An Homage to Libraries
Thursday, May 19th, 2011
From the blog of the New York Review of Books comes an homage to libraries.
From the blog of the New York Review of Books comes an homage to libraries.
Archive for the ‘Public Libraries’ Category
An Homage to Libraries
Thursday, May 19th, 2011
Salon: Why Libraries Still Matter
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
For those of you slogging through hard times, here’s an article to bring cheer about what libraries mean for one patron:
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if libraries are so “unnecessary,” why is it that the parking lots are always full?
For those of you slogging through hard times, here’s an article to bring cheer about what libraries mean for one patron:
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if libraries are so “unnecessary,” why is it that the parking lots are always full?
Letters to the Children of Troy
Friday, May 6th, 2011
Michigan librarians and citizens have been holding their breath. So far, the Troy Public Library, in suburban Detroit, has managed to escape what two failed millages deemed inevitable: closure on May 1. There’s been a reprieve until May 16. But then? It’s not clear.
It was only because residents spoke up that the City Council made an April 18 decision to delay the closing. The Detroit Free Press reported:
The move to postpone any closing was bolstered by the results of a citywide survey, announced at Monday’s meeting, showing that 72% of Troy residents believe library operations should increase or stay the same, according to the scientific telephone sample of 400 respondents, city spokeswoman Cindy Stewart said. And 32% said it was their No. 1 issue, the highest rating for any one issue, Stewart said.
Residents also pointed out that Troy is a bedroom community that lacks a downtown and that the library was the community’s hub.
Meanwhile, the Troy librarians have just released scans of over 80 letters collected by their children’s librarian, addressed to the children of Troy upon the opening of their freestanding library in 1971. From Julian Bond (whose letter is exquisitely formatted but says, essentially, “I don’t have time, sorry,” to Dr. Seuss’s multicolor handwritten letter, they’re delightful.
Though the formats may have changed, the sentiment surely hasn’t.
Here’s a clickable screenshot of the letter from E.B. White:
EB_White.pdf via kwout
And one from the deliciously creepy Vincent Price (did you expect such classical references and elegant penmanship?):
Enjoy browsing these!
PS - The librarian even asked Helen Gurley Brown, the original Cosmo girl! Cheeky, eh?
Michigan librarians and citizens have been holding their breath. So far, the Troy Public Library, in suburban Detroit, has managed to escape what two failed millages deemed inevitable: closure on May 1. There’s been a reprieve until May 16. But then? It’s not clear.
It was only because residents spoke up that the City Council made an April 18 decision to delay the closing. The Detroit Free Press reported:
The move to postpone any closing was bolstered by the results of a citywide survey, announced at Monday’s meeting, showing that 72% of Troy residents believe library operations should increase or stay the same, according to the scientific telephone sample of 400 respondents, city spokeswoman Cindy Stewart said. And 32% said it was their No. 1 issue, the highest rating for any one issue, Stewart said.
Residents also pointed out that Troy is a bedroom community that lacks a downtown and that the library was the community’s hub.
Meanwhile, the Troy librarians have just released scans of over 80 letters collected by their children’s librarian, addressed to the children of Troy upon the opening of their freestanding library in 1971. From Julian Bond (whose letter is exquisitely formatted but says, essentially, “I don’t have time, sorry,” to Dr. Seuss’s multicolor handwritten letter, they’re delightful.
Though the formats may have changed, the sentiment surely hasn’t.
Here’s a clickable screenshot of the letter from E.B. White:
EB_White.pdf via kwout
And one from the deliciously creepy Vincent Price (did you expect such classical references and elegant penmanship?):
Enjoy browsing these!
PS - The librarian even asked Helen Gurley Brown, the original Cosmo girl! Cheeky, eh?