4 ms·

Public libraries seem heavily romanticized. They aren't the places they once were. The big one in my local city is in an unsavory part of town, with homeless an

Public libraries seem heavily romanticized. They aren't the places they once were. The big one in my local city is in an unsavory part of town, with homeless and drug addicts all over, creepy dudes looking at porn inside, with the lovely stench of body odor everywhere. Even the entrance is unnerving, with zombies sleeping on the steps. I wouldn't feel safe letting a child hang out there alone. Which is a major shame, because I spent many hours in libraries as a kid. This isn't hyperbole, just read through some recent google reviews of public libraries. These days, I'd rather browse the ebook catalog online and drive to a nice park or green space to read. I'm sure financial interests are somewhat to blame for the decline of the public library, but the other reasons seem more pressing atm.

ClumsyPilot 3y ago
ye that seems lime you are placing national decline at the feel of a public library
- Eumenes 3y ago
  i'd argue that the state of public spaces reflects the national status ... whether thats a park or the streets or whatever. i'm just saying that people will start to care less about these places if they're surrendered to anti social behavior.
shortrounddev2 3y ago
Yeah there's a constant background hum of a feeling of danger when at the library. I wouldn't let my kid go to my city library alone. The suburb I grew up in still had a good, clean, safe place to sit and read. My wife and I used to sit there and do our homework together back when we were just dating.
FrustratedMonky 3y ago
So if the area around a Library goes downhill, the Library should move? Libraries didn't cause the downfall of the area they are in. LOL. Why blame the library. I'm sure if the library started sweeping away the homeless, there would be just as much outcry at their callousness.
- brvsft 3y ago
  In what way is the commenter "blaming" the library? This is simply the reality, that many libraries are unsafe. We've got a library out here where the employees can get trained in adminstering Narcan because people frequently overdose at or around the library. I don't blame the library, but at this point, I don't even think it should be called a library any more. It's a temporary homeless shelter during daytime hours.
  - cowsandmilk 3y ago
    > We've got a library out here where the employees can get trained in adminstering Narcan Many employers offer this now, and at many concert venues, there are tables where they will train you and send you home with Narcan. You have to be sheltered at this point to believe narcan training is unique to libraries.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
beej71 3y ago
Check out the Oslo Public Library for what a library can be. The US needs to be a country that values these things.
- Eumenes 3y ago
  Oslo wouldn't even crack the top 25 in population based on US cities. As a country, its also way less diverse and 1% of the total population size of the US. Comparing anything in the US to what is done in Nordic countries is generally a losing argument.
  - beej71 3y ago
    So only bigger than about 19,000 US cities?
    - Eumenes 3y ago
      City population aside. Looks like a nice modern place, with nice architecture. I'm sure the city has great pride in it. But costly and quick research (reviews, reddit threads) seems to point to it not being a great place to study/do library things. Popular for tours and to have children run around. Cool building though.
      - beej71 3y ago
        It is a reversal. It's relatively loud in there (compared to a US library). Coffee shop levels. But there are study rooms and study areas. And actual books. I'd take that over the library in my town in a second which has half empty shelves and low usage and a vocal contingent calling for it's shuttering.

ClumsyPilot 3y ago

ye that seems lime you are placing national decline at the feel of a public library

Eumenes 3y ago
i'd argue that the state of public spaces reflects the national status ... whether thats a park or the streets or whatever. i'm just saying that people will start to care less about these places if they're surrendered to anti social behavior.

shortrounddev2 3y ago

Yeah there's a constant background hum of a feeling of danger when at the library. I wouldn't let my kid go to my city library alone. The suburb I grew up in still had a good, clean, safe place to sit and read. My wife and I used to sit there and do our homework together back when we were just dating.

FrustratedMonky 3y ago

So if the area around a Library goes downhill, the Library should move? Libraries didn't cause the downfall of the area they are in. LOL. Why blame the library. I'm sure if the library started sweeping away the homeless, there would be just as much outcry at their callousness.

brvsft 3y ago
In what way is the commenter "blaming" the library? This is simply the reality, that many libraries are unsafe. We've got a library out here where the employees can get trained in adminstering Narcan because people frequently overdose at or around the library. I don't blame the library, but at this point, I don't even think it should be called a library any more. It's a temporary homeless shelter during daytime hours.
- cowsandmilk 3y ago
  > We've got a library out here where the employees can get trained in adminstering Narcan Many employers offer this now, and at many concert venues, there are tables where they will train you and send you home with Narcan. You have to be sheltered at this point to believe narcan training is unique to libraries.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]

beej71 3y ago

Check out the Oslo Public Library for what a library can be. The US needs to be a country that values these things.

Eumenes 3y ago
Oslo wouldn't even crack the top 25 in population based on US cities. As a country, its also way less diverse and 1% of the total population size of the US. Comparing anything in the US to what is done in Nordic countries is generally a losing argument.
- beej71 3y ago
  So only bigger than about 19,000 US cities?
  - Eumenes 3y ago
    City population aside. Looks like a nice modern place, with nice architecture. I'm sure the city has great pride in it. But costly and quick research (reviews, reddit threads) seems to point to it not being a great place to study/do library things. Popular for tours and to have children run around. Cool building though.
    - beej71 3y ago
      It is a reversal. It's relatively loud in there (compared to a US library). Coffee shop levels. But there are study rooms and study areas. And actual books. I'd take that over the library in my town in a second which has half empty shelves and low usage and a vocal contingent calling for it's shuttering.