I had a blog absence last week - I went on vacation to New Mexico and Colorado, and had an eventful time! But now I'm back and ready to tackle the next three months of crazy before the Rowen Library is complete and opened, AND Philly Girls Read kicks off. Who's ready?
And what a better way to celebrate the beginning of a crazy Library Build summer than by promoting the Free Library of Philadelphia's summer reading programs for kids and teens! Check out their page to find activities and other things going on in your neighborhood: Summer Reading!
Coming up immediately, we are having Rowen work days on June 2, and June 9 if anyone is interested in joining. We're sorting books, organizing the library shelves, getting rid of furniture, etc. Contact me, calliehammond@librarybuild.org
Also, anyone have good ideas for our grand opening celebration at Rowen this fall? We're starting the planning process!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Are libraries outdated?
Today on Philly.com is quite a rant about the Free Library system in Philadelphia: Does the Free Library even know what Century its in?
Mostly it is just that: a rant. It's really not even worth debating, and after you read it, you'll see why.
Yes, the Free Library could be more tech savvy. But with what money? As far as I can tell, the Free Library (and most public schools for that matter) try to do the best with the resources they have. In fact, I just found out about the Free Library's TechMobile: "Techmobile, basically, a 25-foot, updated version of a bookmobile that will travel around the city, offering residents the chance to learn on assorted laptops and iPads, with technical advice provided by staff." If that's a great use of technology in support of Philadelphia's citizens, I don't know what is. City's Digital Divide
Similarly, the article argues that it is cheaper to make copies at Kinkos/Staples/Fed Ex instead of at the Free Library. I've never heard this one before - seems a bit silly. The mission of the Free Library is not to offer you a really great price on copying. In fact, just because you pay taxes for it, does not mean that you get free access and free reign to its resources. If that were the case, there would be nothing left.
The mission of the Free Library is also not to allow you the easiest way to rent out movies and cd's - all based on the newest technology.
The mission of the Free Library, and all other library branches in this country, is to provide access to information. Mostly, that is through books - real books that can be held and flipped through - because, believe it or not, that's how most Americans still get their information.
And most library systems in this country are doing that and more with limited resources, personnel, and money.
Is the Free Library system perfect? Of course not. But I believe in the power of public and school libraries to provide the things that most Americans don't have: access to almost any book at any time, or any piece of information at any time.
We should be arguing about how to make libraries more accessible, widespread, and better-funded, than whether or not the library should have VHS or DVDs, the best copy machines, or a Geek Squad.
Mostly it is just that: a rant. It's really not even worth debating, and after you read it, you'll see why.
Yes, the Free Library could be more tech savvy. But with what money? As far as I can tell, the Free Library (and most public schools for that matter) try to do the best with the resources they have. In fact, I just found out about the Free Library's TechMobile: "Techmobile, basically, a 25-foot, updated version of a bookmobile that will travel around the city, offering residents the chance to learn on assorted laptops and iPads, with technical advice provided by staff." If that's a great use of technology in support of Philadelphia's citizens, I don't know what is. City's Digital Divide
Similarly, the article argues that it is cheaper to make copies at Kinkos/Staples/Fed Ex instead of at the Free Library. I've never heard this one before - seems a bit silly. The mission of the Free Library is not to offer you a really great price on copying. In fact, just because you pay taxes for it, does not mean that you get free access and free reign to its resources. If that were the case, there would be nothing left.
The mission of the Free Library is also not to allow you the easiest way to rent out movies and cd's - all based on the newest technology.
The mission of the Free Library, and all other library branches in this country, is to provide access to information. Mostly, that is through books - real books that can be held and flipped through - because, believe it or not, that's how most Americans still get their information.
And most library systems in this country are doing that and more with limited resources, personnel, and money.
Is the Free Library system perfect? Of course not. But I believe in the power of public and school libraries to provide the things that most Americans don't have: access to almost any book at any time, or any piece of information at any time.
We should be arguing about how to make libraries more accessible, widespread, and better-funded, than whether or not the library should have VHS or DVDs, the best copy machines, or a Geek Squad.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Boxes of Books!
Guess what arrived in the mail yesterday?
One thousand dollars in books from Scholastic!
And now they need to be sorted, and processed, and labeled, and shelved...
Obviously librarians have it easy, right?
Oh well, lets just celebrate BOOKS AT ROWEN for today!!! :)
Happy Friday!
One thousand dollars in books from Scholastic!
Obviously librarians have it easy, right?
Oh well, lets just celebrate BOOKS AT ROWEN for today!!! :)
Happy Friday!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Throwing away resources
I wrote about this topic a few months ago - the statewide library system operates library resources for the blind (or those who otherwise can't read or hold a book). The resources are currently split between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but for no apparent reason (see the article), the two are being merged and now housed in Pittsburgh... and they are requiring the library for the blind in downtown Philadelphia to throw away all of the books on tape.
Alot of this story makes no sense, I will admit.
Why can't the books on tape be donated? Why do they need to be just thrown away?
I understand laying off employees in the Philadelphia branch because of funding cuts, but we need to shut down the whole branch and send the resources to Pittsburgh, even though more people in Philly are blind and need the resources?
Check out the article here.
Alot of this story makes no sense, I will admit.
Why can't the books on tape be donated? Why do they need to be just thrown away?
I understand laying off employees in the Philadelphia branch because of funding cuts, but we need to shut down the whole branch and send the resources to Pittsburgh, even though more people in Philly are blind and need the resources?
Check out the article here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)