Comments on: Monday Muse – The vulgar modernisation of libraries

By: Ana

Ana — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:04 +0000

There’s no reason why books and computers can’t live together. Theres an homework help programme for students in the library, my kids use it online at home and still have ‘reading time’ before bed. One doesn’t cancel out the other. Surely the more benefits the better?

By: Monique Godbehere

Monique Godbehere — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:50:04 +0000

As a manager in a library service that provides all of the above mentioned by Michelle, I have found that the initial “outrage” from both the public and staff is almost essential to eventual acceptance and embracing of change. Once there is something new to vent about, they move on and you very rarely get anymore comments – except possibly from people who haven’t stepped foot in a library since high school.
Libraries are obviously changing, some moving away from Dewey and moving more into what our users say they want and less about how we want it to be – but we change, vent and then accept and move onto the next big thing. It is an exciting place to be for sure.

By: Christina Majoinen

Christina Majoinen — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:19:58 +0000

I think of a library as a centre for gathering information, where the friendly staff can help me find information which is reliable. Regardless of the medium.
As for fiction collections and internet access, a library is also a community service which provides connection to the greater community and access to books. All three functions are important.

By: Mal

Mal — Mon, 11 May 2009 05:29:22 +0000

I think Chris makes an excellent point about libraries, but he doesn’t go far enough really: the worst thing that ever happened to us was Johannes Gutenberg’s movable type printing. If we could just wind back everything to say, 1430, it would all be a nice safe quiet environment suitable for nice safe quiet people like Chris.
No whirring: no buzz, click, furtang; no flashing lights; no noise; no people; no life; etc.

By: Tom Goodfellow

Tom Goodfellow — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:00:15 +0000

I work in an academic library, but I am a member of a whole bunch of public libraries in Sydney. I use the DVD collections extensively, the books rather less and the internet and gaming not at all. In a spirit of inclusivity, I think all of these things have a role to play and libraries should provide access to them, but that quiet reading rooms should also be provided for serious study.

Blocking gmail is just plain odd.

By: Michael Rees

Michael Rees — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:52:02 +0000

My newest public library has plenty of workstations with free Internet access. Browsing most sites is allowed but for some reason that completely escapes me you are not allowed to access gmail.com! Anyone know the answer? Does this happen in places other than the Gold Coast?

By: Librarian Idol

Librarian Idol — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:43:04 +0000

Where did the comments go? Web 2.0 fail, ABC!