Comments on: Are Libraries “Free”?

By: dave

dave — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:10:02 +0000

People dont be shy to donate books and movies the library can use them. They appreciate it.

By: jagwinder

jagwinder — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:52:33 +0000

i want to read free books and i may like your library.

By: Kassia Krozser

Kassia Krozser — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 19:00:43 +0000

Chris (how is the book doing?) — I was absolutely thinking about the Oregon libraries as I wrote this. Cause and effect.

Ann — you’re so right about giving to local libraries. I’m seeing two “Most Wonderful Posts of the Year” this holiday season!

By: Kassia Krozser

Kassia Krozser — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:58:35 +0000

Aw, how cute. It’s hard to believe that I was once one of those little darlings, carrying my first library book out of the library. Of course, within a year, I was carrying, like, ten or more, but that’s how it goes. Books…you can’t read just one!

Also, I should note that your site (Mom…the person who surely checked out that first book to my sweet, little innocent self) is a great resource for those looking for great books for kids (also, adults).

Whenever anyone talks about the decline of reading in the United States, they rarely follow up with “we need to do more to fund our school libraries” or “we really need to fund our local libraries”. It really is time we started a movement!

By: Letha

Letha — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:03:02 +0000

On Friday a first-grade class came into the library to check out their first book at our school. We went through the, well, I call it “The Care and Feeding of Books,” discussing such borderline boring things as carrying a book correctly, turning pages, having clean hands-well, you get it. Each student using his or her shelfmarker selected the book of his or her choice and, then, it was time for them to go back to class. Each first-grader (terribly short and wonderfully cute) stood in line waiting for the teacher to lead them back. Each was hugging his or her book-hugging is the absolute, best way to carry anything precious. They looked at me, were brave enough to waggle a finger good-bye in order not to drop their precious load and walked off. The pride on each of their faces is always a bit too much for this old woman. Every year the monies allotted to school libraries is dwindling. Every year assessments and the cost to produce them is rising. What’s wrong with this picture? Libraries are free? Hardly. Libraries are expendible? Seems to be heading in that direction. Hmm, I think I’ll go hug a book.

By: Chris Fletcher

Chris Fletcher — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:16:23 +0000

I’m thankful to live in Portland, OR, where library levies usually pass. Even so, there’ve been times when hours had to be cut. Shocking as hell, though, is Jackson County (in southern OR) shutting all 15 of its libraries back in April due to lack of funding. It’s the biggest library closure in the U.S. An entire county without a single library…hard to imagine such a thing could happen, but it did. So no, libraries aren’t free. And if we don’t safeguard them, they can be taken away.

By: Ann Frantz

Ann Frantz — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:40:13 +0000

Although I buy most of my own books (and fill most of my walls with them), I greatly value libraries for the supportive community they offer to writers, the depth of research services, the comfortable at-home feeling they provide.
(Although a coffee shop next door would be helpful in most cases).
In addition to taxes, if you love your local library, send it a check now and then. If we all did that, “free” issue aside, we could keep them going so that kids always have a place to go after school, we’d have an alternative work space when the four walls at home get too close, and library hours could be longer. In my town, that’s a big one for users.
Ann Frantz
author, Emilee’s Song – which will someday be published!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 15:59:24 +0000

Thanks Kassia for the reminder that we all owe a huge thanks to the communities we live in for supporting their libraries.