Still Other Problems at Libraries

[apl68]

Sticking my toe in the water again because...well, it's my profession, and it's about a type of institution that some other people here seem to care about.

I tend to agree with those who point out that a big part of the problems that besieged urban libraries now have has to do with libraries being asked to compensate for inadequate social safety nets.  Some of our colleagues who've been affected by this demand for librarians to take the place of social workers must feel like hobbits who've been ordered to mount ponies and ride to the aid of Gondor, in place of underfunded Riders of Rohan.

In other communities, librarians have started to feel irrelevant because local public interest in what they have to offer has declined.  Much of the public just doesn't seem to think that they're relevant any longer.  I wonder whether some university librarians feel this way.  In my own visits to college and university libraries in recent years, all I ever see are students using the library as a handy study space.

[lightning]

Sticking my toe in the water again because...well, it's my profession, and it's about a type of institution that some other people here seem to care about.

I tend to agree with those who point out that a big part of the problems that besieged urban libraries now have has to do with libraries being asked to compensate for inadequate social safety nets.  Some of our colleagues who've been affected by this demand for librarians to take the place of social workers must feel like hobbits who've been ordered to mount ponies and ride to the aid of Gondor, in place of underfunded Riders of Rohan.

In other communities, librarians have started to feel irrelevant because local public interest in what they have to offer has declined.  Much of the public just doesn't seem to think that they're relevant any longer.  I wonder whether some university librarians feel this way.  In my own visits to college and university libraries in recent years, all I ever see are students using the library as a handy study space.

I like to refer to my main university library as an erudite lounge.  It's a study area, mainly, but also a place to hang out with friends. The hangout spaces and study spaces are clearly delineated and separated. The main academic library often has pop-up video game areas or live animal petting zoo areas or other similar event programming that fosters the whole student hangout experience. If you're wondering "Isn't this what the student union building is for?"

Yeah, I ask that daily. Our student union building is a ghost town except during lunch time when the food court sees most of its activity. Our student union building now has all those student support services offices in addition to the food court, bookstore, and relevant retail, banking services, etc. But the student life programming that used to be in the student union building, has shifted to the library.

And, now, in addition to the shifting of student programming, we have a lot of general population showing up, including homeless. The library's non-faculty and non-reference staff handle the homeless and general community. They are completely ill-equipped to help this new population. I saw a library staff person trying to help a homeless guy use an open lab computer and help the person with their benefits management . . . holy s**t was what I was thinking. Compassion isn't enough. These librarians aren't trained for social work.

[apl68]

We get inquiries for help with government agencies/insurance claims/job applications fairly often in our public library work.  Our patrons are seldom in the sort of acute need seen with the homeless, though.  An element of social work has been part of public library service for a long time now.  It has certainly increased in recent years in many places.  Having to deal with it at a university library must be a real shock.

[Morden]

In my own visits to college and university libraries in recent years, all I ever see are students using the library as a handy study space.

Our new(ish) library was designed to maximize this use. We do still have some physical books, but it seems like most undergraduates rely on ebooks, electronic journals, databases, and of course google.

[kaysixteen]

How many professors will still insist that at least a certain percentage of works cited in papers, esp in humanities fields, be actual paper books?

[Hegemony]

Does anyone ever do that? I've never heard of it.

[MarathonRunner]

How many professors will still insist that at least a certain percentage of works cited in papers, esp in humanities fields, be actual paper books?

How would a professor even know if someone used a physical copy or an electronic copy? I guess some reference styles mention the format? In my field, the citation for a book and e-book are the same.

[waterboy]

I'm just happy when someone actually cites something!

[jerseyjay]

Two thoughts. First, my university is undergoing massive budget cuts and actually has had a moratorium on ordering new books for several years. When they came into some money somehow and asked for a list of books in my field they should buy, they also asked whether they should be electronic or paper.

Second, I think that that using the library as a physical study space is actually part of its core mission. It certainly was when I went to school, before the library had WiFi and the catalog was still on little cards. I am currently writing an article. I am going to the local research library to work today.

To some degree I will use the library's materials, including their electronic materials. But also I am going to make use of the silent reading room, the big tables, and the fact that I like the ambience. There have been times that I have had to consult the OED, or an Italian-French dictionary, or compare two different translations of a Bible passage, in which case being in a research library was very useful. But often I just want a nice place to work. I would argue this is a good use of a library.

I could of course work at the local coffee shop (or the student union). But there it'd be more crowded, there'd be music and background noise, and I would feel guilty about taking up a seat all day. Also, I would have to buy something, and there'd be longer lines for the bathrooms.

I do also use my local public library branch to work. Most people there seem to be using a computer, using WiFi, or doing some other non-book-related activity. Again, I think that this appropriate. Especially when the weather is unpleasant (summer heat, winter cold.)

[Langue_doc]

I tend to agree with those who point out that a big part of the problems that besieged urban libraries now have has to do with libraries being asked to compensate for inadequate social safety nets.  Some of our colleagues who've been affected by this demand for librarians to take the place of social workers must feel like hobbits who've been ordered to mount ponies and ride to the aid of Gondor, in place of underfunded Riders of Rohan.

This has been the situation in our library systems which are now facing massive budget cuts due to the funds being diverted to house the influx of migrants sent here from Texas. Our libraries are facing reduced hours and closures. The library branches, all of them, were closed for the three-day weekend for Memorial Day, instead of the usual Sunday and Monday closings. I always sign the letters whether in the library or through email requesting the city and state for continued support for our libraries. This year, I refrained from my yearly donation because now dogs are allowed in libraries, and patrons including those who might be allergic to dogs are forced to share very small elevators with dogs. I'm not the only patron who has been frustrated enough to stop making monetary contributions to our local libraries.

[apl68]

Does anyone ever do that? I've never heard of it.

I have, but I think the prolonged period of all-online COVID learning killed off any remnants of that practice.

[apl68]

This year, I refrained from my yearly donation because now dogs are allowed in libraries, and patrons including those who might be allergic to dogs are forced to share very small elevators with dogs. I'm not the only patron who has been frustrated enough to stop making monetary contributions to our local libraries.

This is another area where libraries sometimes get caught in the middle.  There's been a real vogue for therapy dogs of all sorts in recent years.  People demand that their therapy animals be accommodated, and some try to abuse this by passing off their (often poorly trained) pets as "therapy animals."  This does indeed cause problems for people with allergies.  I've also heard of people making scenes and demanding that the whole library be deep-cleaned before they'll consent to return after an animal was present. 

The best professional advice is to accommodate therapy animals, but to take a hard line on requiring proof that the animal is a properly trained and certified therapy animal.  Only a small number of people can actually provide such proof.  If you've been seeing dogs at the library regularly, then most of them are probably not legitimate therapy animals, and the library needs to tighten its policies.

[marshwiggle]

This year, I refrained from my yearly donation because now dogs are allowed in libraries, and patrons including those who might be allergic to dogs are forced to share very small elevators with dogs. I'm not the only patron who has been frustrated enough to stop making monetary contributions to our local libraries.

This is another area where libraries sometimes get caught in the middle.  There's been a real vogue for therapy dogs of all sorts in recent years.  People demand that their therapy animals be accommodated, and some try to abuse this by passing off their (often poorly trained) pets as "therapy animals."  This does indeed cause problems for people with allergies.  I've also heard of people making scenes and demanding that the whole library be deep-cleaned before they'll consent to return after an animal was present. 

The best professional advice is to accommodate therapy animals, but to take a hard line on requiring proof that the animal is a properly trained and certified therapy animal.  Only a small number of people can actually provide such proof.  If you've been seeing dogs at the library regularly, then most of them are probably not legitimate therapy animals, and the library needs to tighten its policies.

So many "social justice" issues now represent a real tragedy of the commons. As long as only a tiny number of people need to be "accommodated", it's possible, but as the numbers get larger it's unsustainable.

[apl68]

I've said before that our rural libraries don't tend to face many of the things that some urban libraries have to deal with.  But our status as public information providers results in our getting tasked with things we didn't always anticipate. 

To paraphrase a colleague in another town that I was recently communicating with:  We are the only place locally that still supplies IRS forms.  The Courthouse sends people with URLs to look up, print, and fill out forms for the Courthouse to file.  It's the library, and not DHS, that helps with Medicare and Social Security benefit forms.  Clerks elsewhere send libraries people needing help with divorce and power of attorney forms.  Libraries give directions and supply food truck menus, and otherwise provide information about local businesses to help connect them with customers--but the local business may do nothing to support the library in return.  Library staff members occasionally have to drive patrons home--children who get stranded, or seniors who can't get home safely.

One of our staff members has been taking a notary public course.  I just spent some time today at a local insurance office getting her bonded, and now have to have a stamp made for her.  We're doing this because we're routinely asked for notary public service. 

Meanwhile, I'm having to figure out what to say at a Rotary Club presentation I'm scheduled to make next week.  What should I say about addressing the current status of state legislation affecting libraries.  Or should I, since we haven't so far been affected by it?  I've got a short, upbeat AV presentation about the library to present, if we can get a projector arranged to use it.  I wonder how that's going to be received?

People just have no idea what all goes on here.

[lightning]

How many professors will still insist that at least a certain percentage of works cited in papers, esp in humanities fields, be actual paper books?

It's much easier to drill to a cited source, when it's an electronic source and the link into the database is provided. For this reason, I would never insist on using paper-only materials.