5 ms·

Ode to libraries (the book ones)

65 points by siberpunk 1y ago

Akashic101 1y ago
Libraries are truly something amazing. My local one offers an incredible amount of stuff, all for just 15€/year. They have their own streaming-service, you can lend e-books and magazines easily online, rent consoles/videogames, water, tea and coffee either free or just 1€, events to learn languages, hang out or just get together with the local community, book trades, the list goes on. More people should support their local libraries, they need/deserve it much more than so many other services.
- siberpunk 1y ago
  Oh you have much more than we have.. I live in a relatively small city, so there are not many events or offerings, but I'd love to have a bigger community in there. Even hanging out with your people, sharing daily life is such a wholesome connection. I'm happy to see that there are people from all over the world who value libraries in different ways.
wvh 1y ago
I'm fully remote and finding places to get away resonates. I tried the library, but the artificial lighting, lack of infrastructure (especially large monitors) and maybe also the lack of a more social space where you are actually allowed to talk made it a less than ideal experience. But I concur that libraries as places for people to meet and do some sort of intellectual goal-oriented activity (as opposed to bars and other places of entertainment) are a great idea. I like what cities like Helsinki have done with Oodi, a library that also offers workspaces for people to do all sorts of things.
- siberpunk 1y ago
  I totally feel what you mean about design. The library I used back in university was really tasteless and carelessly designed (if we can even call it "designed"), and I wouldn’t have used it if I didn’t have to. This one, I got lucky. I hope both the authorities and the public will continue, more and more, to do their best to make libraries more valuable and beautiful.
codingformeal 1y ago
This was such a refreshing read, thank you for sharing. I really resonated with your reflections on remote work and how the lines between “home” and “work” blur so easily. I’ve also been searching for an alternative work environment myself, something outside the usual cycle of home office and noisy coffee shops. Your perspective reminded me that libraries are not only underrated but also deeply valuable spaces for focus, creativity, and even joy. I’m definitely inspired to give my local library a chance!
philipwhiuk 1y ago
Libraries aren't free co-working spaces though. This remote worker is fortunate that no-one else does this because it would rapidly worsen. And I'm sure there's more than a handful of remote workers in their area so it would quickly descend into slots and worsen the 'regular purpose' of the library.
- siberpunk 1y ago
  Mentioned in the article, I'm not sure if libraries work the same way in everywhere. But this one has literally free co-working spaces that anyone, including remote workers, students, or readers could use. Also quoting from an aspiring-librarian: "It always makes me happy to see someone using their local library as the community space it was meant to be!" Probably different countries, cities or organizations have different uses for libraries. quote from: https://inchwyrm.bearblog.dev/ https://inchwyrm.bearblog.dev/
  - cyphar 1y ago
    Most libraries in most countries I've been to have community spaces intended for (among other things) study and work. Most have dozens of services completely unrelated to loaning out books.
    - siberpunk 1y ago
      Yes, another user in the comments mentioned that their library offers streaming services, rental video games and cheap/free snacks. Right when I was thinking I am lucky with mine :)
      - cyphar 1y ago
        Oh man, I would've killed for snacks as a student...
- _kb 1y ago
  That assertion is very location dependant. It's certainly common across a lot of Australia, including libraries running dedicated facilities for co-working and makerspaces. As an example: https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/visit/spaces/edge/bookable-spaces https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/visit/spaces/edge/bookable-spaces. Both state (https://precinctqld.com.au/ https://precinctqld.com.au/) and local (https://businesshub.brisbane.qld.au/coworking https://businesshub.brisbane.qld.au/coworking) governments then also run free or heavily subsided workspaces if you need something less ephemeral too.
rimeila 1y ago
Great read, it sums up the daily struggle I feel for working from home and how to mitigate its effects. I will surely try to visit more libraries from now on.
dpassens 1y ago
> So what to do? Go to nearest coffee shop. You’re lucky if they don’t play tasteless trendy music. You’re lucky if a waiter doesn’t keep asking if you need anything, isn’t intrusive, and doesn’t subtly let you know when it’s time to leave by checking on you constantly . You’re lucky if no teenagers talking loudly about their-whatever-teens-talk-about-these-days. Oh, by the way, pay a lot of money to be here and to drink a nice cup of burnt coffe. Astonishingly entitled. The point of a coffee shop isn't to provide you with a nice space to work but to sell coffee.
- acdha 1y ago
  That doesn’t sound to me as entitled, more like acknowledging that they’re not the market most coffee shop owners are targeting. I’ve known a few places with target laptop workers but commercial real estate pricing in many markets is brutal in a way that libraries are less exposed to.
  - dpassens 1y ago
    That would have been a very fair point but to me, the tone definitely comes off as "how dare these annoying waiters try to sell me coffee so that the shop doesn't lose money from me occupying a seat" and "how dare teenagers enjoy their time in a coffee shop, don't they know I have work to do?"
    - siberpunk 1y ago
      English isn’t my first language, so some sentences may have lost their nuance in translation. To me, that paragraph was more of a humorous, playful way of listing the aspects of working in a coffee shop that don’t suit me, rather than an angry, dissatisfied complaint.
    - tokai 1y ago
      That says a lot about you.
      - dpassens 1y ago
ZeroGravitas 1y ago
I find libraries immensely soothing and am lucky enough to have several nearby to rotate through so I have also done this. Combining a cycle to get there and coming back with a new book in my laptop bag is a good feeling. Video calls are tricky, since you don't want to disturb others. Audio calls can be an excuse to take a walk outside in the sunlight. But I generally try to plan around calls and make the trip when I want to focus. I'm also happy with just a laptop, which not all developers are. I also quite like the background noise of students doing homework and old people getting taught how to use computers and the other human life going on quietly in the background. The occasional group of toddlers having a sing-song is a special treat.
- siberpunk 1y ago
  On video calls, the library I go to is in some kind of cultural center & community space mix. So there are some common spaces that you can talk, and a cafetaria. These alone solve my problems for quick un-planned video calls. For daily meetings or planned pair programming sessions, I also wait for the meeting then head over to library.
ctrlp 1y ago
In the US, libraries are free, have bathrooms, and you can spend the whole day. Hence, urban libraries have become de facto homeless shelters with all the social problems that implies. Suburban libraries are still pretty great places to work or read, but city libraries are a tragedy compared to what they were when I was growing up.
- ctkhn 1y ago
  They definitely aren't as good as they could be, but I have always been able to get stuff done if I reserve a study room. Even suburban libraries are better like that
- nycerrrrrrrrrr 1y ago
  Not sure what city you're in, but this has not been my experience with several NYC libraries.
  - cap11235 1y ago
    Ditto in central Chicago. Unless someone is simply opposed to seeing homeless people in their vicinity.
    - imp0cat 1y ago
      Seeing is fine. Smelling is usually much worse.
- radiator 1y ago
  Sounds like they need rules that state you are only allowed in if you actually want to use the library for its intended purpose.
  - gnulinux 1y ago
    What do you think is the "intended purpose"? The fascinating and beautiful thing about the library systems in US is that there is no reason to have a purpose, you can literally just sit down and look outside the window. Breakneck-speed-modern-life needs this. I want a place to stop, think, read, write, listen... just somewhere to be human without fees for a second.
ForHackernews 1y ago
One of my favorite libraries to work from was the Cudahy Library at the University of Loyola in Chicago. It's a stunning glass building looking out directly on Lake Michigan. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but it used to be that anyone who lived in the neighborhood could get a "community" library card without being a student. https://chriswolak.com/2020/05/31/library-visit-loyola-university-chicago/ https://chriswolak.com/2020/05/31/library-visit-loyola-unive...
sonabinu 1y ago
What I like most are that most libraries are lively without being distracting. There is some movement but it’s not excessive. I’ve found it a great place for focused study and deep reading.
danielfalbo 1y ago
> So what to do? Go to nearest coffee shop. You’re lucky if they don’t play tasteless trendy music. You’re lucky if a waiter doesn’t keep asking if you need anything, isn’t intrusive, and doesn’t subtly let you know when it’s time to leave by checking on you constantly . You’re lucky if no teenagers talking loudly about their-whatever-teens-talk-about-these-days. Oh, by the way, pay a lot of money to be here and to drink a nice cup of burnt coffe. You're right, but there are coffee shops that are actually friendly to work at. When I was living in Rome, I compiled for myself a maps list of work-friendly bars https://maps.app.goo.gl/8nZUdYEbs7H8MCDd7 https://maps.app.goo.gl/8nZUdYEbs7H8MCDd7 - Now I moved to London and I'm doing the same
- siberpunk 1y ago
  Absolutely, there are some coffee shops. Like you when I was in Istanbul, there were lots and lots of coffee shops, some of them even has two floors with top floor spared for working. Now I moved to a smaller city and I don't have these options anymore. That part was just my current experience. Also, thanks for sharing your list! I love spending time around the world in google maps, this will be my fun for today.
- kilroy123 1y ago
  Would love to see your Lonon map / list!
  - danielfalbo 1y ago
    let's make a collaborative list https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes
- maleldil 1y ago
  > Now I moved to London and I'm doing the same Could you share your map for London?
  - danielfalbo 1y ago
    let's make a collaborative list https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes
danielfalbo 1y ago
If only one could have Zoom calls in libraries
- cyphar 1y ago
  My local library has soundproof conference rooms (we made heavy use of them as high-school students when doing group study for exams), so in some libraries you can.
- siberpunk 1y ago
  I believe most of them have common spaces or work-together-rooms. But again, every library has different use cases..
rwbt 1y ago
Great write up and I share very similar ideas. But I wish there was something a little more than a library where people with similar interests can actually socialize and build a sense of community.
- deadbabe 1y ago
  It’s called a Starbucks.
- siberpunk 1y ago
  I need that too! Especially when working remotely, I don't have the office to see my co-workers to socialize. Or back when I was in college, I don't have my classmates to chat about stuff. I wish "clubs" or communities in that sense were more common outside of college
fragile_frogs 1y ago
> So what to do? Go to nearest coffee shop. You’re lucky if they don’t play tasteless trendy music. You’re lucky if a waiter doesn’t keep asking if you need anything, isn’t intrusive, and doesn’t subtly let you know when it’s time to leave by checking on you constantly . You’re lucky if no teenagers talking loudly about their-whatever-teens-talk-about-these-days. I used to work from coffee shops until I realized how annoying it is to have a café full of people working on their laptops. A once lively place that was supposed to be an escape to relax, meet friends or read a book has turned into a soulless office environment. I want to go to a café to escape work, not to be reminded of it by constant keyboard sounds or video calls. > You’re lucky if a waiter doesn’t keep asking if you need anything, isn’t intrusive, and doesn’t subtly let you know when it’s time to leave by checking on you constantly . > Oh, by the way, pay a lot of money to be here and to drink a nice cup of burnt coffe. How entitled can you be to think that you can occupy a table for the whole day and expect to only buy one coffee? > Then rent an office or subscribe to a co-working space? What? I get paid to work, not to pay for it. Yes, that is exactly you are supposed to do. If you are working remotely and can´t afford a co-working space you are probably underpaid. Your salary should either include that expense or your employer should cover that for you.
- lapcat 1y ago
  > How entitled can you be to think that you can occupy a table for the whole day and expect to only buy one coffee? The author does not think that, hence the use of the phrase "pay a lot of money". Nowhere did the author demand that coffee shops change to accommodate the author. The author describes, accurately, why coffee shops are not conducive to working there all day. How is that "entitled"?
- siberpunk 1y ago
  > ..until I realized how annoying it is to have a café full of people working on their laptops Again, some coffee shops just go for that market. They provide working spaces or floors etc. Their target is those customers who work there. This is not about your preference as a customer. > How entitled can you be to think that you can occupy a table for the whole day and expect to only buy one coffee? I'm not sure where this "whole day" come from. I never sit anywhere whole day, not in library, not in coffee shops. At most 2-3 hours at a coffee shop. Plus, I never said they need to provide me this kind of service. I have no demands. I clearly said, this kind of environment is not for me. I am not the target customer of those coffee shops, and I simply don't prefer them. I am listing the reasons why coffee shops does not work for me. Again, I am not telling I have those rights. I am exactly telling that not having the correct environment droves me away from coffee shops for work. > Yes, that is exactly you are supposed to do. If you are working remotely and can´t afford a co-working space you are probably underpaid. Your salary should either include that expense or your employer should cover that for you. Well, no? That's not what I am supposed to do. I am paid to work from home, not work from a co-working space. Spending my working hours outside of the home is my personal preference, not something that I need to get paid.
josefritzishere 1y ago
I'm a fan.

65 points by siberpunk 1y ago

Libraries are truly something amazing. My local one offers an incredible amount of stuff, all for just 15€/year. They have their own streaming-service, you can lend e-books and magazines easily online, rent consoles/videogames, water, tea and coffee either free or just 1€, events to learn languages, hang out or just get together with the local community, book trades, the list goes on. More people should support their local libraries, they need/deserve it much more than so many other services.

siberpunk 1y ago
Oh you have much more than we have.. I live in a relatively small city, so there are not many events or offerings, but I'd love to have a bigger community in there. Even hanging out with your people, sharing daily life is such a wholesome connection. I'm happy to see that there are people from all over the world who value libraries in different ways.

wvh 1y ago

I'm fully remote and finding places to get away resonates. I tried the library, but the artificial lighting, lack of infrastructure (especially large monitors) and maybe also the lack of a more social space where you are actually allowed to talk made it a less than ideal experience. But I concur that libraries as places for people to meet and do some sort of intellectual goal-oriented activity (as opposed to bars and other places of entertainment) are a great idea. I like what cities like Helsinki have done with Oodi, a library that also offers workspaces for people to do all sorts of things.

siberpunk 1y ago
I totally feel what you mean about design. The library I used back in university was really tasteless and carelessly designed (if we can even call it "designed"), and I wouldn’t have used it if I didn’t have to. This one, I got lucky. I hope both the authorities and the public will continue, more and more, to do their best to make libraries more valuable and beautiful.

codingformeal 1y ago

This was such a refreshing read, thank you for sharing. I really resonated with your reflections on remote work and how the lines between “home” and “work” blur so easily. I’ve also been searching for an alternative work environment myself, something outside the usual cycle of home office and noisy coffee shops. Your perspective reminded me that libraries are not only underrated but also deeply valuable spaces for focus, creativity, and even joy. I’m definitely inspired to give my local library a chance!

philipwhiuk 1y ago

Libraries aren't free co-working spaces though. This remote worker is fortunate that no-one else does this because it would rapidly worsen. And I'm sure there's more than a handful of remote workers in their area so it would quickly descend into slots and worsen the 'regular purpose' of the library.

siberpunk 1y ago
Mentioned in the article, I'm not sure if libraries work the same way in everywhere. But this one has literally free co-working spaces that anyone, including remote workers, students, or readers could use. Also quoting from an aspiring-librarian: "It always makes me happy to see someone using their local library as the community space it was meant to be!" Probably different countries, cities or organizations have different uses for libraries. quote from: https://inchwyrm.bearblog.dev/ https://inchwyrm.bearblog.dev/
- cyphar 1y ago
  Most libraries in most countries I've been to have community spaces intended for (among other things) study and work. Most have dozens of services completely unrelated to loaning out books.
  - siberpunk 1y ago
    Yes, another user in the comments mentioned that their library offers streaming services, rental video games and cheap/free snacks. Right when I was thinking I am lucky with mine :)
    - cyphar 1y ago
      Oh man, I would've killed for snacks as a student...
_kb 1y ago
That assertion is very location dependant. It's certainly common across a lot of Australia, including libraries running dedicated facilities for co-working and makerspaces. As an example: https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/visit/spaces/edge/bookable-spaces https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/visit/spaces/edge/bookable-spaces. Both state (https://precinctqld.com.au/ https://precinctqld.com.au/) and local (https://businesshub.brisbane.qld.au/coworking https://businesshub.brisbane.qld.au/coworking) governments then also run free or heavily subsided workspaces if you need something less ephemeral too.

rimeila 1y ago

Great read, it sums up the daily struggle I feel for working from home and how to mitigate its effects. I will surely try to visit more libraries from now on.

dpassens 1y ago

acdha 1y ago
That doesn’t sound to me as entitled, more like acknowledging that they’re not the market most coffee shop owners are targeting. I’ve known a few places with target laptop workers but commercial real estate pricing in many markets is brutal in a way that libraries are less exposed to.
- dpassens 1y ago
  That would have been a very fair point but to me, the tone definitely comes off as "how dare these annoying waiters try to sell me coffee so that the shop doesn't lose money from me occupying a seat" and "how dare teenagers enjoy their time in a coffee shop, don't they know I have work to do?"
  - siberpunk 1y ago
    English isn’t my first language, so some sentences may have lost their nuance in translation. To me, that paragraph was more of a humorous, playful way of listing the aspects of working in a coffee shop that don’t suit me, rather than an angry, dissatisfied complaint.
  - tokai 1y ago
    That says a lot about you.
    - dpassens 1y ago

ZeroGravitas 1y ago

I find libraries immensely soothing and am lucky enough to have several nearby to rotate through so I have also done this. Combining a cycle to get there and coming back with a new book in my laptop bag is a good feeling. Video calls are tricky, since you don't want to disturb others. Audio calls can be an excuse to take a walk outside in the sunlight. But I generally try to plan around calls and make the trip when I want to focus. I'm also happy with just a laptop, which not all developers are. I also quite like the background noise of students doing homework and old people getting taught how to use computers and the other human life going on quietly in the background. The occasional group of toddlers having a sing-song is a special treat.

siberpunk 1y ago
On video calls, the library I go to is in some kind of cultural center & community space mix. So there are some common spaces that you can talk, and a cafetaria. These alone solve my problems for quick un-planned video calls. For daily meetings or planned pair programming sessions, I also wait for the meeting then head over to library.

ctrlp 1y ago

In the US, libraries are free, have bathrooms, and you can spend the whole day. Hence, urban libraries have become de facto homeless shelters with all the social problems that implies. Suburban libraries are still pretty great places to work or read, but city libraries are a tragedy compared to what they were when I was growing up.

ctkhn 1y ago
They definitely aren't as good as they could be, but I have always been able to get stuff done if I reserve a study room. Even suburban libraries are better like that
nycerrrrrrrrrr 1y ago
Not sure what city you're in, but this has not been my experience with several NYC libraries.
- cap11235 1y ago
  Ditto in central Chicago. Unless someone is simply opposed to seeing homeless people in their vicinity.
  - imp0cat 1y ago
    Seeing is fine. Smelling is usually much worse.
radiator 1y ago
Sounds like they need rules that state you are only allowed in if you actually want to use the library for its intended purpose.
- gnulinux 1y ago
  What do you think is the "intended purpose"? The fascinating and beautiful thing about the library systems in US is that there is no reason to have a purpose, you can literally just sit down and look outside the window. Breakneck-speed-modern-life needs this. I want a place to stop, think, read, write, listen... just somewhere to be human without fees for a second.

ForHackernews 1y ago

One of my favorite libraries to work from was the Cudahy Library at the University of Loyola in Chicago. It's a stunning glass building looking out directly on Lake Michigan. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but it used to be that anyone who lived in the neighborhood could get a "community" library card without being a student. https://chriswolak.com/2020/05/31/library-visit-loyola-university-chicago/ https://chriswolak.com/2020/05/31/library-visit-loyola-unive...

sonabinu 1y ago

What I like most are that most libraries are lively without being distracting. There is some movement but it’s not excessive. I’ve found it a great place for focused study and deep reading.

danielfalbo 1y ago

siberpunk 1y ago
Absolutely, there are some coffee shops. Like you when I was in Istanbul, there were lots and lots of coffee shops, some of them even has two floors with top floor spared for working. Now I moved to a smaller city and I don't have these options anymore. That part was just my current experience. Also, thanks for sharing your list! I love spending time around the world in google maps, this will be my fun for today.
kilroy123 1y ago
Would love to see your Lonon map / list!
- danielfalbo 1y ago
  let's make a collaborative list https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes
maleldil 1y ago
> Now I moved to London and I'm doing the same Could you share your map for London?
- danielfalbo 1y ago
  let's make a collaborative list https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes https://github.com/danielfalbo/awesome-london-laptop-cafes

danielfalbo 1y ago

If only one could have Zoom calls in libraries

cyphar 1y ago
My local library has soundproof conference rooms (we made heavy use of them as high-school students when doing group study for exams), so in some libraries you can.
siberpunk 1y ago
I believe most of them have common spaces or work-together-rooms. But again, every library has different use cases..

rwbt 1y ago

Great write up and I share very similar ideas. But I wish there was something a little more than a library where people with similar interests can actually socialize and build a sense of community.

deadbabe 1y ago
It’s called a Starbucks.
siberpunk 1y ago
I need that too! Especially when working remotely, I don't have the office to see my co-workers to socialize. Or back when I was in college, I don't have my classmates to chat about stuff. I wish "clubs" or communities in that sense were more common outside of college

fragile_frogs 1y ago

> So what to do? Go to nearest coffee shop. You’re lucky if they don’t play tasteless trendy music. You’re lucky if a waiter doesn’t keep asking if you need anything, isn’t intrusive, and doesn’t subtly let you know when it’s time to leave by checking on you constantly . You’re lucky if no teenagers talking loudly about their-whatever-teens-talk-about-these-days. I used to work from coffee shops until I realized how annoying it is to have a café full of people working on their laptops. A once lively place that was supposed to be an escape to relax, meet friends or read a book has turned into a soulless office environment. I want to go to a café to escape work, not to be reminded of it by constant keyboard sounds or video calls. > You’re lucky if a waiter doesn’t keep asking if you need anything, isn’t intrusive, and doesn’t subtly let you know when it’s time to leave by checking on you constantly . > Oh, by the way, pay a lot of money to be here and to drink a nice cup of burnt coffe. How entitled can you be to think that you can occupy a table for the whole day and expect to only buy one coffee? > Then rent an office or subscribe to a co-working space? What? I get paid to work, not to pay for it. Yes, that is exactly you are supposed to do. If you are working remotely and can´t afford a co-working space you are probably underpaid. Your salary should either include that expense or your employer should cover that for you.

lapcat 1y ago
> How entitled can you be to think that you can occupy a table for the whole day and expect to only buy one coffee? The author does not think that, hence the use of the phrase "pay a lot of money". Nowhere did the author demand that coffee shops change to accommodate the author. The author describes, accurately, why coffee shops are not conducive to working there all day. How is that "entitled"?
siberpunk 1y ago
> ..until I realized how annoying it is to have a café full of people working on their laptops Again, some coffee shops just go for that market. They provide working spaces or floors etc. Their target is those customers who work there. This is not about your preference as a customer. > How entitled can you be to think that you can occupy a table for the whole day and expect to only buy one coffee? I'm not sure where this "whole day" come from. I never sit anywhere whole day, not in library, not in coffee shops. At most 2-3 hours at a coffee shop. Plus, I never said they need to provide me this kind of service. I have no demands. I clearly said, this kind of environment is not for me. I am not the target customer of those coffee shops, and I simply don't prefer them. I am listing the reasons why coffee shops does not work for me. Again, I am not telling I have those rights. I am exactly telling that not having the correct environment droves me away from coffee shops for work. > Yes, that is exactly you are supposed to do. If you are working remotely and can´t afford a co-working space you are probably underpaid. Your salary should either include that expense or your employer should cover that for you. Well, no? That's not what I am supposed to do. I am paid to work from home, not work from a co-working space. Spending my working hours outside of the home is my personal preference, not something that I need to get paid.

josefritzishere 1y ago

I'm a fan.