aka: My Friend Discovers the Library
Two of my friends have discovered their public libraries recently and one of them told me about it via gChat the other day. Like my post about someone I know discovering reference service, this is clearly anecdotal but still interesting.
It takes a second to scroll through this transcript but it is fast to read. [emphasis mine]
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steve: i got a library card today
and checked out books
me: what inspired you???
(your library has a flickr account, you know)
steve: improving my coaching
me: you should start placing hold on DVDs online
steve: and i discovered a wonderworld of woodworking books
me: oh yes! nice
steve: some which i have wanted to buy but no need now
me: PERFECT
steve: tons of dvd’s
amazing
me: libraries suck at marketing.
you never knew it existed, right?
steve: so strange that i/people haven’t taken advantage of what is free at the library
i totally didn’t know
so bizarre
it really is a wonderworld now, and not the ancient old books only place
it is sad
you have a tough job
getting the word out
yet it is such an easy sell, if only people knew
me: haha, i know! if only everyone in a community was forced to walk into the library just once!
steve: that is all it would take
LOL
dvd rentals are free now for 7 days
so crazy
reserving online
so much easier than going to a video store even
and FREE
me: practically like netflix, except you need to ride your bike to get the DVDs
steve: yeah
i feel like i just discovered the greatest place in the world to satisfy my interests and it has been there all along
AND I know you which should have motivated me more to get in there
me: so is there hope for everyone else??
steve: Yes, but like you said, libraries suck at marketing
everyone remembers the card catalog world
tough question how to get people in
yet so STUPID not to take advantage!
i love the library
:)
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Nice work Westmont Public Library for giving my friend a good experience and creating a passionate user! My other friend says of the librarians he’s encountered, “Some of the women are really nice, and some of them are crabby.” Sounds about right?
I still can’t get over what Steve said about a public library. Not the interwebs, not amazon.com, not school, not a club. The public library.
i feel like i just discovered the greatest place in the world to satisfy my interests and it has been there all along
