I’m not a library Luddite, honest - I love using the Internet to order books on CD and I think the self-checkout is pretty cool (no condescending looks from the librarian). 24 hour libraries even seem like a pretty awesome innovation (at the University of South Florida the library is open from Sunday at noon until Friday at 6:00 pm, Saturday 10-6 and Starbucks is open until 3 am!) -
BUT I do get a little skittish about the “library as a community center” concept. I love the library because it is introspective; a place to learn, think, study and discuss ideas quietly. It is peaceful, calm and orderly - it is the opposite of the mall (thankfully).
On the other hand, a community center reaches out to the community to offer anything the residents might need: tax help, after school programs, movie nights, gymnasiums, food, career counseling, etc. It is a boisterous place for everyone, particularly extroverts, who want to meet people and share experiences that may include learning (but usually don’t include books). I love community centers - I wish my community had one - but they are not the library. Kinda like the difference between jeans and a little black dress - there is a time and a place for each but they must never be merged.
But what if...there was a vast space, with several floors, different rooms, sound proof walls...could the library be an introvert and an extrovert? Could the nerds slip into the exquisite Art & Architecture Room at the NY Public Library while the chatty Cathies met for lattes and teens learned to play the guitar? It is possible that we don’t have to choose one over the other but can sustain two missions that are separate, but equal (hmmm, that phrase sounds familiar).
BUT I do get a little skittish about the “library as a community center” concept. I love the library because it is introspective; a place to learn, think, study and discuss ideas quietly. It is peaceful, calm and orderly - it is the opposite of the mall (thankfully).
On the other hand, a community center reaches out to the community to offer anything the residents might need: tax help, after school programs, movie nights, gymnasiums, food, career counseling, etc. It is a boisterous place for everyone, particularly extroverts, who want to meet people and share experiences that may include learning (but usually don’t include books). I love community centers - I wish my community had one - but they are not the library. Kinda like the difference between jeans and a little black dress - there is a time and a place for each but they must never be merged.
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| Art & Architecture Room NYPL |
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