05-02-2011, 13:04
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#1
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Cable Forum Team
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Use it or lose it?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12340505
Quote:
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With more than 400 public libraries under threat of closure, the campaign to save them is gathering pace. But in an age of downloads, cheap books and easy online shopping, can this great British institution survive?
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So where do you stand in the discussion?Should we maintain our libraries or can the internet and technology replace them?
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05-02-2011, 13:20
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#2
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cf.mega poster
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Re: Use it or lose it?
We certainly don't need them as much as we did ,when i was young our local library was part of my childhood just as much as the local park ,even when my oldest son was young throught the 90's he used the library but i don't think my youngest son has ever been in one ,he's never needed to he has always had access to the internet whereas my other son didn't
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05-02-2011, 13:22
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#3
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Cable Forum Team
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Keep them. Unless I've missed something & you can "rent" ebooks for free from iBooks/Kindle.
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05-02-2011, 13:47
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#4
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Posting with Cattitude.
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Re: Use it or lose it?
I would be very sorry to loose my local library as I borrow on average 10 books every couple of weeks, I suppose I'm Old School in that I love the feel of a book and have found other formats not as enjoyable and buying all the books I read would send my already bulging book shelves crashing through the floor.
I rarely use the Reference section any more though as I can usually do all my research on the net and at the most only need to order specialist books a couple of times a year. Being able to pre-order, and reserve, books on the net was a good innovation and has worked well for me.
If the library service were to close my sub-branch it wouldn't be the end of the world as I have the transport to be able to get to our main Library but it would be a great loss to my community as it has well attended book reading groups for both adults and children, hosts writers groups and various other book related activities.
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05-02-2011, 14:44
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#5
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cf.mega poster
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Our autistic son has finally discovered the joy of books at age 19, and the local libraries are Alladin's Caves of joy and information for him.
Beaurocrats hiding behind desks elsewhere are no doubt trying to make the cuts in libraries to defend their own job security.
A shame.
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05-02-2011, 15:32
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#6
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cf.mega poster
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taf
Our autistic son has finally discovered the joy of books at age 19, and the local libraries are Alladin's Caves of joy and information for him.
Beaurocrats hiding behind desks elsewhere are no doubt trying to make the cuts in libraries to defend their own job security.
A shame.
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Books are a Beautiful thing for your son mate. Let him enjoy them! 
Some people with Autism enjoy a different world to others. 
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05-02-2011, 15:44
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#7
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Beware - Menopausal.
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Our local library is an invaluable source of information an a myriad of things. Not just via books! People who cannot afford or do not have the internet can get on line free. People who are researching local family history can get help and information. Jobseekers can use the local papers provided to find work. Story time for the toddlers. Borrowing music & DVD's at an affordable cost and of course the huge range of fiction & non fiction to borrow. As someone who reads 3 or 4 books a week I would be in the local psychiatric unit without the library.
They seem to be going down the "volunteer/Big society" route for some of the smaller local libraries.
Save our libraries - like Alexandria once lost, never to be recovered.
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05-02-2011, 16:23
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#8
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cf.geek
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Re: Use it or lose it?
I haven't used the library in years, but I popped in my local one (rather than the main town center one) the other day mid morning, I was surprised how busy it was.
Down one end there was some kind of OAP meeting going on. By the periodicals there were a few ppl sat down reading newspapers. I was quite surprised magazines weren't just trade/serious mags but also Empire, Total Film, a computer games mag, some ladies mags.
All the internet PCs were in use, and ppl were queued up to use the self service check in/out machines.
I guess I, like many ppl had forgotten the points Angua above has made, I just think of it as somewhere to borrow books, but it clearly is used as much more than that to a lot of people.
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05-02-2011, 16:44
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#9
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Cable Forum Team
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Keep them - invaluable resource to those who can't afford books, and also an important social space.
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05-02-2011, 19:49
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#10
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cf.mega poster
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Re: Use it or lose it?
I've been a member of many libraries over the years (and we're talking decades here ) and I would sorely miss our local library if it closed. Yes, as has been pointed out, they are much less essential for finding specific pieces of information than was once the case but they are still very useful - for example, our library has a full set of Which.
However, there is one aspect of a library that you can't really duplicate on the Internet and that is browsing. Nothing beats going into your library and more or less picking up books at random and then glancing through them. Serendipity can reign supreme!
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05-02-2011, 21:21
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#11
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cf.mega poster
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Definitely keep them!
You can't beat lying in bed or chilling out on the sofa while reading a book. I've just finished a series of books that I read first on the computer and reading the actual books was so much better
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05-02-2011, 21:42
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#12
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Dr Pepper Addict
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Personally I wouldnt miss ours, I cannot remember the last time I set foot in it.
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05-02-2011, 21:46
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#13
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DOT 1.2 - 1.2.3.5 - 1.2.3
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Re: Use it or lose it?
I use my library a lot so yup I'd miss it, added to that I like the fact Peter reads a lot of books from there.
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05-02-2011, 22:37
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#14
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Cable Forum Team
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dilligaf1701
I use my library a lot so yup I'd miss it, added to that I like the fact Peter reads a lot of books from there.
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Going by the number of audio books that are borrowed in my local library I reckon they are a great support to the poorly sighted..Also I can borrow 30 items in total.I can also get a cup of tea or coffee as well. 
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05-02-2011, 22:44
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#15
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DOT 1.2 - 1.2.3.5 - 1.2.3
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Re: Use it or lose it?
Indeed and they can usually get what I'm after really quickly too
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