Comments on: In defence of libraries

By: Lialla Igneb

Lialla Igneb — Wed, 12 May 2010 23:55:44 +0000

Great discussion. And I REALLY like that you practice what you preach. That’s when you can tell a post has come together.
And I’m also fascinated by how fresh you made the routine [admit it: what you just shared has been regurgitated millions of time. ].
Ben Johnson said people don’t need taught as much as they need reminding.
Good work.

By: barbara clubb

barbara clubb — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:29:35 +0000

As City Librarian it’s great to see these comments illustrating the role that libraries play in the lives of regular citizens. As for e-books and the Kindle-libraries have always made room for different types of “knowledge containers” whether they are books, DVDs, picture files,pedometers, online databases, e-products. What’s tricky with an e-book is how you get that sense of community, that community gathering place, that warm and welcoming facility and enthusiastic staff that you get from your local library. The library is so much more than books-it is people, reading, literacy and lifelong learning. And yes, we have 13 copies of Mr Green’s latest book “The Spy Who Didn’t Die” and it has 84 requests on it.

By: zoom

zoom — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:41:27 +0000

My one and only call to Lowell Green was when I was home sick one day at the age of 8. I forget the topic, but he really pissed me off. I phoned in, and got through the screener, but as soon as Lowell heard my voice he made some nasty comment about unsupervised children and hung up on me.

Anyway. I have a Kindle and a library card. If I could only keep one of them, it would definitely be the library card. I like the Kindle but it’s not much cheaper than buying books. Maybe $2 per item cheaper. And there’s just something about books…the tactile, visual, three-dimensional experience of them.

By: Joe Boughner

Joe Boughner — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:45:53 +0000

Wait wait wait, Lowell Green said that YOU were out of touch? Are we in Rand McNally where people wear shoes on their hands and hamburgers eat people?

I’ll admit to having lost touch with libraries since university but Amy and I are already excitedly talking about taking Maggie to as many programs at the local branch as we can. Libraries are this amazing world; there’s more to the experience than simply getting a book.

Good on you for taking him on, Bob, but sadly he knows his audience and they take his word as gospel.

By: Doré Dunne

Doré Dunne — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:06:37 +0000

Thanks for fighting the good fight and while Lowell could only see green and not sense, others hear you! I, like you, have recently changed priorities and with new financial realties, joined the library! I couldn’t believe the services that I was missing out on, all these years!! All this does is remind me what a great country this is, how blessed we are and how libraries are but one example of our riches and greatness as a country. And let me say, as a volunteer with adults in a literacy program, a Kindle would not replace a library or sense of community but further isolate those in need.

Keep up the good work, Bob.

Doré

By: Lara

Lara — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:29:42 +0000

I can’t imagine my childhood without libraries and hardly think a 7 year old snuggling up in bed with a kindle would be remotely the same Families do use libraries a lot (including ours more and more as the kids are getting older) and they are an amazing service!

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:45:58 +0000

thanks for the appreciation, Bob! I think you’re completely right in your observation that the tech tools like Kindles are complements to library service, not adversaries. I always say, we’re not about the format (print, computer, microform, DVD) but the service (providing people with information).

By: Murray McGregor

Murray McGregor — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:44:11 +0000

Wow Bob, tackling ole Lowell in the RA den, an act of masochism! lol

Green has warped sense of community and community services. Everything is filtered through dollars. He also complains about Canadian productivity. Last weekend the G&M had yet another feature on too low literacy rates and the economic costs thereof. I find a relationship between literacy and libraries.

The library costs us less than one percent of the city’s budget overall, roughly the same as four or five high speed left turn lane intersections with fancy traffic light systems. Urban sprawl road building eats up about 15-20% of the budget. No complaints or even comments from Greene there.

By: Holly

Holly — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:40:29 +0000

Can we shut Lowell down instead???
Rarely does he spout anything resembling a rational thought…