Ode to libraries (the book ones)
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Ode to libraries (the book ones)
1–10 of 65 posts
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#2Libraries 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.
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#3Libraries 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…
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.
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#4I'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.
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#5This 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!
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#6Libraries 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.
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#7I'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…
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.
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#8Great 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.
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#9Libraries 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.
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/
Re: Ode to libraries (the book ones)
#10> 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.