Library Access

I decided to post in the Cider Press because there is a potentially for this thread to head in the wrong direction. Historically I have been a strong supporter of public libraries.  I have volunteered at more than one.  When I moved to my current community, one of my only  negative experiences was at the library.  As a matter of routine I went to the local library and attempted to get a card. I was turned down.  Why? Because I needed two local references.  Of course, I didn’t know anyone well enough to ask to use them as a reference, so that ended my support of the local library.

It strikes me as insane that a library would make such an effort to block new members.  The last community I lived in just wanted evidence that I lived in their district.  And, yes, I do still support libraries … just not my local one.

Has anyone else encountered regulations that blocked access to local services.

That is puzzling John. Sorry to hear about your experience.

Libraries are generally a public resource and access should be straightforward. I'm fortunate to live in a location with a robust library team that is very community focused. Perhaps that library requires some guidance/perspective that they do not currently have. Sometimes people lose sight of the overall mission that they set out to achieve.

There are a lot of people out there looking for access to libraries online- good ones offer not just books but also memberships and discounts (to museums and attractions) as well as online resources of all types.
Some smart cookie type libraries have started charging for this access, which I think is a decent solutions. Others have started closing the gates or making access more difficult. I know my mother, when she moved from NJ to PA, had a hard time accessing the library in her new town, and had to have someone bring her and vouch for her (which I found absurd).
If it were me, I'd go back and get to know the library, and decide whether they're worth wanting to join or not. If they are, I'd spend some time there, at activities, and maybe volunteer until they could be my references.

I love libraries, even used to work in a few, but staff and resources cost money. Some libraries have even moved away from public funding as politics speaks loudly and starts to get in the way- the library that challenged my mother is a private library, and they make their own rules.

That's very odd.

When I move to a new town, the first thing I do is post a letter to myself with my full legal name.   The franking from the post office is usually good enough for confirming my address until my government issue catches up.

It's always been good enough for the library before, although sometimes just for an inturm card.

Never had a library ask for references before.  Maybe there was a communication error in the way the person explained it?  Or maybe they are struggling to deal with excessive losses?

Although if that happened to me, I would jump through hoops and get a library card out of spite and borrow the hell out of their books.  Gonna be mean to me?  Okay.  Mahahaha.  I'm taking all your free knowledge. I win!

Of course, I would return the books at the end of the loan period, but not before I wore off another molecule of ink by reading too hard.

John F Dean wrote: As a matter of routine I went to the local library and attempted to get a card. I was turned down.  Why? Because I needed two local references.

This happened to me for the first time when I moved to my current county in Tennessee ten years ago. The first of the two county libraries, which we will call Library #1, insisted on me providing at least one reference before I could get a card. (No one ever in the other four states we have lived in asked for references!) However, the other library, Library #2, did not ask for references. So, I got the card from Library #2 which also works just as well at Library #1.

Maybe it is that way where you are?

When we moved four years ago, I just went to the library's website and filled out a form. Card appeared in the mail two weeks later. I've never heard of needing personal references, but I bet it's in response to a real problem, even if I don't love this as a solution.

It's easy to get library cards in our area and check out books that same day, no references, just a photo ID.

We have one for each of the nearby county libraries so three total although we use only our favorite library most of the time for books and dvds and wifi.

This library is also one that is standing up to the states push to ban many books.  
State funding is threatened constantly.

I love our librarians...they are brave!

This is Arkansas, of course, that has swung politically to the 'book burning' crowd running the show....
I expect the pendulum to return soon

For us we had to provide two forms of proof that we lived nearby (we provided a letter addressed to us and a bill with our address on it).

What I have found interesting is that all the libraries I have been to recently have really been pushing the fact that they do not charge late fees or other penalties. I get the feeling that libraries are becoming a resource that folks are utilizing less and less in our current age, so libraries are trying to do what they can to get more folks to use them. Getting rid of late fees definitely resonates with me since I have on more than one occasion not been able to drive out to the library and return a book on time, and if I was going to get charged fees I probably would use the library much less. I guess the libraries have more books than they have people needing them right now, which is unfortunate...

Having worked in libraries I suspect the issue is getting books returned at all.  If I have a book that has $10 in fines, I may just keep the book.

One if my favorite comics shows a librarian speaking on the phone with a child tied to a chair beside her, “ It’s like this Mrs. Smith, you have our book, and we have your child.”

John F Dean wrote:Having worked in libraries I suspect the issue is getting books returned at all.  If I have a book that has $10 in fines, I may just keep the book.

One if my favorite comics shows a librarian speaking on the phone with a child tied to a chair beside her, “ It’s like this Mrs. Smith, you have our book, and we have your child.”

Perhaps the logic goes that even if books never get returned, it is better to encourage folks to read and show an interest in books even if it means some are "lost" to the wilds. The alternative being to keep books under lock and key, thus restricting access. I know the libraries around us have signs up saying that they are not accepting donations, etc. That suggest to me that we are in a book glut. If we have more books than are needed, what's the harm with some disappearing I suppose.

Now something else I found quite interesting was when I was traveling recently and visited a local library in a sort of downtown city area. We parked in the parking lot, which bordered a nice looking public park; however, the parking lot and park were surrounded by various tents and makeshift shelters and smelled like human waste... The inside of the library was nicely renovated and very pretty, but pretty much every seat was taken up by someone who I would assume is homeless reading a magazine or book. All the computers were taken as well. Five security guards were moving around and guarding the entrance. An occasional homeless person would settle down on the steps outside and they would go out and make him move somewhere else.

Being from a rural area, this was a new experience for me. I'm curious how other people feel about this phenomenon. I have nothing against homeless people and want them to have opportunities to better themselves. But I also wouldn't want to take my kids to that library, and unfortunately wouldn't have been able to use some of their resources myself if I needed them. I imagine the nearby park and the fact that the library has clean water and restrooms appeals to the homeless population. Not sure how one would fix the issue though... everyone should have the right to use the library.

The first library in our network to remove overdue fines was in Vancouver.  These are the reasons they give. https://www.vpl.ca/library/news/2022/overdue-fines-not-anymore

Fines can impact anyone at any time, for many reasons. VPL is for everyone and we don't want fines to be a barrier.
Library fines disproportionately affect those who need the library the most. By eliminating overdue fines, VPL will ensure that critical library services are available to everyone regardless of their socio-economic status.
Removing overdue charges will reconnect people with their library and keep library services accessible and affordable for all.

Talking with librarians who work in the system, the bigger motivation is that it costs more to recover the fines then the income from them.  Not only that, but during the first trial, more 'lost' books were returned than ever before, saving even more money.  In total, they estimate that it's saving about 30% of the annual budget and loss of about 8% of the annual income.  

I am in a "Regional Library" system. That means that our books are shared and go to and from 40 branches and into isolated areas if you need the "books by mail" service. This was very different from where I used to live, so it took a bit of getting used to.

However, once I got used to the system, I embraced it. Even though I'm pretty close to urban, many of those branches are more rural, so I can justify wheedling the library manager into ordering some excellent permaculture books - ones I'd like to read, but don't particularly want to use up shelf space on.

All I can suggest is that if we moved today and I got a line like that, I'd visit 3 times a week at least and spend an hour or longer reading right in the library. Eventually someone would ask why I don't just take the book out... and then I'd ask them to vouch for me! I would do it to make the point, if for no other reason!

r ranson wrote:Talking with librarians who work in the system, the bigger motivation is that it costs more to recover the fines then the income from them.  Not only that, but during the first trial, more 'lost' books were returned than ever before, saving even more money.  In total, they estimate that it's saving about 30% of the annual budget and loss of about 8% of the annual income.  

Thank you for sharing that link. I am glad an organization was able to provide some details as to their motivation and the results.

Jay Angler wrote:All I can suggest is that if we moved today and I got a line like that, I'd visit 3 times a week at least and spend an hour or longer reading right in the library. Eventually someone would ask why I don't just take the book out... and then I'd ask them to vouch for me! I would do it to make the point, if for no other reason!

Lol I like that thinking!