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Gen Y Hits the Library the Most -- But Not For Books 215

Posted by timothy from the don't-tell-the-other-perverts dept.
Lucas123 writes "More than half of all Americans visited a library this past year and, of those, most were from Generation Y, the tech-loving young adults aged 18-30 years, according to a recent survey. The reason most cited for visiting their local public archive? Not books. Most were seeking gaming software programs, characters in the Second Life virtual world and online help with homework."
Another way to think about the results: about 47 percent of Americans didn't visit a library even once last year.
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Gen Y Hits the Library the Most -- But Not For Books More

Gen Y Hits the Library the Most -- But Not For Books

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  • And a hot date who reads... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Strange Ranger ( 454494 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @04:32AM (#21873066)
    Finding an attractive girl with a brain in her head was always a top reason for visiting the library.

    • Re:And a hot date who reads... (Score:5, Funny)

      by pembo13 ( 770295 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @04:38AM (#21873090) Homepage
      How did that work out for you Mr. posting on Slashdot at odd times of day.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Mr Z ( 6791 )

      Fair enough. Interestingly, I met my wife when I was working at the library (computer hotline), and had to take the library time sheet over to Computing Services in another building. So, I didn't meet her in the library, but I did meet her because I was working in the library. We're still together 12 years later.

      As for going to the library to use the computers... I was doing that over 20 years ago! Who knew I'd be one of the trendsetters.

      (Their Apple ][e kicked my TI-99/4A's arse. I still have tho

      • I can relate, Mr. Z. I spent most of my sophomore and junior years hanging around the library for the cute girl who worked in Reference. I never got anywhere with her, but my proximity to good books instilled in me a great love of literature.

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Jérôme Zago ( 17794 )
      How do you handle the approach though? Indeed, most of the time, she will be busy reading, doing homework or browsing the shelves.

      To stay on topic though, the University of Leeds was the last place where I spent a lot of time at the library (Peopleware, Code Complete, The Limits to Growth [2nd ed], The World at the End of Time...). That was in 2000. I've been ordering books from Amazon ever since, since the books I now read cannot usually be found in local libraries or bookstores (I live in France/Switzerla

  • That would be me (Score:5, Insightful)

    by enjo13 ( 444114 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @04:33AM (#21873070) Homepage
    I didn't visit the library one single time in 2007.. and the same goes for 2006. Hell I haven't stepped foot in a library since college.

    I guess I'm a knuckle dragging idiot. Or, I use a much easier resource (the Internet) for my research. I buy books instead of borrowing them. So ya, I'm not terribly surprised that there are a bunch of other Americans just like me.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by LordHuggington ( 1210226 )
      I'm sure there will be plenty more people looking to other sources for info besides the library in the future. This survey even shows that those who did go to the library weren't doing so for traditional purposes. Uni. libraries are a far better source for reference material, and much of the casual material average joes used to go to the library for is becoming available online. Perhaps this survey shows that public libraries have to adjust how they operate in order to stay relevant. :\

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by Goobergunch ( 876745 )
        Even as a college student, I frequently find that the primary value in my college library is through its online databases. For one of my major term papers, I didn't visit the library at all, simply using my in-dorm access to journals provided through my library as sources. Although I did visit the library for the other term paper, I only used it to collect books that I had identified through Google and then did the rest of my research via Google Scholar and JSTOR. In both cases, I had full-text access to
    • And not just for research, but the internet has also made it much easier to get books physically to you. I used to go to the library a lot as a kid because it was just as easy as going to a bookstore. But now I can get books from Amazon, or cheaper from eBay, or cheaper still from places like Baen, and a library is not as useful to many people...

      I think they have done a good job adapting to the times. One of the things I still like libraries for is browsing through a rather large set of magazines, or of

    • Re:That would be me (Score:4, Interesting)

      by jovin6 ( 1134619 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @05:36AM (#21873228)

      I buy books instead of borrowing them.
      I never understood the rationale behind buying books. I read a good amount, mostly science fiction, but a good deal of classic literature as well. Even so, I rarely reread books, and buying them seems like a tremendous waste of money and paper. For those of you who buy books regularly, do you really read them 3+ times? Or is there some other reason you do it instead of going to the library?

      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by seifried ( 12921 )
        When it comes to sci-fi/etc. I typically buy used books at about 1-2$ a pop, load up on 20-40 and I'm set for a year. Way more convenient than the library.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by koxkoxkox ( 879667 )
        It is nice to have the books in my room, to be able to see them, read a little bit sometimes, look for a quote you know are here, etc. Or reread them completely after some years (yes, I read some books 3+ times). Or take years to finish a book.

        Some people might also like to be able to mark them or write on them, but I would never do that.

        I also love to give or lend books I have liked, and I thinks it is better to do so with books that are mine ;)

        • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

          by wikinerd ( 809585 )

          Some people might also like to be able to mark them or write on them, but I would never do that.

          I do it all the time and it's very good: While I read a book my mind works all the time and I'm thinking a lot, and if I have an idea I write it on the margin, or elaborate some of the mathematics that the author didn't explain much. My marginalia go back 10+ years, so I can see all my life in them, as I often include the current date with most marginalia. It's also funny when you lend a book... you can actually communicate with fellow nerds only with marginalia. All my books are treated as workbooks,

      • Re:That would be me (Score:5, Interesting)

        by Mr Z ( 6791 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @05:58AM (#21873282) Homepage Journal

        Easy: I buy reference books, not fiction. :-) I don't even read the whole thing once, but I do read many portions repeatedly, and it tends to be demand-driven random access. That said, I did read "Effective C++" pretty much linearly cover-to-cover when I got it, as well as "The Algorithm Design Manual." I'll still go back and reference bits randomly.

        Aside from that, there's my, erm, "throne of learning" book set, which currently consists of "Areas of My Expertise" (which I did read cover to cover, and will probably re-read bits of for a muse), and "A New Kind of Science", which I'm about 1/3rd of the way through. ANKOS is big enough that I can't possibly read it as a borrowed book. And, it has pretty pictures... I'm sure I'll go back and borrow some of the automata to repurpose them. And as for having books in the john... I know I'm not alone.

        So, I guess there's two rationales: Reference books get reused, and many people read books while in the bathroom. As for the former, it's nice to keep the book. As for the latter... wouldn't you like one that hasn't been in the bathroom yet?

        --Joe

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by MMC Monster ( 602931 )
        I agree that there is no point in buying fiction books, since you will inevitably run out of space, no matter how large a library you have.

        Tat being said, there is something nice about looking at an entire room filled with shelves of books and know that you've read everything there. And just picking something out when you have a few unexpected free minutes to browse through.

        And, yes, I have a (paper & digital) personal library, and wouldn't trade it away. :-)

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by thePig ( 964303 )
        Simple - It is much more accesible.
        If I were to go to library every time I want to read books, I would read much much less.
        It is too much of a hassle, especially since people dont plan too much for these items.

        What I do is, every 3 months or so, I buy a bunch of books and store it.
        Later, whenever I am in the mood of reading books, I take one and read it.

        My guess is that this is what most people would be doing.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by aussie_a ( 778472 )

        For those of you who buy books regularly, do you really read them 3+ times?
        Sometimes I re-read even more times then that, other times I only read it once or twice. I often buy books because the library doesn't have them.
      • For anyone over about age 25, buying books makes a ton of sense in certain categories. These are my particular reasons.

        1. Borrowing a book creates an obligation to keep track of it, and then return it in good condition without any accidents. Since everything I read is alongside a snack, I manage to smudge the page of at least a book a year, sometimes two. If it's yours, and you're not a perfectionist, you don't have to care. Plus, I was paying attention in the "active reading" class. I write notes all aroun

      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Huntr ( 951770 )
        I re-read most of them many, many more times than that. I've got books that I've had for almost 25 years that I still re-read on occasion. If I buy a book and I like it it, I'll re-read it a lot. If I buy I a book and it kind of sucks, I'll put it in with my mom's flea market stuff and recoup some of the cost.

        Like the GP, I haven't been to a library since college, but I read quite a bit.
      • With a few notable exceptions, I typically don't reread my fiction. I buy it for two reasons, first, I take very good care of my books. I don't want to sound strange but when I read a book that has writing, underlining, highlighting, dog-earing, etc etc I get way off track. Suddenly instead of following the flow of a book I'm caught up in an evaluation of some other reader's thought process (why did they underline that? is it really important? I don't think so, etc etc). This really disrupts my reading

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by Woldry ( 928749 )
        I'll agree with many of the points made by other responders. There's also the simple fact that buying books by authors I like helps support the authors and encourages them to write more. (And I'm saying this as someone who works in a library and who borrows quite a lot of books to read from work.)

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by mosch ( 204 )
        I only buy books, never borrow.

        I'd rather pay $10/book than spend $4 in gas, and 2 hours of my time going back and forth to the library. I re-read books occasionally, but not often.

        The library just strikes me as a massive waste of time, compared to buying books online, at airport bookstores (where I'm captive anyway), and in cities that aren't my home (again, where I'm basically captive to the local entertainment options.)
      • I buy books because I reread them and because I want to keep marginalia (notes on the margins etc) and personalise them, and I also want to know that they are mine (I see relationships with books as personal relationships, not sure whether I can convey the meaning effectivelly). I don't go to libraries (not that there are any here), but I do maintain paid subscriptions to many digital libraries (academic and technical) where I can get books and papers as ascii text or PDF. Is it waste of money to buy book

      • For those of you who buy books regularly, do you really read them 3+ times? Or is there some other reason you do it instead of going to the library?

        Most of the books I read are old and cost a few pounds at most. I'd rather just throw it in the bottom of my filthy work bag and forget about it rather than having to keep it intact and renew it every week. And I often read books several times. When I finish a book, I'd rather just get another one off the shelf rather than have to go to the library.

        I haven't bee

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by ryanov ( 193048 )
        Mine is that I most often get books in the airport and there are no libraries in the airport (though the bookstore I went to last time in RSW -- Paradise? Something like that -- is willing to buy them back for half price within six months ). Another was is a book given as a gift. I suppose they could give you a book they took out from the library also and it would have the same effect, but I bet that'd be looked at funny.

        But yes, you're otherwise correct.

      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by shellbeach ( 610559 )

        For those of you who buy books regularly, do you really read them 3+ times? Or is there some other reason you do it instead of going to the library?

        Why? Well, it's partly trying to help out artists by supporting their work, and it's partly because for a few dollars I can own a work of art.

        I never bought books when I was a student, but always borrowed them from the library. Now that I'm finally earning a decent wage, I've gone back and bought my favourite books so that I own a copy. Not only can I re-read them at my pleasure (and yes -- I do re-read my favourite books), not only can I lend them out to my friends and share the love of good literature

    • on the internet, the only reliable sources of research data demand subscription payments for facts.

      They can eat me, especially because they demand financial and personal information big brother can use to track me.

        I'll access my university's resources under alum privileges.
    • I visited a library a few times in 2006, precisely because I have a good Internet connection at home. I was doing a distance learning course, and I wanted somewhere to study where I wouldn't be tempted to check Slashdot. Libraries are quiet places where you can read and write without much in the way of distractions.
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Or, I use a much easier resource (the Internet) for my research.

      That's fine if you only mind scraping the surface of knowledge.

      I buy books instead of borrowing them.

      That's fine too, for those of us fortunate to have several thousand dollars to throw down for book purchases.

      For those looking for old, rare, out-of-print volumes or for journal articles, the library is just about the only resource.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Machtyn ( 759119 )
      Strangely, I rarely stepped into my college's library for their books. Study groups, sure, but never for their books.

      I have gone to my local library in search of books (usually on CD), but I have been disappointed as they have usually already been checked out.
    • I guess I'm a knuckle dragging idiot. Or, I use a much easier resource (the Internet) for my research. I buy books instead of borrowing them.

      I don't understand your reasoning. Do you get in a car and drive to a bookstore? Driving to the library is just as easy. Do you order online and have books delivered? Reviewing the library catalog via the internet is just as easy. If the book is on the shelf, you can go get it the same day. Even if you must put a hold on it or have it delivered from another bran

  • Library? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    What is this "library" you speak of?

  • I don't visit libraries either...I have a library (Score:5, Insightful)

    by A beautiful mind ( 821714 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @04:49AM (#21873114)
    ...and I'm currently connected to it.
    • Your porn stash doesn't count!

      Seriously though, how many people remember the good old days when libraries kept some annual issues of Sports Illustrated at a Reference section, for a no-checkout, table-use only?

  • Do I offset this? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Smordnys s'regrepsA ( 1160895 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @04:55AM (#21873132) Journal
    I visited the Library at least once a week, ONLY for books. I browse every new book in the new section, hit up the SciFi section, see if there is a new romance book that suits my needs. I'll be there for about an hour, and sometimes I'll head over to Bookmans for a used book afterwards if I can't find what I want. If I'm willing to wait, I use the library's electronic catalog to order the book, and pick it up when I stop by next week.


    I can't get a single friend to visit the library, but when I see a book I *know* they will love, I check it out for them, and make them borrow it. I routinely have to borrow ~4 books at a time, just so I have one to read.

    So, how about average number of books checked out, because I can't be the only person who brings home entertainment for the masses.

    • Agreed. (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      My fiance and I, both in our thirties (I, only by mere days, dammit!!!! ;)), have library cards and visit often.

      And I'll go a bit more 'lug-head' here: libraries kick some serious ass.

      After finishing an engineering degree, then heading back into the library for leisure, I find the damn thing chock full of damn near everything I had previously wanted to sink time into, but simply didn't have ... Engr kids gotta drink too, partake of ye ol' mind-widening substances, and keep that GPA up.

      With a decent job and

    • Bookmans? Tucson?

      2007 was the first year that I went to the library only a handful of times (3, I think). Yet I still managed to read about a book per week (or two, depending on my workload).

      With the number of second-hand and discount bookstores in town and online, it's pretty easy and economical to just buy books that I think I'm going to read or review more than once.

      My wife and I spend what most families spend at the movies/movie rental places on books. Seems to work pretty well for us, and you

  • but since the main reason seemed to be to use the internet it seems to me a large portion of them was just using it as a free high speed connection anyway. I already have cable in my house and, being 33, I can do whatever I want with my computer so I see no reason to go to a library to do anything. Nor do I do anything that needs to be that anonymous.

    As far as books go, I have a better technical reference than my local public library does and I have all the fiction I really want to read (also quite large).

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by weighn ( 578357 )

      Another way to think about the results: about 47 percent of Americans didn't visit a library even once last year.

      My 1st thought was, "Hey, but even more of you didn't bother to vote last time 'round."

      I worked in a public library for 9 years, 1992 until 2000. This saw many changes and developments (online databases, CD-ROMs, www, etc) and to this day I am amazed at how many students, parents, business leaders, teachers, etc STILL cannot grasp basic search/database interrogation strategies.

      While I am sure that you are across it, many people benefit from a little expertise at finding those hidden gems of information (

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Woldry ( 928749 )
        Hear, hear.

        I work in a public library, and I am forever amazed at how even well-educated people have no grasp of such things. A typical interaction with one patron (an MD):

        Patron: Do you have any books by Vijay Hamachandra?
        Me: Let me check the catalog. -- No, I'm sorry, we don't have anything at all by that author.
        Patron: Well, he wrote a book about polysaccharides. What if you look for polysaccharides?
        Me: Well, I'll be happy to check to see if we have any books about polysaccharides, but there a

  • Why does it matter? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Secrity ( 742221 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @05:02AM (#21873150)
    I am baby boomer and have haven't been to a library for over 10 years. I used to just about live in the library, but they have become irrelevant to me. The technical section is full of out of date arcane crap, yet they spend huge sums on Oprah books and Brittany Spears CDs. A few years ago I tried to donate a box full of recent technical books to the local library; THEY REFUSED TO TAKE THEM. It used to be that even if the library didn't want the books for the shelves they took them for their book sales. The up side to that is that the local used book store gave me a good price (store credit) for the books, because they were the type of books that they can sell.

    Anymore, I either get the information from the internet or I buy the books.

    • Re:Why does it matter? (Score:4, Interesting)

      by thegrassyknowl ( 762218 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @06:29AM (#21873364)
      I agree. Our local library has a lot of "photochop for dummies", "service your car for dummies", "the idiots guide to google" (you need instructions to use Google?) type books now.

      It was once a treasure trove of useful technical manuals in fields like engineering, computer science, medicine and the like. The fiction section was even pretty good with a fairly wide range. Now it seems that it's mostly popular romance trite and not much more.

      I still go there for the kids books (yes, a Slashdork spawned a child process), which they keep fairly current.

      That said, I must concede I have a couple of electronics magazines that they have only recently resubscribed to.

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by aussie_a ( 778472 )

      I am baby boomer and have haven't been to a library for over 10 years. I used to just about live in the library, but they have become irrelevant to me. The technical section is full of out of date arcane crap
      Wow, it must be old if someone like you is calling it outdated. When were the books published? 1901?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Secrity ( 742221 )
        I wish they were 1901 technical books, they would be infinitely more interesting than the current library crap.
    • The only reason I've set foot in the library in the last two decades was to get access to the local building codes. I put an addition on my house, and the only publicly available version of the local building codes was in dead-tree format at the local libraries. Unfortunately, these reference items were not available for checkout, so you had to do your research in the library. That truly sucked, as it made doing tradeoffs difficult. Of course, I could have hired a GC to do the work for me, but that woul
    • Closer to the article demographic, but otherwise I loaded this up to post pretty much the same complaints. I've lived near some libraries which had access to science journals, and that makes the entire library worthwhile. But it's rare to find one which does that, and it's becoming increasingly rare to find them actually focusing on post high-school level material in general. In the end, I suppose, people get what they're willing to fund. And most towns just don't understand how research is done in general,
  • That's why I haven't been to a library in years. That and the fact that most research I do is on the Internet anyway. Libraries certainly fill a need, but not going to them doesn't necessarily imply negative things about us I don't think.

  • "Infotainment Center" (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @05:18AM (#21873182)
    The original purpose of a library was to allow a community to invest a small amount of money in books and then let everyone in the community benefit from all of the books.

    I think it would be appropriate for libraries to change their names to be called "Infotainment Centers", and for books to largely be replaced by computers, software, and DVD collections. Computer gaming should be perfectly acceptable -- because it is no different than people going to a traditional library and reading fantasy books or other forms of fiction. There are commercial "computer gaming rooms" and "Internet cafes" appearing in shopping plazas -- but, just as libraries have long coexisted with massive bookstore chains (Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc), the "Infotainment Center" can coexist with commercial "Internet cafes" and gaming rooms.

    There are certainly many valuable books from decades past, and it will take a long time for all of that information to be available online -- and so I hope the traditional book-archiving aspect of libraries continues for a while -- but I think a plain computer lab, for GAMING, WATCHING DVDs, for AMUSEMENT, in addition to research and learning, should be the goal of libraries. The library will serve the modern public better -- and I think recreation is a valid way to serve the public -- and the idealists who hope to hook people on "more productive" or "more educational" things like reading, reading classic literature, and learning, might benefit from having the target audience already in the facility. (I'm guessing that Borders and Barnes and Noble booksellers have discovered that letting potential customers read books at their leisure, while drinking coffee, or even studying for exams with fellow students, is all OK because having people in the store will ultimately lead to more sales of books and coffee. In the same way, getting people in to the library by having X-Box, the latest video games, open WiFi, porn DVDs, whatever, might provide opportunities to encourage "more productive" or "more educational" activities.)

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Woldry ( 928749 )
      Boss? Is that you?

      I work in a public library. I applaud some of your recommendations (computers, software, & DVD collections should be integral parts of a library's mission, for instance), and absolutely recreation is both a valid way to serve the public and a hook to get people in for more "serious" library use. (At one library where I used to work, in a community that had never had a library before, I bought TONS of videos to get the local population in the door -- so that they might think of the
  • Instead, my daughter and I go to Borders or B&N. The library is so far out of the way and I'm so lazy about returning books, it usually amounts to the same thing anyway.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Mr Z ( 6791 )

      Good point. When I first moved down to my new job, before my wife had graduated college, I'd spend a lot of time at B&N "renting" books for $3/cup at their coffee shop. (Typically these were $60 - $90 tomes from the engineering section.) Every so often, I'd actually buy one that seemed worthwhile. With B & N shops every couple miles, it's just too easy. I couldn't even tell you where the libraries are in that neighborhood. But I can tell you where the bookstores are.

      In the end, I think I en

    • Late fees are what stopped me using the library. Between the cost of the fees, and the effort required to avoid them, it was cheaper and easier to just buy books. Amazon Marketplace is great for second hand books, and then I can lend them to other people. Borrowing books from people and lending them makes reading a very sociable experience. Telling someone to borrow a library book you've just returned is much less satisfying than being able to hand them a paper copy to take away with them.
  • I'm not surprised libraries aren't used as much, there are so many things competing for a persons attention today besides just books, movie, TV, radio, entertainment, internet, etc. The internet is pretty much the one stop-shop for all of these, although I think there will always be libraries, I think one of the failings of the digital age is that digital masses of digital information can be wiped out fairly easily, but on the plus side, it's easier to copy and make redundant. I still wonder about the dang

  • I go to the library all the time. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by MMC Monster ( 602931 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @06:15AM (#21873326)
    It's got an excellent DVD and CD library.

    Use your library. Donate digital media. Your entire community will thank you.

  • Skewed (Score:2)

    by noz ( 253073 )

    ... about 47 percent of Americans didn't visit a library even once last year.
    And they took the survey in front of libraries so the group of library users is over represented. ( :
  • "Another way to think about the results: about 47 percent of Americans didn't visit a library even once last year."

    For those of us old enough to remember when the local library was pretty much the only large source of information, this is a bit sad. But, not necessarily bad, just another example of things changing. With all the information available on the internet, there is less need for me to go to a library. Also, when I was that age stores like Borders -- with a huge selection of books and chairs whe
  • I do [irc] visit [thepiratebay.org] libraries [lib.ru] often. I've read a couple dozen books last year. Of those, only two were on dead trees.

  • One big problem... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by tgd ( 2822 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @07:08AM (#21873482)
    Libraries suck these days. Budgets are cut and unless you're looking for an old book, the odds are unless you're in a particularly forward thinking or wealthy town they're not going to have what you're looking for.

    I was at my towns Library maybe a dozen times in 2007 -- and while it may be close, I'm fairly certain I donated more new books than I checked out books there.

    Unless the books you read are VERY mainstream (ie, your reading is dictated by talkshow hosts), libraries just won't work anymore.

  • !Library (Score:4, Funny)

    by ShakaUVM ( 157947 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @07:20AM (#21873522) Homepage Journal
    Why do we need libraries any more?

    All the world's information is on wikipedia! One or two pages can encapsulate the information on every subject!

    Besides, how else would we learn about how the Black Panthers guard Vibranium?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by alen ( 225700 )
      libraries have these things called books that wikipedia doesn"t have

    • All the world's information is on wikipedia!

      Wikipedia has nothing on science... if for my research I was limited only to Wikipedia I would fail miserably... and I say this as a donor and contributor. Need proof? See for yourself: Wikipedia has *nothing* on the JRP (Joint Reprenishment Problem), and not only there isn't any article on it but also no wiki page at all references it (Google search [google.com]), and yet the book I have in my hands right now (bought, not rented) has plenty of info on JRP. And not only that, Wikipedia has nothing on the variable

      • Wikipedia has nothing on science

        I think it'd be more accurate to just say it has very little on science. What's sad though, is that it's still a larger quantity and more up to date than the average public library on most scientific topics. I'm tempted to start buying up somewhat older university text books to donate, but even if the library would accept them I suspect that the demand just isn't there.

        It's both amazing and depressing that for all the talk from politicians about the need and importance of

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by uhlume ( 597871 )
      Oh man. This so deserves Funny/Insightful mods.
  • ...and I find it astounding that 53% of any nation's population hits the public libraries at least once a year, let alone the US. I've always thought the figure would be much, much lower. In fact, there seems to be three types of people:

    1. Those who frequent public libraries.
    2. Those who don't.
    3. Those who don't and only know those others who don't.

    I seem to be part of category three.

    Since I can remember, I've hit bookstores. About once a month, my mother went clothes-shopping and used to leave me at the
  • I'm 42 (is that generation X?) anyway I visit the library at least one a week for the following reasons;

    1.) I check out at least 4 DVD's at least once a week. Money was pretty tight for me this year as I spend most of my money investing in my business and paying off debts. I've seen a lot of classic movies as well as new releases I have never seen or would have never found at the video store or even online.

    2.) I use the free wi-fi and will set up a temp. office space for serveral hours especially when I n

  • Libraries are not about books anymore than carpenters are about hammers or surgeons are about scalpels.

    Instead, libraries are about the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of data and information for their respective audiences. Carpenters are about building things, and surgeons are about healing. For the longest time, information was primarily manifested in books. It is not about the books; it is about what is inside the books. Unfortunately, too many libraries have identified their

  • Now when you go to the library you get to hear squalling children and soccermoms chatting with each other. All they need is a Starbucks inside the library to complete it. Free WiFi is nice though - what with all the coffee bars going T-Mobile.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Woldry ( 928749 )
      Quite a few libraries, especially in larger/wealthier suburban communities that already have coffeehouses, are installing cappuccino bars or the equivalent in order to pull in clientele.
  • I go to the local library occasionally to read magazines. From September through May it's packed with high school kids doing homework. And socializing, and reading YouTube and MySpace, etc. New libraries are being built to accommodate this type of activity. They're even including cafes or snack bars. If my kids were still in school I'd be happy to see them spending time like that.

  • Give it a shot. (Score:2, Insightful)

    by supercrisp ( 936036 )
    I'm surprised at how many people here are proud of not going to the library, but that's more about me and my age, I suppose. I was born in 1969 and grew up in the rural South. We didn't even get cable in my town until 1980. Anyway, I grew going to the library, checking out a dozen books a week, a mixture of fiction and technical books. I lived in Memphis and Iowa City for years. Memphis libraries were horrible, because under-funded. Iowa City's library was incredibly good, and that's where I started using a

  • There aren't many libraries in my locality, but even if there were, I wouldn't use them, because I prefer to own my books instead of renting them. This allows me to keep marginalia and personalise them. So if I think of something while reading a book, I quickly keep a short note on it on the book's margin. I have marginalia going back 10+ years and they remind me of all my life :)

  • I often find that most local libraries don't have anything timely enough for my (generally technical) interests.

    However, it is an incredible resource for younger children. Even in the day of video games, I found my kid under the age of 8 or so just *love* the library, and the generally well-stocked children's section. And where I find books a bit pricey, and worry about kids temporary interest in a given one, the library is perfect for letting them pick out something they like, and check it out. If they

  • A resource when you need it. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by NorbrookC ( 674063 ) on Tuesday January 01, 2008 @11:15AM (#21874632) Journal

    When I lived in an urban area, I never went near a library. I could get broadband, there were lot of bookstores, and there were movie rental places on almost every corner. A couple of years ago I moved to a very rural area and rediscovered the joy of going to a library. There was no broadband in the area. The nearest bookstore was 75 miles away. The local video rental had about 150 titles. So any option to use the Internet, buy books, or rent movies was limited, to put it mildly. Then I visited the library. Broadband connection. Books to choose from, and if they didn't have it, they could get it. A huge selection of movie titles. All for free!

    I still live in this area, and we now have broadband, but the book stores are still far away, and movie rental options still suck. So I still visit my local library regularly. I get to check out books, and if I do like them, I'll go ahead and order them from one of the on-line retailers for a personal copy. If I don't like it, I'm only out some time.

    In this area at least, the library is a valuable resource, and one that's there when you need it. If you don't have the money, or thing like broadband, bookstores, or movie rentals simply aren't there, the library is. Even if you aren't in need of it now, it doesn't mean it's irrelevant or useless.

  • The summary got it wrong-- the users ARE NOT there for Second Life. There's a group of librarians who fervently believe that tons of the people in their community use Second Life and they're trying to expand their reference services into the virtual world. There's no evidence to support that, and the result is your tax dollars that go to the libraries involved are supporting a publicly-funded help desk for Linden Labs (the company behind Second Life).
  • When I moved to Charlotte, NC last year, I had no real job, nor any money to spend on books. I found that the library was the cheapest way of reading books rather then sitting around, watching television, and becoming fat. Now I have a job, I'm going to school, and still go to the library to find books to read. It's perfect for doing research, and I can take the books home. Before last year I hadn't been in a public library for about twenty-five years. Now, whether for school, work, or myself, I'm always at
  • Ironically, I actually use my library for their literary content. I say ironically, because I don't actually go there in person. I download eBooks and AudioBooks [denverlibrary.org]. I wonder if this foreshadows a broader trend, in which folks seeking content use their virtual library, while folks seeking, uh, other stuff, go to the building. Maybe old library buildings will be converted into a modern equivalent of the Grange Hall [wikipedia.org]?
  • Here's a few reasons why I don't visit my local library:

    1) Selection: I just checked online, and of the ten books I've recently purchased only two were in the library system, one copy each, and one was currently checked out. By "system", I mean the *entire county* (San Joaquin) which has about a half million people in it. I did a search for "CSS" and only three general website design books came up.

    2) Ghetto: We have a nice, clean library, but the people who hang out there make me feel like I'm in the ghe
  • I haven't been in a library in several years.

    The local library has very little selection (part of being a small town). What selection they do have is very dated. So, I now just buy books rather than going to libraries. Over the years I've accumulated enough to fill a half-dozen bookshelves, almost all of which I've read, and am continually buying more. Several of my friends have similar sized libraries of their own, although most of their libraries dominated by science fiction.

    Estate sales are fun, you
  • THe public library used to be a place with a huge variety of books, both current and out-of-print. If you wanted to find an out-of-print book, the library was one of the big resources. Several years ago found our library giving away or selling for a dime apiece boxes and boxes of the kinds of books that I normally go the the library to find, and the library was reorienting itself as a kind of free browsing bookstore... spending money on bestsellers instead of reference books. As other people have noted, it

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