General Chat

Dear Ann

Thank you for your reply.

Very kind of you.

Take gentle care
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

When a schoolfriend introduced me to libraries as a child I thought they were wonderful as my parents didn't even have a bookcase and I was an avid reader at school. When I first retired, a few years before OH did, I used to pop into the library to read their free newspapers some mornings and browse the information in there. It was nice and warm and saved some heating cost at home too! Then when they had computers I started learning to do FH. These had to be booked, but as they got busier, young boys were booking them up after school just o look at inappropriate things on websites and were just sniggering and showing each other what they were looking at. It was disappointing to not be able to use the computers when they were just messing about on them. I used another library as well, but parents were dropping children off there after school, while they went elsewhere and would pick their children up when the library was due to close, effectively using it as a babysitting service. The children were running riot, treating the library like a playground, shrieking and racing round playing hide and seek. I remember the staff asking one child when their parents were coming back and being told 'closing time' They may have done something about it, but it put me off going anymore. I haven't been for a few years now but I know our nearest library is run by volunteers and holds similar events to what everyone else has said with things like toddler singing and craft events for children. They are just too noisy for me to sit and read anything now, so I rarely visit. I grew up with having to whisper or you would be told to be quiet. lol. It would be a shame to lose them though as they hold a lot of local history information and are good way to 'try out' an author to see if you like them.

Dear All

Thank you very much for your kind replies.

It is very good to hear that libraries in one form or another are still going.

Take gentle care
Love EOS
xx

Dear All

Thank you very much for your kind replies.

It is very good to hear that libraries in one form or another are still going.

Take gentle care
Love EOS
xx

I have used libraries all my life and can remember my Dad taking me when I was quite young - every Friday evening. We are very lucky here to have a mobile library every fortnight which has a very helpful driver/librarian and a wide range of books. I usually reserve about 12 every visit and they are delivered as requested - I do read a lot! I am just finishing a series of 3 books by Prof Alice Roberts all about death and burial practices in (many) years gone by - sounds gruesome but absolutely fascinating. Not really that macabre and beautifully written and illustrated by her lovely pencil drawings.

Most of my library visits in this area have been Family History related, where I have used their fiche, scans and other documents to check on enquiries from members of GR and other FH sites.
Unfortunately the main library in Folkestone, which I used to travel to was closed some time ago after water damage started a series of events deemed uneconomic to fix. Later a small part replacement hub eventually opened, where some facilities were available, but I have not used them yet.

Children from our local primary school walk into our nearest library and are encouraged to look at the books and choose one to take home. They enjoy scanning the book and their card to log their choice into the system.

That library hosts local photography or art exhibitions and is also the place to register Births and Deaths, - all ways of getting people through the doors.
It's a good place to buy greetings cards too.

I was a frequent and regular user of libraries from childhood onwards, until the pandemic came along and closed everything down.

I read (both past and present tense) so much that I could never afford to buy that number of books.
Many people have never used libraries, and I can't imagine why, when so much entertainment and information is available completely free of charge.

When libraries were closed during lockdown, some of us locally began passing books around amongst ourselves, and also several free unmanned book exchange places were set up - in the village hall, for example.


These things continue, and I've also been re-reading the many books I own, which haven't been opened for a large number of years.
As I'm still well supplied with books, I haven't felt the need to go to the library since the pandemic - though I feel quite guilty about it!

The mobile library comes to the village once every three weeks, but not at a convenient time for me. There are libraries in the two nearest towns, about 20 miles away in opposite directions.

Our Library seems to be for the benefit of the people who work there.

It is officially open at 10am, but you need to be a member with a card to access the Library. You are given a number for entry pad, and non members cannot walk in until 12 noon. So if you want to drop in to browse, access information etc. You cannot.

There is generally a Toddler Group in there most morning, so the noise is not helpful to the people in there studying.

However, it does have a Warm Space and a Cool Space, like the one Sylvia mentioned, but only after 12 noon!

I used to go to the library regularly but not since Covid.

BUT our library system is fantastic, no sign of it degenerating or closing branches.

Each branch has computers for public use, tables for use by people wishing to study or work with reference books, good selections of books, and will order in new books if you read about one and submit a request.

Plus, and this is VERY important ................. each library branch in our city system serves as a warming place when temperatures go below a certain level in winter or for a cooling place (air conditioned) when we have heat waves in summer.

Hi......l have just started to use the library again, sadly my husband has Macular in both eyes so has difficulty reading (he uses a magnifying glass), and cant drive now. We went to a macular meeting today, it was'nt about macular though, they had a volunteer from the West MIdlands Air Ambulance charity, very interesting talk about the charity!! He also got chatting to other macular sufferers, which was great! Hubby has also taken a few books out and some CD's and l took a craft book out.
Hopefully now that we have started to use the library, we will continue to. Its in Codsal, Staffs in the Staff Council Community Hub, really nice coffee shop aswell.

jude,,xx

Dear Elizabeth, all our Bedfordshire Libraries offer similar events we are very lucky. There are talks in some too and they are well advertised by the local councils.

LaGooner, our library in town also offers services like yours and we are lucky that the mobile library comes every 2 weeks and stops outside our row of houses as my neighbour uses the service.

I read actual books and dislike reading on a kindle.

Dear AndysMum and LaGooner

Hello

Thank you very much for replying.

Dear Andysmum. Closing the mainstream library is very common and then usually
the volunteers set up one themselves.

Dear LaGooner.....your library sounds a fun place to part of.

I have delivered leaflets and stuck up posters in GP practice, shops and places of worship to show the services they offer.


Take gentle care
Love EOS
xx

I should have added we are lucky in this area as we have lots of really good library faciilities. Our nearest one has computers people can use, DVDs, CDs and books to borrow. They run story times and singing sessions for little ones and also craft sessions for both adults and children.

I do - I usually have 3 books a month.

Our village library was closed several years ago and is now run by volunteers in the village hall. It is open several days a week and is well used. The village school bring the children down each week when they choose books and have a story - they are very well behaved if ordinary members of the public are there.

The books are those no longer wanted by the council library in the local town and donations. They also have jigsaws and DVDs and free Wifi for those without it at home.

I use my library every couple of weeks, you can't beat proper book in your hand. I am a real bookworm reading every day. I really dislike Kindles :-)

Dear All

Hello

Hope you are well.

Do you go to a Library?

Or has this reliable resource been closed down?

In some areas, there are services where books, DVDS and CD's are delivered to the housebound, elderly and those who cannot easily get to a library.

Libraries were built upon the idea to educate people and to build a community.

Many of the people I have known in my life where not able to get the education they wanted and needed, so they went along to the library to study.

Learning should not stop once you leave school, it should be lifelong learning.

Take gentle care
My best wishes
EOS
xx