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Save Our Libraries!

Urban Shocker said:
I've got one! Since retiring, last fall, I'm living delightfully "off the grid" ... with no cell phone, or computer at home ... and only go online at a library. At the moment I'm in the one at Gerrard and Broadview, and the other 12 terminals are all taken up - mostly with adults.
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7285 posts with no computer at home? I'm impressed.
 
fiendishlibrarian said:
"New York City public libraries lent out 24 million volumes in 2010; Toronto’s lent out over 32 million."

Not to take anything away from TPL, but be careful when looking at those NYC numbers. NYC's public library system never amalgamated like ours did. There is the NYC Public Library (Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx), the Queen's Borough Library, and the Brooklyn Public Library. That 24 million figure is, I believe, only for NYC. Brooklyn's circulation numbers are around 17 million (2008) for a borough roughly the size of Toronto: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/pdf/about/generalfact.pdf

Just saying.
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That's an important qualification, but Manhattan, The Bronx, and Staten Island combined have more people than Toronto, so it's not like the TPL's claim to be the busiest system in North America is unfair.
 
Was anyone able to make it to the big meet at city hall today? I reckon it'll be on the news, shortly.

Btw, just to add to the chorus, I too have a library card and borrow books frequently. There are some titles that I simply cannot find in bookstores, or they're too damn expensive, so I order them at the library. Without fail the title will eventually (sometimes immediately) be delivered and put on hold at my local branch. I think public libraries are one of the greatest inventions in history, and they remain utterly relevant and essential. We would be much, much poorer without them. Which is why we should get rid of them, and focus instead on landing an NFL team.
 
Irishmonk said:
Was anyone able to make it to the big meet at city hall today? I reckon it'll be on the news, shortly.

Btw, just to add to the chorus, I too have a library card and borrow books frequently. There are some titles that I simply cannot find in bookstores, or they're too damn expensive, so I order them at the library. Without fail the title will eventually (sometimes immediately) be delivered and put on hold at my local branch. I think public libraries are one of the greatest inventions in history, and they remain utterly relevant and essential. We would be much, much poorer without them. Which is why we should get rid of them, and focus instead on landing an NFL team.
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It's still going. They're only 10% of the way through the deputations. In fact, there's a slumber party being held at City Hall tonight.
 
That's amazing. Not that Ford will listen to a minute of any of this but it's a powerful response that his pathetic enablers on council won't be able to ignore.
 
the library representitive is on right now... she got a standing ovation... and then some dumb counciller made a motion to end the meeting because the ppl were outa hand.... im waiting for a rob ford blow up.........
 
This deputation exemplifies why we need libraries and the essential service they provide to the community: [video]http://www.thestar.com/videozone/1032535--student-annika-tabovaradan-makes-tearful-plea[/video]
 
Cut the libraries. Other than York U's Scott Library, I haven't been in a government library for over a decade.

Since they are used for events and such, abolish property taxes for community owned and operated centres/facilities/banquet halls/library/whatever so that people living in the community can voluntarily invest and fully operate it themselves. This would develop a more tight knit community, me thinks.
 
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...And I've never taken a course at York University. Cut all government subsidies to York University so that people USING York can voluntarily pay ALL costs and operate the university themselves.
 
GrandSlam said:
...And I've never taken a course at York University. Cut all government subsidies to York University so that people USING York can voluntarily pay ALL costs and operate the university themselves.
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While I agree with with your sarcastic reply (and side stepping the cause of tuition increases), my first sentence in the previous post was a personal account.

My argument is that…

Libraries can work for people who want them and not at the expense of others who do not want them. It's a win win situation that can meet everyone's needs.
 
Libraries can work for people who want them and not at the expense of others who do not want them.
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We can see how well this attitude works in the states with their healthcare system.
 
And my argument is that benefit is not exclusively linked to usage. You may not use the library system, but trust me, you as a member of this society most definitely benefit. I'm so tired of this Tea-Party style "I am an island" bullshit.
 
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