Do You Use Public Libraries?

Freddie59

Given that, in the past two days, we have seen that County librarians earn up to €106k PA, is there really a need for a library Service at all?

hairyprincess

I never do because around where I live they only open for a few stupid hours a week. There's no convenience at all at all.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

no because I keep borrowing books and forgetting to return them for almost a year, then im too embarrased to go back in with them.

Love2love

Only if I need to print something. My local library is very busy. More for the free wi-fi and computer usage than books.

Susie_Q

Yes, I do. I tend to read books I wouldn't have otherwise, as I wouldn't have bought them. I've come across some wonderful novels in public libraries, simply because the books were free and easy to access.

I love public libraries and it would be a sad day if they closed.

Mongarra

I live in a rural area and the mobile library calls to the nearest village for about an hour every month. Apart from that I would have to go to either of 2 towns about 20km away, pay for parking and make sure I remember to return the books on time. The expense is not worth it so I buy the books I want.

Brian CivilEng

I'd be lost without my local library. I use it regularly as a quiet place to study when I am just sick of working from home. They have free access to the Irish Times archive there too, if you are on their wifi network you can access it on your own laptop. Spent ages reading papers from when I was a child, see what reporting on a real recession was like, not this nonsense we have now.

I bought a kindle a couple of weeks ago, but until then I always had books borrowed. Will probably go back to that when the novelty of the kindle wears off, no matter how cheap those $7 ebooks are free is better. The library also has a lot of old, out of print books, stuff for local history and the like. Difficult and expensive to find those online.

In short, I think public libraries are one of the greatest things about civilisation and this city (Dublin).

DoesNotCompute

I go to the library in the Ilac Centre to study on Tues/Wed nights, as I'm studying for an IT certification. There's also loads of students there as well.

Balmed Out

Use them a lot. What annoys me is when I scrambled to get down on Friday it was closed. Not just early but all day. Good friday isnt a bank holiday. Wasnt open again till tuesday.

Gin Fizz

I haven't used a library in years. A number of work colleagues do though. I gues it makes financial sense if you read a lot.

SEPT 23 1989

Only to steal books

tigger123

Not as much as I used to but would still use it regularly enough, there's tonnes of DVD's etc that can be borrowed as well as books.

Used it loads during college too, great at exam times when the place you live in is a crazy house!

Dudess

On that thread OP someone pointed out how a Dublin senior librarian's salary is 50-odd k. Don't believe everything you read.

LeinsterDub

Can't think of a single thing in the library that I need that I can't find on the internet.

c_man

I used to go when younger but haven't in a long long time. Have no need to really. I'm an avid reader but they're cheap/borrowed/kindle. Using a library just seems like a hassle to me tbh.

Susie_Q

Dudess wrote: »

On that thread OP someone pointed out how a Dublin senior librarian's salary is 50-odd k. Don't believe everything you read.

I don't think anyone in favour of shutting down public libraries reads that much

Freddie59

Dudess wrote: »

On that thread OP someone pointed out how a Dublin senior librarian's salary is 50-odd k. Don't believe everything you read.

So there are no librarians on €100k+ PA? You can categorically state this?

Nodin

Freddie59 wrote: »

So there are no librarians on €100k+ PA? You can categorically state this?

Do you know what the duties are at that pay/job level?

later12

I don't use public libraries, but I used to use them as a kid.

I'd favour a reform whereby libraries and schools were amalgamated into campuses of learning. I don't consider that it makes sense to build new, standalone libraries unrelated to other educational services.

I also think there should be greater emphasis on electronic books, although some local authority library services have already made good progress on that front.

Freddie59

Nodin wrote: »

Do you know what the duties are at that pay/job level?

I'm sure they don't warrant €100k a year. More than a hospital consultant earns in Germany. But - hey - educate and defend it as you no doubt will.:)

FatherLen

are they like extravision but for books?

Nodin

Freddie59 wrote: »

I'm sure they don't warrant €100k a year. More than a hospital consultant earns in Germany. But - hey - educate and defend it as you no doubt will.:)

"County librarian" is what you referred to in the OP.

How can you be sure they don't warrant whatever they get if you don't know what it is they do? Why, in fact, are you saying they don't deserve what they earn when you don't know what they do to earn it?

Chuck Stone

A lot of the people who use public libraries will not be able to vote on this poll freddie.

Think about it.

Anyway the public library will probably have to change if it wants to stay relevant. Maybe more free (at point of access) internet and printing facilities.

Freddie59

Nodin wrote: »

"County librarian" is what you referred to in the OP.

How can you be sure they don't warrant whatever they get if you don't know what it is they do? Why, in fact, are you saying they don't deserve what they earn when you don't know what they do to earn it?

Nod, I asked you to "enlighten me" seeing as you seem to know so much about everything.:) Librarians.....in charge of........libraries........earning more than hospital consultants in the world's best economy......who are charged with......saving people's lives.

Indefensible really. But go right ahead.......

Statistician

Nodin wrote: »

Do you know what the duties are at that pay/job level?

The applicant must have the following:
- know how to drink a cup of tea
- be good at taking holidays
- gold plated pension skills are a necessity

Something like that I'd imagine.

Freddie59

Chuck Stone wrote: »

A lot of the people who use public libraries will not be able to vote on this poll freddie.

Think about it.

Anyway the public library will probably have to change if it wants to stay relevant. Maybe more free (at point of access) internet and printing facilities.

Indeed Chuck. Just putting it out there really. Interesting responses across the board. They will have to charge though.

dr.bollocko

The thread title asks one question but the OP's agenda pushes another to the fore.



Again.

OP AH is not your personal bash board for all things public sector.

Let's not go there again.