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Re: Re: Re: Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by Alena
I think many states are, just look at California. We are in real trouble out here.
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May 25 '09
2:29 am PDT
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Re: Re: Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by kevintipple,  in Books
Texas is amazingly low in so many funding issues--not just libraries.
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May 21 '09
3:50 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by laurashrti
That's odd... our budget has been slashed so much it actually hurts me (and my pocketbook) but we still try to please our customers. We put their requests (as said, as long as they're not ridiculous) first, and the money comes out of our pre-determined materials budget. Obviously, a 'selector' also buys materials based on her education and experience, but if a customer wants it (and again, if it isn't ridiculous...) why wouldn't we buy it? Obviously it will get use, immediately.
As for ILL, like many programs as such, it's funded federally and supplemented by state... our state happens to have an incredibly strong ILL program, partly because the libraries don't (yet) have many branch systems. It's unfortunate that Texas doesn't fund their program more.
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May 20 '09
3:00 pm PDT
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Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by kevintipple, in Books
My local library system will say no on purchase orders from users. Especially right now when they have to cut 1.5 million from the budget which may include slashing hours and staff as well as holding off on purchases of books. Donations are more improtant than ever.
I am also told that the majority of monies that support the interlibrary loan system actually are federal tax dollars and the Texas contribution from the state is less than ten percent.
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May 15 '09
3:29 pm PDT
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Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by Alena
Thanks for the information. I have actually learned a lot about libraries by writing this piece.
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May 15 '09
1:24 pm PDT
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Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by laurashrti
As someone who was the interlibrary loan librarian for a small-medium town on Indiana, and as someone who used the service myself, I can say I have a bit of experience in this area. In almost all 50 states, ILL is a state-funded program that is supported in all public libraries. Your "home library," which is determined by where your tax dollars directly go, is the library that can and will perform this for you. If your area is not supported by a library, you can purchase what is sometimes referred to as a "public library access card" (PLAC), which costs a set amount that covers what the taxpayers in your area pay, and this card gives you access to all libraries within your state. Also, you can buy a non-resident card, which is a card for a certain library that costs (again) what the taxpayers for that district pay, and it should give you access to those advantages. These two types of cards aren't always supported, but ILL is a nation-wide system. I've received (for myself and for my patrons) books and AV materials from across the country.
I'll admit that some librarians will act like they can't perform this service for you, or will not offer it to you, but if you ask it to be done, they pretty much have to do it. If they refuse, your tax dollars are not being used properly, and they can get in trouble.
I didn't know sites like these existed, and they must be really helpful to you and may others! THanks for pointing them out. Luckily for me, I work for and reside in a town who's system strongly supports nation-wide ILL borrowing, and has a state-wide sharing and delivery system. Also, when our customers/patrons ask us to buy something, we are required to buy unless it's out of our price-range or unless it's inappropriate for our library... both cases are very rare.
Laura
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May 14 '09
8:08 am PDT
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Re: Re: Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by Alena
I hear that. I really don't think our library had ILL back then. They may have swapped within the county but not much further than that (and I lived in the biggest town in that county). I am not dissing libraries, they are a great resource and I certainly enjoyed the books I got from there, they just didn't have much in the way of fantasy novels and really no way for me to have access to them.
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May 11 '09
7:41 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by henry_thoreau, in Books
You said:
"I have heard of inter-library loan but never for local city libraries only for University libraries and you have to be part of a network for that, don't you?"
I live in a typical suburb of Kansas City, and (to my knowledge) all the suburbs' library systems hereabouts have essentially unlimited "interlibrary loan" not only statewide but also from the 49 other states. Moreover, when I temporarily resided in a small Kansas town (population under 3K) prior to 1995, there was at least some significant degree of interlibrary-borrowing going on throughout a rather large region of the state.
That said, it's entirely possible that some other rural regions' libraries might not be able to afford any such borrowing--which would be a shame. (ILL is one of "my favorite things"!) On the other hand, small-town homeowners' property taxes are generally much lower than mine, in which case they could use some of the savings to buy (preferably "used" or "discounted") books from competing online vendors, etc. And the Internet's a luxury to which I never had access in that aforementioned town those years ago! ;-)
Mike
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May 10 '09
9:21 pm PDT
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Re: Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by Alena
Depends on the library. Ever been to a small town library? My local library in Arkansas did not carry hardly any science fiction or fantasy books because it was a genre that the lady who ordered new books knew nothing about. She had no idea about what people would want to read so she ordered nothing for that genre. Seriously, I asked her about it once and then gave her a list of authors to order. I have heard of inter-library loan but never for local city libraries only for University libraries and you have to be part of a network for that, don't you? And some libraries are not connected. Believe me when I tell you I have check into the many in and outs of getting books especially when I was young adult with no job spending all my allowance on books. I now own a library section at least--that missing science fiction/Fantasy section from my home town library. And a lot of time the more obscure books by authors that are not well known will not be carried by a library or they will have one copy and its very hard to get a hold of. I am glad however, that you seem to have had better luck with your local library than I have.
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May 08 '09
10:49 pm PDT
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Libraries only carry the most popular books (Reply to this comment)
by kevintipple, in Books
Nonsense. Simply not true.
Furthermore, there is a little thing called "interlibrary loan" where you can get books from any library in the country willing to lend. I have gotten titles from libraries as far away as Alaska.
Flaws in your arguement hurt your case.
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May 08 '09
2:24 pm PDT
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Thanks (Reply to this comment)
by elzora
I did not even know such sites existed! I take my books to a local store and swap them that way, but maybe I need to look into this! Thanks.
Sue
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May 08 '09
9:04 am PDT
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