Libraries are the best

[Wulfric]

Have you visited your local library lately?

Recently I've been catching up on movies and was very pleased to see my local library system has been splurging on Blu-Ray + DVD combo packs and even 4k UHD discs. Instead of buying Endgame for $25, I'm saving a ton of money by borrowing movies that Netflix or Prime Video don't have for streaming. Ordering them online and having them delivered to my local branch is super convenient.

 

[Numb]

My library got games made me cheap in picking up anything over the years

 

[Jintor]

libraries rule even though i barely borrow anything anymore. i should probably use their ebook borrowing feature or something tho

 

[peyrin]

libraries are socialism and socialism works

 

[teruterubozu]

You also have free access to streaming audio books, digital books and even stuff like ancestry.com through your local library these days. Some even have movie streaming services. Many local libraries also have inter-lending through local universities, giving you even more options.

 

[Wag]

Hoopla, Overdrive and Kanopy. 😀

 

[Salty Catfish]

You also have free access to streaming audio books, digital books and even stuff like ancestry.com through your local library these days. Some even have movie streaming services.

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Yup. Librarian here -- we have Blu-Ray/DVD, streaming movies, e-books, e-magazines, e-audio, Ancestry (on-site at the library), all 100% free.

Not yet on games though in my county. Still too pricy, especially with how frequently our movies get checked out and never returned.

 

[Deleted member 4532]

I don't even go to the library to borrow anything. They rock because I can go to focus on whatever I'm working on! Love my library!

 

[apstyl]

Librarian here. THANKS!

 

[Jintor]

Also they're great places just to hang out and study or read or just decompress. My local is moving a few blocks away from work and even though the building is gonna be so much better it means I can't go there on my break :<

love libraries.

 

[Hollywood Duo]

Lol of course you are talking about renting movies. But yeah I agree, the one by me has a great children's program.

 

[BLEEN]

They're free so I'm, of course, a fan.

 

[Xbox Live Mike]

Back in the day during the summer I would get personal pan pizza coupons for reading books, do they still do that? We have HOA meetings at my local library by me and they have a lot of movies and a 3d printer anyone can use.

 

[Wulfric]

Lol of course you are talking about renting movies. But yeah I agree, the one by me has a great children's program.

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Haha, just trying to appeal to the ERA crowd. Some people are stuck in the mindset that it's all musty books and Windows XP computers.

My library has a manga drawing program for teens and 16x20 inch scanner for copying artwork.

 

[Becks']

My library has all the newest games for PS4 and XONE. And also most of the new movies. It is great.

 

[The Albatross]

Counter-point

 

[Strawberry Jam]

The main library in my city is pretty good about picking up new releases and only a few blocks from where I live so I do this often as well. Feels great.

 

[Seneset]

I'm amazed your library has Blu-ray. The lady in charge of buying new books, movies, etc for my local one refuses to order blu-rays. I think she believes they'll have a higher rate of 'not being returned'.

 

[DiscoShark]

I'm amazed your library has Blu-ray. The lady in charge of buying new books, movies, etc for my local one refuses to order blu-rays. I think she believes they'll have a higher rate of 'not being returned'.

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I think what you're seeing is just higher adoption rates for streaming services and physical media being pushed out as a result (not for books tho). Not worth a scenario where you have to buy multiple versions (DVD and BluRay) of new releases when you can create the broadest appeal by sticking to DVD. I guess it depends on how much they want to budget for offering DVD/BluRay vs. offering additional services / resources in any number of other areas instead.

 

[Neece]

Librarian here. THANKS!

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How do you like your profession?

 

[Penguin]

Libraries are also great, and offer fantastic services.

And most of it is free to patrons, but please think about your local library when making donations. The money goes to purchasing the material, putting on programs or 100 different things to make it better for everyone!

 

[Finaj]

You just reminded me, my village got a brand new Library in May and I have yet to check it out. I'll rectify that tomorrow.

 

[adj_noun]

Libraries are also great, and offer fantastic services.

And most of it is free to patrons, but please think about your local library when making donations. The money goes to purchasing the material, putting on programs or 100 different things to make it better for everyone!

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Like break room snacks!

uh and programs I guess

 

[Penguin]

Like break room snacks!

uh and programs I guess

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We have vending machines... don't even provide us snacks!

 

[adj_noun]

We have vending machines... don't even provide us snacks!

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We get some stuff from our Friends group, and we occasionally have pot lucks.

No vending machines, though.

 

[Penguin]

We get some stuff from our Friends group, and we occasionally have pot lucks.

No vending machines, though.

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Oh yeah, I work for a big one so a bunch of different branches

We don't have a proper Friends group, different branches will.

 

[Firmament1]

I find a lot of obscure manga that I probably wouldn't have found out about online if I didn't go there.

 

[Afrikan]

shhhhhhh

don't need slickdeal age to increase the hold wait. XD

 

[Matsukaze]

I love the libraries in my area. Even though I am always going to stores and browsing Amazon to buy books for my personal collection, I still try to find time to visit the library to borrow what they offer.

 

[Scrub Jay]

Most of the comics and movies I have seen in the last couple years has been from my library. Great resource.

 

[Her Hero Is Gone]

Public library is such a happy place for me. When I was little, I would spend weeks in the summer looking through myths and folk tales from different countries. Staff at the public library were awesome to me, even gave me a crash course on the card-catalogue of carefully typewritten entries waaay back in the day.

The services have evolved so much. Every time I check their site, I notice something different. Lynda.com, streaming movie services, online language courses. It's great that these are made available to everyone through the local library for free.

I haven't been in the actual building for several months, but it is fun to look through the periodicals. I've read some very specific, interesting magazines there - one that was all about medieval cooking based on researching historical accounts of feasts, and attempts to recreate the menus without using actual peacocks etc. I should visit and see what they have now.

 

[apstyl]

How do you like your profession?

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I really like it. Granted, I have a pretty cool job. I manage public programming with VR, 3D printing, video games. I also help our acquisitions department on purchasing movies, music, and games for the whole library system. I am very lucky in that tech is my main focus as a Librarian, but its a tough - yet rewarding - job - especially in the public sector. Being a public Librarian crosses a lot of streams with social work. I've worked circulation at some troubled locations, and you get to have some pretty wild stories along the way. And yet its VERY competitive. There are only around 60 Library Schools in the US, so there are a ton of folks with Masters than there are jobs.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Invaluable for foreign films and criterions. Probably saved me thousands of dollars over the years.

 

[Watevaman]

I just went and got my first library card since I was a kid at my new local library since I moved states. I dunno, though, the selection of media was pretty shit at mine if I'm honest. I'll give it another look but I really got the card for the books.

 

[RestEerie]

it depends. I hate coldness and my local library's AC is like on full blast, turning the whole place into a Popsicle factory.

 

[Seneset]

I think what you're seeing is just higher adoption rates for streaming services and physical media being pushed out as a result (not for books tho). Not worth a scenario where you have to buy multiple versions (DVD and BluRay) of new releases when you can create the broadest appeal by sticking to DVD. I guess it depends on how much they want to budget for offering DVD/BluRay vs. offering additional services / resources in any number of other areas instead.

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I understand why they aren't spending money on blu-rays now. It just felt odd to me that they never did it years ago before Netflix, Hulu and other streaming took off.

As for the budgeting, I'm certain our funding has gone into three major areas. The adult job finding center and computer resources, the children's section (basically elementary school and younger) and a teens section (all the comics books are in this section, even the M rated ones - go figure). All worthy endeavors imo.

 

[Neece]

I really like it. Granted, I have a pretty cool job. I manage public programming with VR, 3D printing, video games. I also help our acquisitions department on purchasing movies, music, and games for the whole library system. I am very lucky in that tech is my main focus as a Librarian, but its a tough - yet rewarding - job - especially in the public sector. Being a public Librarian crosses a lot of streams with social work. I've worked circulation at some troubled locations, and you get to have some pretty wild stories along the way. And yet its VERY competitive. There are only around 60 Library Schools in the US, so there are a ton of folks with Masters than there are jobs.

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Thanks for the response. Your description does sound pretty cool.

I've been looking into the possibility of pursuing a masters there but it probably wouldn't be a very wise investment, given what you say.

 

[DeathPeak]

I wish I'd use our library. Haven't had a library card in probably 10 years. I get in such a habit of buying used books or cheap ebooks that I want available when I feel like diving into them, but I take awhile to get through a book since I don't have much time to read these days.

 

[Deleted member 25606]

Love libraries no matter where I have lived have always been a member and patron of whatever my local is.

Really love my current one, just got s new building and they are expanding everything, the comics and graphic novels for adults section is 4 times bigger now and set to keep growing, just read all of Saga.

Both me and my mother use it and we go at least once a week. I believe they are important not just for the disadvanteged or promoting literacy but also community building and spreading of local knowledge and interests, (In fact one of the adult reps is going to be running a PnP campaign I am interested in maybe attending) hell my brother and sister in law even recently attended a couples painting event.

In fact even if I was to become a multimillionaire tomorrow I would use the library for everything they have available over buying it, it's one of humanity's greatest resources, just if that was the case I would donate a ton more time and money (already do just I am disabled so I am kind of disadvantaged on the money/time front but still do what I can) than I already do.

 

[Deleted member 17658]

Yes, go to your local library. Keep me employeed

 

[Penguin]

I just went and got my first library card since I was a kid at my new local library since I moved states. I dunno, though, the selection of media was pretty shit at mine if I'm honest. I'll give it another look but I really got the card for the books.

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Is it a single location or part of a system?

Would always recommend checking to see if they have a listing of stuff offer. Because of limited space not every branch will have everything, but they do a great job of getting you things quickly.

Oh reminds me... let me post the video.

 

[JeTmAn]

I order every movie from the library, they mostly get DVD though

 

[uzipukki]

I work as an assistant librarian at a university library. Libraries are nice!

 

[fontguy]

The public library is my favorite socialist institution.

 

[Penguin]

Sorry for the... verticalness of video, it was for Snapchat, but the media sorting device we use

One of the cooler things I've seen

 

[kittens]

Yeah the library really is the best. I have around 12+ books checked out at any given time, with current topics including dragonflies, pickling, and antifascism. I've learned so much and enjoyed endless entertainment thanks to the library. And it's all free!

 

[Optional Objectives]

Libraries are one of the greatest inventions ever, and in the US they're one of our last great public institutions. Real treasures.

 

[DrFunk]

Librarian here too. Support us all and visit us. Ask about our cats

 

[NetMapel]

Beautiful libraries in the world

 

[Morrison71]

I'm thankful for the genealogy library in my town, that lets me take tests for free, for my online classes. A lot of places charge money for that.