#PUBLIC LIBRARIES

[gingerylangylang1979]

As a public librarian, you’re welcome!

I love you PBS I love you NPR I love you public libraries I love you wikipedia I love you project gutenberg I love you librivox I love you libby I love you hoopla I love you openlibrary I love you internet archive I love you resources that make information free and accessible to the public

[unbfacts]

Andrew Carnegie, a self-made steel magnate, gave away nearly 90% of his fortune—about $350 million—supporting various philanthropic causes, including funding over 2,500 libraries worldwide. His passion for libraries came from his own experience of self-education through a free library, which he credited as a key factor in his rise from poverty to success.

[booksinmythorax]

Hey, guy who was really mad we wouldn't let you pay your wife's library fines without her card. I know you're feeling some big stuff right now and you evened out a lot by the end after you called her and she confirmed her card number to us, but the thing I wasn't going to start a fight with you about in the moment was:

Your wife is a separate person from you, and we don't know if you're an abusive husband.

We don't know if you're trying to find out if she's checking out books about divorce. We don't know if you're trying to find out if she's checking out books about infidelity or alimony or raising your kids differently than you'd prefer. We don't even know if you're actually married. We don't know you're not an ex who's trying to get information about someone you're stalking. And on and on and on.

Ultimately, your wife has a right to privacy just like everyone else. Privacy even from you. She can choose to share whatever she wants with you, but we need confirmation of that. Thanks for understanding.

[aquariusrules1]

People who are doing this, make a new account just for the purpose but make a google docs or put up a website and copy paste all the info on it so it's available to anyone!

i have a folder in my computer called "just in case" where i have important documents saved, like the constitution (since trump REMOVED IT from whitehouse.gov) and books that might get banned

im obviously going to add more, if anyone has any reccomendations please let me know. just wanted to share because i think its a good idea going into these next 4+ years.

EDIT i've also added a clip of elon doing the nazi salute because its taken down a lot of places and likely will be removed everywhere. as well as screenshots of what happened when you searched "presidents in order" (it did not show biden) and "president from 2020-2024" (it showed trump) but have since been fixed

[lakecountylibrary]

LIBRARY WRAPPED

You checked out... probably some stuff? Thanks for doing that :)

Used our wifi maybe? For something?

Look we actually don't know what genres you read or how many times you renewed Gender Queer.

We don't want to know.

Our gift to you is privacy.

Take it.

Be free.

[nando161mando]

oops! it seems i tripped and dropped several million free books, papers, and other resources

https://annas-archive.org

https://sci-hub.se

https://z-lib.is

https://libgen.is

https://libgen.rs

https://www.pdfdrive.com

https://library.memoryoftheworld.org

https://monoskop.org/Monoskop

https://libcom.org

https://libretexts.org

http://classics.mit.edu

https://librivox.org

https://standardebooks.org

https://www.gutenberg.org

https://core.ac.uk

[thebrainofmae]

My last post on this didn’t get a ton of traction so I’m trying again. The latest budget proposal for NYC includes a $58.3 million cut to public libraries.

Previous cuts forced NYC public libraries to close on Sundays, and this further round of cuts would likely force libraries to end weekend service entirely. Additionally, it would mean further cuts to programming and the indefinite delay of reopening libraries that have been closed for renovation, which would leave entire neighborhoods without a library.

There is a preliminary budget hearing on May 21, and until then libraries are asking people to sign a letter here to urge the mayor’s office and city council to reverse the cuts.

I know things are terrible in a lot of ways right now and people probably feel overwhelmed and burnt out, but signing this letter (or reblogging this post) is a small, quick, concrete way to make a difference.

[queenie-in-the-beanie]

Libraries have limited space, so they physically cannot hold books forever. In order to make room for new books, they'll routinely remove outdated, damaged, or books rarely checked out. On the flip side, libraries will look at which books are being regularly checked out when deciding to buy additional copies or purchase similar books. Additionally, when determining the budget of the library to make these purchases, a high traffic of check-outs can help argue for giving the library more money due to its clear value and use to the community.

As books are becoming increasingly banned or challenged, it is so important to support your local public libraries. Show your legislators that books written by or about marginalized communities matter and that the library is an integral part of your neighborhood.

Check out that book about black history, borrow that novel from a queer author, bring home something from a banned book list. Read it, reread it, or simply keep it warm for a bit, but no matter what, visit your library and show it some love. It matters now more than ever.

listen you NEED to borrow that book from the library. i know youve got like 10 other books lined up to be read but you need to go to the library. remind the library that it's loved and cherished

[skatesfullofsunshine]

Putting books on hold at the library has the same thrill of ordering books online, but with the added benefit of not losing any money over titles I might not enjoy.

10/10 would recommend.

[lesbxdyke]

I would like to again big up libraries as safe spaces for people of all types!

I had a psychotic episode in my local library while I was in there working and had convinced myself that I was in a bubble dimension and if I left the library I would die, and that being what had happened to the librarian because I hadn't seen them in an hour (it's a small, local library. You can see the librarians desk from where I sit to work)

Now obviously they weren't dead, they were just in the little office that I couldn't see into.

I'm also lucky enough to be a very self aware psychotic, so I reached out to my support network to make sure I got home safely. But none of them could actually get me OUT of the library and I was still absolutely certain that if I stepped off the carpet and onto the tile, I would die.

So I got up, I made my way to the desk, I found the librarian and I said "I need your help. I'm having a psychotic episode and this is what I currently believe. Could you please come out from behind your desk and stand on the tiles so I can see it won't kill me?"

And they did. They didn't shame me, or laugh, or tell me it wasn't real. They said "Yeah, that must be scary." And thanked me when I admitted I'd thought them dead and been really upset about that because I liked them.

And then stood there on the tile, while I stood on the carpet, for ten minutes while I chatted shit and tried to build up my courage to step on the tile, just in case. Including telling me that if this happened again and I needed to call someone, to disregard the usual 'don't call people in the library' rule and just do so after I promised I was going to be calling my husband the second I was on the tile so he could safely walk me home.

(& so no one worries: my husband got me home safe, and a friend came to check on me a little while later and brought me food and I'm fully Cognizant and out of it now)

I cannot imagine another place where I could approach someone and say that and not get the police or an ambulance called on me. Neither of which I needed or would have been helpful.

I cannot imagine another place where a member of staff would stand somewhere for ten minutes to make sure I felt safe enough leaving.

I cannot imagine another place where I would not only be explicitly welcomed back, but be told "If this happens again here, disregard our normal rules to take care of yourself."

I cannot imagine another place on this earth that I would feel safe enough returning to, 3 days later, after an episode like that.

Libraries are a fucking Godssend and should be protected at all costs!

[splitting-infinities]

Did you know you can check out video games from the library? Did you know that you can check out dvds of shows that were released on streaming? Did you know that if the a library doesn’t have what you ask for, they’ll arrange to have it checked out from another library and brought to you at your library?? Did you know you can get all of this for free???

GET A LIBRARY CARD!!! FEAST ON FREE JOY

[greencreeker]

Seattle Public Library is doing this awesome program called Books Unbanned that allows teens and young adults (ages 13-26) access to their collection of e-books and e-audiobooks from anywhere in the USA. All you need to do is fill out a simple form and you get their Books Unbanned card. Please share this information far and wide. I know they're not the only ones to have done this, but the more the merrier!

[allsortsoffuckedup]

Public library work is crazy because one minute you’ll be helping a child find books on his latest hyperfixation (cattle breeds if you’re wondering) and the next you’ll be arguing with 70-something year old cult member because you won’t let them use your community display space for their recruitment materials (we’re not a cult! It’s spiritual enlightenment! But we call our leader the Master yes) and THEN suddenly you’ll be running a knitting programme where all the old ladies are hitting on the cop you had to call to come deal with the grown ass man who has developed beef with a literal child, is yelling swear words at said child even though you’ve taken the kid into the staff only area for safety, and will not leave the library without being literally arrested

[questionableadvice]

~ Beaver Valley Times, November 1, 1946

[macktherat]

After watching how booktok is making people fall for overconsumerism with book hauls and such, it was nice to go to my local library. They even put how much I'm saving, and I wonder if other libraries do that too! Please let me know!