As I think I've noted before, my library likes three day weekends, so that if Monday is a holiday they're apt to close for Saturday as well. Saturday is the day I'm most likely to go, but what're ya gonna do.
I had gotten pretty good about remembering this quirk, but what with the recent scheduling craziness in everything I'd lost the knack. There's another three day weekend coming in a few days. Since my need to use the place is a little more urgent than the standard "have to wait two days to pick up my book" thing, I wrote a note on my calendar to make sure I don't forget. This post might help me remember too.
2 comments:
The three day weekends for libraries is definitely a new feature - for them, not the reading public. You're far from being alone when it comes to only being able to pick up your selections on a Saturday, particularly in the current circumstance of early closures on weekdays.
Have you also noticed there are fewer books in your library recently? It was something we first came across in Halifax when they opened their fabulous new building. We soon noticed it was close impossible to browse the shelves because the traditional long aisles of books were broken up by cafes (2), performance spaces (2), suites of chairs, couches, and work stations, racks of music cds and dvds, and many computer stations.
An article I read a few days ago about libraries mentioned that they didn't keep as many traditional paper books for the simple reason they needed space for all of the above and, besides, they'd purge any books that hadn't been checked out recently. So far libraries in general are still a good source of books but as we seem to be raising fewer readers that may change too.
My schedule can change from week to week. But in general I'm lucky enough to have the weekend off. Also it's habit. Saturday is a nice day to hang out for a bit, although libraries won't be much good for that unless and until they loosen up their policies again.
The Rochambeau library doesn't have a café. I don't know whether that would work or not. There's a bakery that serves coffee and sandwiches a few blocks away, and while they're pricey I suspect the library would have to pad their prices as well. The books have been rearranged a few times, and within the past couple of years the mystery and sci-fi novels were merged with the rest of the adult novels so that there's just one category A-Z. Another reason I might not notice fewer books on the shelves is that I do so many interlibrary loans.
The thing about raising fewer readers is anxiety -provoking. Many schools use a political excuse to cover cutting programs, devoting less time to dead white male authors and such. In truth I think it's mostly so that they can boost STEM and other money generating classes. Anyway, I like to take out books that seem like they might be in their last days otherwise.
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