I (Heart) Libraries

Did you know that it is Library Lovers' Month?  I didn't until I came across this meme via Library Queue (my public library isn't taking part alas).  As you know I am a great fan of libraries, so I have to answer these questions, too.  Quite frankly I'm not sure what I would do without access to a library. 

How do you plan on celebrating Library Lovers month?  I know I have a book or two about libraries, which I should pull out and read in honor of the celebration, but I'm not sure I'll get to them (my reading card is pretty full this month), but maybe I can fit in a short story or two?  More about that this weekend.

How often do you accidentally spell library as 'libary' when you're in a hurry?  Probably every time I spell it when I'm typing.  I'm a horrible typist and continually have to backspace to fix words or sentences.  And spell check has made me lazy.

What is the most amount of books you've ever had checked out at one time?  Easily upwards of 20 (the limit at my library is 40).  I do try not have more than ten as I know I can't read that many at once and still return them before the due date.  Of course if I can renew books I am very good at juggling--figuratively speaking of course.

What is the longest you've ever gone without visiting the library?  I've always used the library, since I was old enough to have a library card.  However, when I was working full time in a bookstore I probably didn't use it very often--too busy working on creating my own library...Once the bookstore closed I was back to being a regular visitor.

What is the biggest fine you've ever had?  There's a story behind this one.  Never say--'I am absolutely positive I returned that book'.  Well, 99% of the time (at least now) I am sure.  Several years ago, however, I borrowed an Elizabeth George book.  I also borrowed a VHS set of the Inspector Lynley Mysteries when they first came out.  I knew I had returned the book.  I sort of stowed the boxed set of movies behind some magazines and forgot them there.  When the library asked for them back I was vehement that I had returned them.  They accepted my word, and took the fine away.  Lo and behold when I was doing heavy duty cleaning and moving things, I found the tapes.  In my defense I did return them and explain what happened.  I can't remember the fine amount anymore, but it was at least $10.00.  I can't complain--the fines in an academic library can be massive--scholarly books and tapes can be very expensive to replace.  I see what students sometimes pay and shudder.  Be very careful with your library books!

When you go to the library, do you plan ahead and make a list? Or do you browse?  I do both.  I tend to go at least once a week, but browsing doesn't always net many new and exciting books.  These days you really have to get online and request books if you want the really new ones.  Usually a virtual line forms and it never sees the 'new books' shelves until months later.  They do offer 14 day books that can't be renewed, and sometimes I can find something new there, but you have to get it read very promptly.  I do occasionally browse the older books, which are on a different floor, but there are so many ranges of them, there is just too much to look at at once.

Have you ever been shushed by a librarian?  Probably in high school, but not recently.  The public library's main floor can be sort of noisy, which is where the new books are.  I work in an academic library, but I've never shushed anyone, though there are moments when I'd like to.  The third floor is meant for quiet study, but students will still pull out their cell phones make calls, which I find annoying. 

What is the worst (against-the-rules) thing you've ever done in the library?  I can't really think of anything.  I once took an ILL book out of the library though there was a restriction on it that it could only be used in the building.  Does that count?  I only took it home over a weekend (and photocopied most of the needlework charts in it--it was an OOP, very lovely, and hard to find needlework book).  I guess I was doubly bad about that one.   

What's the worst thing you've ever done to a library book?  I'm very careful with my library books.  The worst I ever do is turn down pages where there is a passage I want to 'mark'.  I always turn them back up before I return them.  I've seen some nasty things done to library books, however.  I won't go there--you probably don't want to know! 

Have you ever had a "favorite" librarian?  Not really, though generally I find them all to be helpful.  For a long time in the public library one of the librarians who worked on the fourth floor in the fiction and literature area was very snarky and I would try and avoid asking questions.  Now, however, there is a very nice lady who works in circulation who knows me by name and will pull out the books I have on hold.  I seem to have gotten a reputation. 

If you could change one thing about your library it would be...  Better funding.  I don't think the city's public libraries are very well funded and they've been dealing with budget issues for years now.  I think it shows in their collections.  Also, even though it's undergone some renovation, my branch seems somewhat shabby inside.  Still I always seem to have a stack of library books, so I can't complain too much.  I know they do the best they can with the little money they do get.  Of course when I think about other public libraries, I get a little jealous.  I believe this might just be where a fellow blogger volunteers?   

Please feel free to play along. 

Comments

[Tricia]

Does your library allow you to "rent" new books? Ours charges a daily fee for some new books if you don't want to wait in the queue. I've never done it though. I think I would feel under too much pressure to get it read quickly since the money just adds up if you don't!

This was fun to read. Thanks!

[LK]

I accidentally took a library book from Missouri to Arizona - it got packed with my things! I still have the book, too.

[Sam]

Yesterday a patron complained that we never get new books and we really do every week. I think some people never look at the card catalog and expect all the new books to just be on the shelf like in a bookstore. We only get one copy of every book so the newest Patricia Cornwell book, for example, probably won't see a shelf until about April or May. I haven't really had a favorite librarian and I haven't been shushed by one. When I was a kid my parents never really had time to take me so I didn't visit the library regularly until I got my driver's license. I read constantly before then, but just used the school library or read my mom and grandma's old books instead. The thing I would change about our library is that fact that there is no quiet place to go read! I've tried to read during break and if I'm lucky the conference room will be empty.

[tara]

I did something similar - insisted that I returned a Curious George book and found it under the bed months later. We did return it....Another time the library insisted I hadn't returned something and I went to the shelf and found it - it was a huge children's book I remembered turning in. So it goes both ways.

[Dark Orpheus]

I know for a fact our local library gets the new titles late - anything from 6 months to a year later.

But you get to check out 40 books?! The limit at our local library is 4 books maximum for a normal membership. For a premium member (which you have to pay $21 per year), we get either 8 books max, or 4 books and 4 DVDs.

The worst I ever did was to eat in the library - but that was in my school days, in the college library. Where I was "shushed" at by the Not-Very-Nice Librarian. But it's okay, nobody liked her anyway.

[Melanie]

I'm a little biased so I won't say much - except that spelling library as "libary" is a lot more innocuous than spelling Public as "pubic"; which we did once on a new website we were launching. Fortunately I saw it before we went live.....

I took a look at Hennepin and boy, am I jealous! Gorgeous! Except - one of my pet peeves - the stairs have open risers. AAAARGH. I always think male architects design those. I really prefer people NOT looking up my skirt as I go upstairs. If we ever get a new building for our library (long overdue) I've told my boss NO open risers. Although he used to be a monk so understands the up-the-robe/skirt issue!

[Danielle]

Tricia--No that's something my library doesn't do--though they slap fines on you for not picking up your holds! I wouldn't want to pay to borrow a book--unless it was something I really, really wanted to read. In which case I guess I'd just buy it!
LK--Shocking! :) I suspect by now they've written it off. We've had students mail books back to us from when they return home from school. Oops.
Sam--I know my library is constantly getting in new books, too, but they are never on the new books shelves. You just have to know what you're looking for and look online these days. Only one copy of the books, though? Here it depends on the book--if it is really popular they'll get lots of copies, but if not there may be only three copies circulating amongst the branches. My public library is pretty noisy, too. Luckily where I work, though, I can find a quiet spot to take my lunch and break.
Tara--Yes! It does go both ways. I admit I did have something I thought I returned, but on multiple occasions I've returned materials only to have them say I didn't return them. More than once I've gone back and found them sitting on the shelves--still checked out to me! Now I always check my account online to make sure everythhing is correct.
Dark Orpheus--Ouch--I shouldn't complain! Only four books? I guess you have to choose very carefully! And we used to not allow food in my library, but as there is now a cafe, people are constantly eating--it's sort of strange, but I guess it is the new library mentality (to be more like Barnes & Noble!).
Melanie--Spell check is definitely very important. Good thing you caught the error before going live--or how embarrassing would that be!! I agree about those stairs. Actually for me it's more of a fear--as they look too open and too steep and I have this weird fear of falling! But the whole skirt thing is an issue, too!

[Marg]

That library that you linked to look AMAZING! I now have library envy!

[Simon Thomas]

I wonder if I'm anyone's favourite librarian...

We gave fines of up to £45 in the Science Library in the Bod...

[Smithereens]

I was just thinking I needed a fun and fluffy meme for today! Great inspiration, thanks...

[Dorothy W.]

This makes me want to go visit my library today! I don't use it enough, I think. I'm more likely to want to own the books I read. But it's such a great resource!

[Stefanie]

Your answers were fun to read. Your video story made me laugh.

[Lisa]

Thanks for sharing this. As a librarian, I love to hear people talk about libraries. There are some really weird and interesting things that have happened in libraries. Happy Library Lovers Month!

[jenclair]

This is a great meme. Such a great way to honor this wonderful institution!

[Becca]

Great answers to some provocative and amusing questions. 20 library books at once!!! You are a prolific reader!

[iliana]

I just started reading a great little book on libraries in honor of Library Lover's Month. I'm going to have to post on it because some of it is hilarious. Makes me want to work in a library. Granted I'm sure the weirdo patrons are not as fun once you have to deal with them on a daily basis! :)

[Matt]

I remembered nagging my mother to take me to the library for my first card! That was back in Hong Kong. Since then, my affair with the library has never stopped. I manage to visit my local library now at least once a week.

[Danielle]

Marg--Isn't that a lovely library? I have nothing that nice where I live.
Simon--It seems like science books are always so much more expensive. It amazes me to see how much a little chemistry book might cost. Woe to the student who loses one of those. They not only have to pay a fine, but the price for replacing the book as well. Ouch.
Smithereens--I'll have to check out your answers, too!
Dorothy--I tend to want my own books as well, but it's nice to check out newer books from the library that I'm unsure of, and also harder to find books.
Stefanie--Needless to say--I pay much closer attention to what I have checked out and try and keep my library pile in one place!
Lisa--Yes, there are some very interesting library stories. I've heard about some interesting patrons, as I'm sure have you!
Jenclair--I'm not sure what I'd do without the library personally!
Becca--Well, I may have had that many at once, but I'm not usually very good at getting them all read....:)
Iliana--I think there are fewer strange patrons in my academic library (though we get our share), but I've seen some interesting ones in the public library. I bet they get a more varied clientele!
Matt--I think I must visit the library about once a week, too! And I've had a library card since I was little as well.