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“What if we took a place known for being quiet and made it loud?”
Ok, then let’s make a new space called a loudbrary.
You’re implying “li” means quiet and I have no choice but to believe this madness because I can’t be bothered to look it up.
I’m sure the Loudbrarian could help you with that.
WHAT?!
Perhaps some sort of community drinkbrary, as seen in the image.
Outside of normal operating hours? Why not?
Libraries weren’t created to be quiet places. They were created to preserve and share knowledge.
To be fair libraries are very active places, there are plenty of quiet spaces in most of them as well for this reason. Why can’t we accommodate everyone? We aren’t talking pumping music, just basic conversation, which already happens.
If it gets too loud, there’s always the quiet places for people that want more peace ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
We aren’t talking pumping music…
YOU may not be but I guarantee that within the first 60 minutes at least three people are going to try and do just that.
Be honest, how long has it been since you’ve been in a public library?
Since I’m a Technical Consultant for my local library I can honestly say I was in one just last week. In fact I’m logged into their system right now making some adjustments to their public access computers. I know what patrons are doing when they think no one is looking and I know exactly what would happen if Libraries were open late so people could lounge around.
Many libararies are already employing Security Staff to keep things under control during regular hours and there is no reason to think that it get any better ‘after dark’ so to speak.
So you work offsite, rarely visit, and are making sweeping judgements on how patrons you don’t even see or interact with would be behaving in a hypothetical scenario?
Lol.
Was there again this morning and remembering this “conversation” I asked the Executive Director, Business Manager, and the Assistant Director about it.
These were the three comments they all made, although in slightly different orders:
-“How is it going to be funded? Keeping the Staff and Security here until 10PM or later would be expensive and its not in our budget.”
-“A lot of people won’t come out after dark so it would likely be the same people that come and sit here all day. They’d just be staying later.”
-“We have enough behavior problems during the day. I can’t imagine how it would get late at night.”
I also asked the head Librarian about the Library as a 3rd Space for the public. She shook her heard and said “I understand the idea but it wouldn’t work. The Staff isn’t here to play baby sitter so people can sit around and chat.”
So there ya’ go; three Administrators and a Librarian.
Now I challenge YOU to go to YOUR local Library and talk to the Administrators and Librarians there. I’m interested to know what they tell you.
the part where logging in to a computer remotely is apparently as good as visiting a place in person fucking sent me. this is what being online 24/7 does to a person.
Reviewing the actual logs which collect data over long periods is more reliable.
Btw where the fuck did they say that they never visited the place? For all we know they have worked for the library onsite for months or even years.
this is what being online 24/7 does to a person.
Yeah, I know what you mean…
I’ve got to be honest that picture is just a pub with books.
But free and no booze, so
and we’ve circled back to the missing third place – libraries as community centers, family friendly pubs and bars, coffee shops that don’t require buying half the menu to just hang out, walkable (and bikable) cities where people can go for an evening stroll without being afraid of being run over …
I want this so bad. Why can’t the car loving suburbanites who visit Europe and love it just get on board?
Cars are not freedom, if anything they take it away while making life miserable for everyone.
Yes ! A thousand time yes !
The library are the last third places publicly accessible.
What we need is more third places where we can just meet other people, neighbors without the expectation to spend money.
Like the park?
Parks close early too
Some parks don’t close at all
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a closed park in Australia. Maybe I don’t get out much though.
How do you close a park? Are the parks fenced/gated?
Yep.
Or you put up signs and pay security/police/bylaw officers to patrol.
Libraries would need more funding to operate extended hours…
Then people would complain about gov’t spending and taxes. Then we would privatize the libraries
This is why we cant have nice things
Capitalists trying to convince the public to privatize things has nothing to do with cost; even if they were free, every dollar saved by the public represents a potential profit they’re losing.
Cheaply selling drinks (maybe non-alcoholic) would probably more than off-set the additional costs.
I wanna get lit at the library though.
Litbrary
Lib[ation]rary
Imbibe-rary
Turns out brainwashing a society to be selfish consumers has side effects like: not wanting to spend their money on services for the public good.
“They aren’t me, why should I care!?”
Or even if you personally benefit from public services, you’ll still complain about “muh tax dollars!!”
Years and years ago my friends mom was complaining about taxes for public school. I said ‘but your kids were public schooled!?’ and she responded, perfectly seriously, “yeah but not anymore.” (We had recently graduated). I have never forgotten this. It’s real. Real people think like this
In Brussels there is a library that’s “open” as late as 22:00. There’s an after hours program where you register for after hours access, sign an agreement, and your library card can be used to unlock the door. Staff is gone during off hours but cameras are on. Members are not allowed to enter with non-members (can’t let anyone tailgate you incl. your friends).
That sounds great. I don’t know, neither have heard of, any such place in your neighbor germany. Sadly so. Even I would visit such a place.
And how’s it going? No troubles? No asswipes coming in drunk (with their friends) or such? Is it even frequented?
I was only there once or twice in off hours. I think I was there once on a Sunday (normally closed all day so only open to after hours members) and once in the evening. It was quiet as I recall but I guess I’ve not made use of it enough to have an idea. It’s not overly busy in the after hours.
W.r.t. alcohol, the rules forbid eating and drinking in the library, but water is exceptionally allowed. I don’t know if they review the video without cause, but if someone breaks the rules, their after-hours access is terminated.
Funnily, we just discovered that one of our city-libs iss actually doing the exact same thing now too. As an experiment. And it seems they don’t have to deal with it. Quote: “i guess the library-folk is just a quiet and peaceful folk”. So, no problems and people love it.
We parrot you guys ☺️
My local library has 24h access for students to a special area designed for the purpose. During the day the same area is accessible to the public. It’s just a nicely laid out area with desks and chairs and a great view of the park.
It’s unbeatable at 5am with a stiff cup of coffee.
This is the utopia, but unfortunately, delinquents and no-good doers will harass the people in late night libraries and cafes. There is a cafe in my hometown that used to run 24/7 but anti-social behaviour made them close much earlier. Granted it has been an issue before, but the pandemic solidified the decision to no longer serve 24/7, especially with people no longer spending much time outside of their home any longer than it used to be.
We need more third places.
