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Toronto Sun: Public libraries have evolved into vibrant community hubs in the digital era

Great article in the Toronto Sun quoting great librarians:

No more silence in the library

Public libraries have evolved into vibrant community hubs in the digital era

“When you can buy books for cheap on Amazon and research anything online from the comfort of your home, it’s easy to dismiss public libraries as dying institutions, crumbling museums for dusty old texts.

But libraries have never been about the books — not really. They’re about knowledge, and that’s never been in greater supply. Gone are the days when public libraries were book warehouses where stern librarians would shush you if you spoke above a whisper.

Walk into your local library today, and you’ll probably find a bustling community space as likely to have a digital gaming station as it is to house ceiling-high stacks of books. “We want to get away from the old stereotypes of shushing in the library. We want it to be a vibrant and interactive place,” Kathryn Goodhue, CEO of the Brantford Public Library said. “It’s exciting time in libraries.””

Read more:

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/05/29/no-more-silence-in-the-library?

Stephen

 

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Posted on: June 17, 2014, 6:57 pm Category: Uncategorized

2 Responses

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  1. lisalibrarian said

    Wow, I hate these articles. “We want to get away from the old stereotypes of shushing in the library.” NO, we DON’T. Nearly every patron survey you can find puts QUIET at the top of the list of things that patrons WANT from their libraries. Ms. Good hue must care more about marketing than patron needs. If that quote wasn’t enough of a tip-off, the fact that she refers to herself as a CEO would clue anybody in. How’d this woman get her job?

  2. Stephen Abram said

    1. Nearly all directors of library systems in Ontario are called CEO. I suspect it’s actually in the Public Libraries Act as well as her job description. It’snot her choice of title so don’t read into her using her real title.
    2. Yes, surveys show that people value quiet in libraries and, as usual, some libraries go overboard. Don’t assume quiet space isn’t provided since I know that’s untrue. I know Goodhue’s libraries provide tons of quiet space but it’s not ‘all’ the space and this article addresses the perception as confirmed by which surveys that show that too many people think that public libraries are quiet, somewhat old-fashioned box places which are not dynamic or modern.
    Then again, I love any articles that show libraries as innovative, dynamic spaces aligned with community needs and engaging their communities with the collections and reading as a foundation for learning, recreation, entrepreneurs, creative making, and more.
    We really don’t need to reinforce an old – mostly false and stale-dated – image and expect to accrue funding and growth.
    Remember the fifth law – “A library is a growing organism.”