This question was asked by Jian Gomeshi in his show Q at CBC.ca. Urban affair critic Christopher Hume and writer Jon Reiner debated this question when the New York Public Library asked for $300,000 million to upgrate the library. Here's the clincher.........in an effort to make the library more user friendly, they wanted to warehouse millions of reference books and make a great seating area and cafe. BONG!!!!!!!!!
This was the catalyst for people to think about the roles of libraries in the modern age. What role should the library play in cities and communities? Is a social hub or and a place where people and books meet? (I could say where they change each other, but that is an entirely different blog):).
The New York Public Library states that there were few visits to the reference stacks, but the outcry from the majority of New Yorkers is that they want the books to stay. They want libraries to take care of the past and not warehouse it.
The New York Public Library noted that membership goes up when a library remodels itself to be a community hub. There's the rub - how do libraries modernize and get funding without getting rid of the books and loosing your unique status.
I witness these two perspectives at Kennebecasis Public. Usually a non-user comes in, marvels at the building, and then asks why we need such a large place when in fact print books are one the way out?
Hold on there!! I see no evidence of that here in the valley. Residents who do use the library love print books, and are happy to leave with an armload each visit. Mothers, fathers, and grandparents take home stacks for reading. Teens get into series and can't wait for the next one to be written.
Here is where we have changed: we do more programming that is community driven. We enter into partnerships with those who have something to offer our community. That is how we are becoming a a social hub. Our library has even won the community impact award. We are doing it every day and our statistics prove it.
I do not know what is the correct answer for the New York Public Library, but I hope they find out that most New Yorks are happy with.
