Tweet
When I was sixteen I lived in the library. I hated school for the most part. Yeah, I picked up a little information from time to time. But,when school was out I went to the library. I read everything I could get my hands on. I have visited my local library a few times in the last twenty years, but I succumb to the issue of most visitors of my age: I sit in the soft chair with a good book...and fall asleep. Maybe with the advances in tech it's time the retire the library. I know a bunch of people will protest that, but I won't. I had my good time.
-
If I should die before I wake...great,a little more sleep. -
Grew up in a rural area. School (1962) was brand new, brick. No library. No playground equip. We played on the stumps pushed up in a pile and ran around, played chase, etc. There was a truck that came by on Fridays ... Bookmobile. We could check out one book. First book I ever got from the library was "Go Dog Go." I had never seen such books. Later we moved to a larger city where the school had a wonderful library, a place where the city/county had libraries throughout the community. We could check out up to 12 books at a time. I routinely had about that many checked out. Throughout my experience in HS, college and post-graduate years ... positively loved the library. Truth is, still do. Guess I am a bibliophile of sorts. Cool. Sincerely. bruce." Unlike most conservatives, libs have no problem exploiting dead children and dancing on their graves." -
What library? Every one around here has been closed for over 2 months as yet another way to keep the Chiflu hysteria at full boil. If & when they re-open, I'm sure the mask idiocy will be demanded, to which I'll NEVER submit. I have one book out that I never intend to return without a court order.
The un-incorporated village where I grew up had one small municipal bldg., the other functions of which I don't recall, but in one room of it there was the town library run by an "old lady" probably not as old as I am now. That was where I checked out what I think was the first book I ever read not written for juveniles: Audie Murphy's "To Hell & Back." Don't know why I picked it out, except for the title, but I distinctly remember the "old lady" expressed grave reservations about my taking it, saying something like, "your mother may not like you reading this." That was because, as I soon discovered, it was laced with mild profanity, like "God damn," the first time I'd seen such words in print. Of course my school had its own library where I read every "war book" it had (the "Landmark" series of history books, which included "30 Seconds Over Tokyo"), but there was nothing like "To Hell & Back." Murphy was a REAL hero, not a phony like McCain.Comment
-
I still have an expired library card. I used to go all the time. In the military, every evening after chow. Many years ago, after retirement, I quit going because the computer said a book was "in" and it wasn't. Place a request that never got filled, because the book never came back. Books were stolen. A local community college had a copy of Sharp's Complete Guide to Handloading" I checked it out once, for the 14 day limit, tried again later but it never came back. I was president of a Friends of The Library Group that sold withdrawn, seldom checked out, or worn books. We returned the money to the library thru children's reading programs, special events, etc. Then thru internal politics, the friends program was disbanded, and now the library sells books directly thru the I'net.
Last time I was in a library, children were allowed to ru6n rampent. People talked in normal tones, more like a resturant. Library ettiquite as I learned it doesn't xist. Do I miss libraries? Yes, but I will not go back.Last edited by PWC; 05-24-2020, 05:55.Comment
-
True of "city" libraries, & that's not the worst: many have been "colonized" by homeless people, which a public library can't legally exclude.
Most small town libraries, however, like my local one & others in the area (seems there's no hamlet too small to have one, most established in the 1870's or '80s), conditions are still what you remember.Comment
-
I'm a lover of history. I spent a lot of time lost in the racks of West Virginia Universities Library. Read an original book written by Major Robert Rogers and a lot of others.To Error Is Human To Forgive Is Not SAC PolicyComment
-
Went to the Boston City Library in January. Was suprised to see everyone there reading on laptops. Not one person had a book.Comment
-
I remember the Carnegie Libraries -- there was one in Lake Charles, LA, where I lived as a boy, It's closed now and houses the Genealogical Society. The Carnegie Library in Guthrie, OK, where my dad went, is now a museum. Our local public library in Mountain View, Arkansas, is thriving, however.Comment
-
our Carnegie Library (1902) closed when the county opened its library system (incorporating the other local small town libraries) and became the local museum. since the town has several other historical sites, its knows as the Port Huron Museum Carnegie Center...
the county library certain looks like the 1968 designed building that it is. i spent lots and lots of time there in high school; it was cheaper than driving around town all night and we were still able to talk quietly. when i got out of the Air Force i went discovered the internet...Comment
-
Our county library has wi-fi, free. During the warm months, you can drive by the library at night and see kids sitting on benches outside, taking advantage of the wi-fi.Comment
-
Carnegie libraries
Mine was in Kent, Ohio. They added a large modern structure to the original small stone structure. The Mantua library was a two story frame house that was somewhat like an eccentric's used book shop. I refer to the 1950 era
Some of the robber barons did a bit of philanthropy. Some good and bad actors today do the same. Wonder what it really costs them. Money may go really far with taxes and non-profit. The Clinton's dtr. is involved with their foundation-nice salary.
My impression is that Bill Gates/Microsoft has always overcharged.Now he and his wife are doing good deeds. Interestingly, some of the super wealthy do not give their children vast fortunes .Comment
-
Clearly, she wears the pants in that family (Gates FIRST girlfriend, I'll bet), so it's mainly her doing; but they can sure as hell afford it without crimping their life-style in the least.
Microsoft IS the Evil Empire, that ought to be prosecuted like any other criminal cartel! The constant stupid changes in their systems that always make things harder for anyone who's not a programmer are put there to cripple your old system, like my Windows 7, & coerce you into buying something new.Comment
Comment