Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Another Sign of our Economic Times
Today we visited our favorite big library that is 45 minutes from our home but still in our regional library system. Grace wanted to sign up for their summer reading program. Her being 12 doesn't allow her to join the teen program at our local but does at this library. Also the selection of books is hands down 100 percent better. When we were checking our books out I noticed two signs for the patrons explaining some upcoming changes. Of course I went to the librarian to elaborate. She told us that the Spout Springs library would not longer be opened on Sunday plus there were furlough days that the library would be closed throughout the year. Two libraries in their county were being completely shut down and their library had to lay off all 21 part time employees as well as 4 full time employees. We just went through some of this with our local library with the possibility of not being open anymore. I cannot tell how much of a blow to our family and community that would have been. On the ride home hubby and I had a conversation about what would happen if one day in the future all libraries were shut down for lack of funding. Or he mentioned that like the YMCA now had to have paying members that the library might one day have a paying membership. We would be okay with that because we visit it and use it so much. We also pondered with the fact that probably less than 20 percent of Americans utilize the library. People just don't realize what they are missing out on.
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Of course all of the new technology doesn't help. With the invention of the new e-readers and ease of downloading a library of e-books for free or low cost, it doesn't seem that libraries are that big of a draw for many families. I know people that have never gone to a library. Shocking to us as homeschoolers, isn't it? I admit that we don't have library cards any longer. When we traveled it was a rare occurance to find a library that would allow us to access their system- even by paying a fee. It just became easier for me to purchase the books we needed- but I still prefer a hardback, worn classic to a printed e-book, even if an e-book is convenient.
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