendly_wink:
 
Having spent the last 30 odd years in various branches of computing (and before that on one of the early Leo computers at Lucas), and my OH has both a Kindle and a Chinese copy (which she prefers), I still prefer good old-fashioned paper and so does she, I never read fiction and am currently halfway through a paperback about Elgar. I agree with Shortie, Josie, Alan, Eric & Charlie. Sorry Sheldontony, you're outnumbered! :-)

Interesting figures from Viv though, just confirming that the library market is shrinking......and we still have the problem of what to do about old library buildings....

Maurice
 
I didn't say books will cease to exist, just that reading habits will change. Maybe not for everyone but probably enough to mean the old library system has to change.
By the way sospiri, I also worked on a LEO computer, 1967 at Southalls Alum Rock.
Now back to reading Sunday papers on my Kindle.
 
Sheldontony
I have no desire to own a Kindle, though do read electronic books on occasion on my laptop, but can see how they appeal to many people. However there are two things I definitely am not keen on. Firstly, as I understand it, you do not own a purchased electronic book, you licence it . therefore, I gather, in theory at some time in the future it could be removed from your device unless you paid an extra fee, if the publisher decided to make more money. This might be difficult legally, but the law can be changed. I gather that one book was altered remotely on the electronic version after publication when a libel suit was brought against the author. So those owning only the electronic version are subject to, in theory , to future censorship. Unlikely perhaps, but who would have believed ten years ago, other than an avid SF fan, that all our telephone calls would be recorded for the delectation of the NSA and GCHQ. I also am not keen on the idea of anyone's queries being referred (as described) to wikipedia. Wikipedia is a very useful tool on occasion, but there are many inaccuracies and lies on soem pages, and if that is the only source of people's information, and they do not consider any other, then inaccuracies will tend to be accepted automatically
 
Interesting points Mike.

Just out of interest has anyone ever been consulted about the library services they have/want/don't want? Are you encouraged as a user to give ideas? Have you ever volunteered to work in a library (there's an increase in volunteers and a decrease in paid staff). I've never been asked for an opinion as a user about the library services offered by my local library. If needs are changing, how can they know what people want from a library without consulting them? Viv.
 
Vivienne, They would have a job gaining an opinion in Chelmsley Wood library as there are so few users to ask, from my observations they are mostly middle aged and elderly. If residents do not use the library and the council needs to cut costs can we really blame them for cutting opening hours or even closing it down, once again I say use it or lose it. Eric
 
Viv

After a quick glance through the figure I'm not so sure that falling numbers of loans and visitors are just down to lack of interest. They could equally be down to funding cuts and closures. I don't suppose that on your travels through the internet searching for library data that you came across any that was peculiar to Birmingham libraries. I've had a look but I can't find any other than Birmingham Central Library was the second was the second most visited in the country in 2012 as you have already stated.
 
Yes Phil, it could be partly down to closures. Couldn't find any figures for individual local libraries, which might tell us a bit more provided they show a trend over a few years. It would be interesting too to find out what criteria were used in making the case for closure. In theory it could tell you something about the services no longer used. And that's why I say libraries should consult the people who use them; It could in turn help to save the library. Forever the optimist! Viv.
 
This has little to do with library buildings, but it is interesting that Birmingham along with most other authorities insist that you reside in the authority's catchment area, whereas Lancashire (and I think one other authority) don't care even if you live abroad as I do. My membership of that library enables me free access to Gales 17/18/19th Century newspapers and a number of other publications which would otherwise be denied to me. Exactly what benefit this is to the library I don't know, but I do appreciate it very much.

Maurice
 
Lucky you Maurice. I had access to it for a short while when it was on trial, but can't get it through Torbay Libraries.
 
Then join Lancashire Libraries, Judy - you can do it online. They immediately give you a temporary number to use and your card follows in the post a few days later. Of course, you can't get your free hour on Ancestry and something else without accessing it from their actual libraries, but it's useful for the newspapers if you don't use it for anything else.

Maurice
 
Hi Maurice we are puzled at the statement that you cannot access The Library of Birmingham if not within the catchment area. We live over the border but both have internet access. The only thing we cannot do is access books online but this is a copyright issue we believe.

I may have misunderstood the issue so will look later.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
Maurice


I belong to Birmingham Library and I live in Solihull of where I am also a member of the Library. When I joined Birmingham library on line I think that I just had to state that I was in Birmingham often.
 
Bernard / Phil:

Maybe things have changed then. I have been a member of Lancashire Library for about six years now simply because Birmingham insisted on me being a citizen before they would allow me to become a member. I remember at the time that many other people were having problems, which is how I found out about Lancs. Library.

Maurice
 
I believe both Birmingham and Solihull allow each others citizens to get a library card. I have a Solihull one but live in Birmingham although that may have changed, I am sure if you say you work or study in the area you will get a card.
 
We have the cards but have no such proof. We joined at The Library of Birmingham itself showing our driving licences alone. Puzzled as we were clear all along as to where we live.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
I joined the Birmingham library in November 2013. All that was required of me is to go and collect my card in person. I registered online, got a temporary number (a self-reg one) and then all I had to do was pick my card up. My cousin who lives in Norwich has just joined too, no questions asked. I did have to have identification, that was all when I collected my card. That was just two months ago, I am sure it's not changed since then.
 
I LOVE my kindle. hate second hand books because you don't know where they've been, don't like anyone reading my magazines before me. Think many infections are passed on through this. I don't have to go out to physically buy books which means I have immediate access to current releases. I have read dozens and dozens by lots of different authors on many subjects since I was bought it for my birthday, three years ago. Brilliant to take on holiday, just chill, whatever floats your boat. I don't condemn anyone who wants hard copy but, for me, kindle does it. Anne
 
Shortie said:
I joined the Birmingham library in November 2013. All that was required of me is to go and collect my card in person. I registered online, got a temporary number (a self-reg one) and then all I had to do was pick my card up. My cousin who lives in Norwich has just joined too, no questions asked. I did have to have identification, that was all when I collected my card. That was just two months ago, I am sure it's not changed since then.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the confirmation Shortie it will save me uploading the photo of my 'Library of Birmingham Membership' Card which was issued to a non resident.
 
Shortie:

I'm in the UK at best once a year. Lancashire didn't ask for any ID and posted my card to Crete. Can't beat that for service! But I fear we are drifting off topic, which was the closing of local branch libraries. All my fault!

Maurice
 
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