Who here uses their local library?

phasers · 14-04-2010 05:10PM

Ok now I'm being serious, your libraries charge you guys? I've never been charged membership...

Travel is good · 14-04-2010 05:27PM

Is this a new thing, being charged membership? Are they council libraries or college/other libraries who charge?

As regards the other posters saying there is a narrow range of books, I've always found it fairly easy to order books that have just hit the shops. If a book is going to be popular, the library will order it for you.

For example, see the book catalogue for Dublin City Council's libraries:

http://www.dublincity.ie/RECREATIONANDCULTURE/LIBRARIES

It's easy!

Jammyc · 14-04-2010 05:30PM

phasers wrote: »

Ok now I'm being serious, your libraries charge you guys? I've never been charged membership...

Never been charged either. Lost my card twice and never had to pay for another, nor for membership.

Sarn · 14-04-2010 05:32PM

No charge at my library either and it has a great selection. There is a charge of 50 c if you order a book from another library, which you can do from the comfort of your own home. They just got in a load of new releases as well.

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 14-04-2010 05:39PM

SugarHigh wrote: »

Your local library has access to every book in every public library in the country, you just have to ask for a book and they will get it for you.

Well I wouldn't want to be a bother to anyone.
*wrings cap*

Windows 95 for dummies will be fine.

monkeypants · 14-04-2010 05:48PM

I love my local library and I always have a couple of books, CDs or DVDs out.

flahavaj · 14-04-2010 06:00PM

I must join my local library.

I always found it strange how the books smelt all funny when I was a child though.

Travel is good · 14-04-2010 06:07PM

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »

Well I wouldn't want to be a bother to anyone.
*wrings cap*
Windows 95 for dummies will be fine.

Oh dear! I do feel sorry for you now! They might even order Windows 97 for you if you ask them nicely. Seriously, if your local library doesn't have the book, they will order it for you.

I do hope you manage to upgrade your Windows knowlege!

vicecreamsundae · 14-04-2010 06:45PM

use my local library a good bit. it's 5euro a year. i never buy books, unless they are second hand/a real find.

my library has cds and dvds now too BUT i got a couple dvds, and they all had this magnetic strip sellotaped to the disc to stop them being stolen, but it throws the disc off balance so it wont play. completely useless! i was in a rush returning them so didn't bring them up but must ask them about it.

going to be getting work experience in some libraries this summer, so we'll see how i feel about them after that.

jumpguy · 14-04-2010 06:52PM

Use my library every now and then. I must start using it for foreign languages and Irish resources though, would be good for school. My local one isn't massive so any book that wouldn't be exactly mainstream usually has to be ordered in, so it's "browsing" potential is rather limited.

Novella · 14-04-2010 06:59PM

I love the library. I always have a huge pile of books beside my bed. I start reading a book and then I see another book I want and it goes in the pile and this goes on and on and on.

Ammonite · 14-04-2010 08:35PM

I am living in Dublin and would like to join a library. Unfortunately I have no proof of address as all the bills etc are in my housemate's name. Is there any way of getting around this? I wondered about getting her to sign the back of one of them, not sure if the library people would accept that.

stovelid · 14-04-2010 08:38PM

Don Keypunch wrote: »

OMG I have just realised how much of a resource my local library is, I mean you can read book after book for an entire year for only €2, I have never got so much entertainment for so little money, who here regularly uses their local library and realises how much of a resource it is?

Wait until you discover file-sharing....

Tail Wagger · 14-04-2010 08:45PM

Don Keypunch wrote: »

OMG I have just realised how much of a resource my local library is, I mean you can read book after book for an entire year for only €2, I have never got so much entertainment for so little money, who here regularly uses their local library and realises how much of a resource it is?

I was doing a job in the newly refurbished Greystones Library about two weeks ago, I couldn't believe the amount of people who use the facilities.

At one stage I counted about 35 people in the place, the place was buzzing from 10am until I left it at about 4pm.

Great service and a good facility for everyone, congratulations to Wicklow County Libraries and give credit where it's due...

Mike 1972 · 14-04-2010 08:47PM

In the Republic the quality of the library service (and the costs) vary incredibly depending on which county/local authority area one happens to be in.

Ammonite wrote: »

I am living in Dublin and would like to join a library. Unfortunately I have no proof of address as all the bills etc are in my housemate's name. Is there any way of getting around this? I wondered about getting her to sign the back of one of them, not sure if the library people would accept that.

I had similar problems when I was in Dublin. Eventually I found someone resident in Co. Dublin (Why resident in Co. Dublin FFS -Its not as if the rest of the country is a seperatist non-EU state) willing to sign as garantor but finding such a person was easier said than done.

parker kent · 14-04-2010 08:48PM

Ammonite wrote: »

I am living in Dublin and would like to join a library. Unfortunately I have no proof of address as all the bills etc are in my housemate's name. Is there any way of getting around this? I wondered about getting her to sign the back of one of them, not sure if the library people would accept that.

Do you have any letters from college or work etc? Or any letter from an official source? Even proof of where you are working will be enough, you just have to live or work in the area to join. If not, you can get your housemate as a guarantor. You just join using a different form when you go to the library, best to bring her with you when you join and have her bring the proof of address.

As for paying to join a library....where have you guys had to do that? I'm a librarian and have not heard of any public libraries doing that in Ireland. Would be interested to find out.

Libraries are awesome

barakus · 14-04-2010 08:54PM

Don Keypunch wrote: »

OMG I have just realised how much of a resource my local library is, I mean you can read book after book for an entire year for only €2 QUOTE]

I read this in the voice of Jedward for some reason:p

Chuchoter · 14-04-2010 08:54PM

I would use my library a lot more if it wasn't entirely made up of whodunnits, dvds and mills and boon where the feminist books should be :S

sellerbarry · 14-04-2010 09:01PM

ballygowan wrote: »

Does anybody know if its free to join the local library of you're on the dole?

Where did the 2 euro thing come about anyway. I'm a member of a couple of libraries and they didn't charge a cent? Deansgrange library is the best imo. dvds/xbox games/ps3 games/ 12 pcs/ books/mags/papers/ereaders etc. What more do you want for nothing?

Dunjohn · 14-04-2010 09:56PM

Two euro? Bargain. Galway's a fiver.

Didn't check if it was for a year or for life. The card's laminated, so that's a good sign.

I only use it for studying anyway, I've a big load of books at home that need reading. I could have used it for studying without joining up but I felt guilty.

corkcomp · 14-04-2010 10:02PM

I honestly dont know where my local library is, or if one even exists .. my only library membership is a graduate membership in college library but never bother

davearthurs · 14-04-2010 10:15PM

I dunno, most Dublin libraries I've been in are pretty poor, especially for any recent books. The ILAC library is particularly horrible IMO. Full of old books and old weirdos. I get the impression Dublin Council has zero funds for looking after libraries, like with the swimming pools etc., It's high time Dublin had a large decent central public library. In fact it's kinda criminal it hasn't - literary city and all that.

I find I have to scour borrowbooks.ie most times now as so few good books are in the local libraries. They don't seem to watch out for their own catalogue - for example many "classics" aren't even in the libraries or when you go to find them are lost and not replaced. Same goes for any recent popular reads.

Travel is good · 14-04-2010 10:16PM

crayolastereo wrote: »

I would use my library a lot more if it wasn't entirely made up of whodunnits, dvds and mills and boon where the feminist books should be :S

Oh OK then, it doesn't have books for everyone. Is there a feminist section in any of the Dublin libraries? Have you asked them?

Mike 1972 · 14-04-2010 10:19PM

davearthurs wrote: »

The ILAC library is particularly horrible.

IIRC The ILAC centre in general is pretty horrible..........

Whoever is in charge of ordering/stocking for the music library there seems to be have an obsession with film soundtracks.

Dunjohn wrote: »

Galway's a fiver.

Was in the place once. Thought it was shockingly bad given the size of the city it served. The one in Tuam is actually better.

Jammyc · 14-04-2010 10:25PM

Tail Wagger wrote: »

I was doing a job in the newly refurbished Greystones Library about two weeks ago, I couldn't believe the amount of people who use the facilities.

At one stage I counted about 35 people in the place, the place was buzzing from 10am until I left it at about 4pm.

Great service and a good facility for everyone, congratulations to Wicklow County Libraries and give credit where it's due...

Waaay! Greystones library!!:D

Travel is good · 14-04-2010 10:26PM

davearthurs wrote: »

I dunno, most Dublin libraries I've been in are pretty poor, especially for any recent books. The ILAC library is particularly horrible IMO. Full of old books and old weirdos. I get the impression Dublin Council has zero funds for looking after libraries, like with the swimming pools etc., It's high time Dublin had a large decent central public library. In fact it's kinda criminal it hasn't - literary city and all that.

I find I have to scour borrowbooks.ie most times now as so few good books are in the local libraries. They don't seem to watch out for their own catalogue - for example many "classics" aren't even in the libraries or when you go to find them are lost and not replaced. Same goes for any recent popular reads.

I agree with you on the location of the Central Public Library. Look at how much of a tourist attraction it is in New York, Bryant Library?

I had hoped that we would get a more suitable site, say the Ambassador, or somewhere around the Carlton redevelopment. I suppose that's out of the question now, with reduced funding. It's a shame. I heard a couple of weeks ago that the library in Sallynoggin was going to close, because of reduced staff.

I know the ILAC is looking a bit poor. Maybe we all need to remind our councillors that money should be prioritised for libraries. Then you would get up to date books & building refurbishments.

To be fair, under the circumstances, I think libraries & librarians do a great job. And no, I don't work in a library, I just have always loved them, from childhood.

phasers · 14-04-2010 11:15PM

Is the Ambassador not becoming a library? I heard that it was a while ago, I remember because I was sad to see it go as a venue for gigs

SugarHigh · 14-04-2010 11:23PM

davearthurs wrote: »

I dunno, most Dublin libraries I've been in are pretty poor, especially for any recent books. The ILAC library is particularly horrible IMO. Full of old books and old weirdos. I get the impression Dublin Council has zero funds for looking after libraries, like with the swimming pools etc., It's high time Dublin had a large decent central public library. In fact it's kinda criminal it hasn't - literary city and all that.

How could being full of old books be a bad thing?

Humans have been writing books for 4000 years so I wouldn't look down on a library for not having the latest book because it's not like you've read all the others.:D

vicecreamsundae · 15-04-2010 12:08AM

Travel is good wrote: »

Oh OK then, it doesn't have books for everyone. Is there a feminist section in any of the Dublin libraries? Have you asked them?

they'll have a section [often in sociology] but in my experience they'll usually have one or two decent texts and then all sorts of other crap like Men are from Mars etc shoved on the same shelf.

segaBOY · 15-04-2010 09:39AM

Would use it if their opening times were more flexible

Who here uses their local library?

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