The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsDon't you just love public libraries. Spokane Public Library is just the best.....
.....even their library cards are great.
Aristus
(68,522 posts)It is only because of lending libraries that I know at least some human beings are good and decent people.
fierywoman
(8,125 posts)The best.
LogDog75
(135 posts)I jokingly tell people people the most used card in my wallet is my library card. I usually checkout one book a week in addition to reading in-state newspapers. I can login to the library and read the local daily paper online or I can read it in the library. My local Democratic Club pays the for the Los Angles Times to be carried in the library.
In addition to books, I've checked out videos and music CDs. All of this for free.
Marcuse
(8,041 posts)mnhtnbb
(32,101 posts)I have loved public libraries since I was old enough to read. When I was a kid, growing up in NJ, in the winter after ballet class, I would walk to the library and wait for my dad to pick me up on his way home from work. Up and down the rows of books I would go, pulling random books off the shelves, reading a few pages, to find a book to check out.
I have had a library card for each county where I've lived in North Carolina since we moved here in 2000. Durham County, where I've lived since 2021, has an incredible multi story main downtown library, which was renovated several years ago. And it has so much more than just books and videos: computers, quiet work booths where two people can meet to work on a project, a calming room, a performance space, outdoor space, meeting rooms, comfortable chairs and couches everywhere to sit and read, all in natural light filled space from floor to ceiling windows. There are also six branch libraries spread around the county and the library will pull books from any branch and transport them to the branch of your choice. Of course, everything can be done on-line, from searching the catalog to placing holds and requesting delivery of the holds to the branch of your choice. In the almost four years I've had a Durham County Library card, I've checked out 164 books, which would have cost several thousand dollars to buy: all for free by showing something to identify I live in the county.
Stacks at Main Library, downtown Durham, NC.
electric_blue68
(18,445 posts)Last edited Mon Dec 9, 2024, 05:31 AM - Edit history (1)
to go! They supposed to renovate the 4th floor balcony which i was only out there once. The nicest part is the 4th floor with two story windows and a part inner balcony for floor 5 with a room or two. Lots of light!
I'd been taking out e-books since 2020. But lost my card in a move. Have to go to my local one, and get a new card.
Living in Brooklyn I was about 8 blocks from their Central Library! Big, with fabulous, fancy doors. Renovated front steps, and plaza with these sweet little low skinny fountains flanking the center stairs. Soooo pretty! Little planters. Chairs, and umbrellared tables on the plaza.
You walk into a big pre-lobby then inside to the main, really big ?3 story high lobby. A cafe in one corner, in the center are exhibition panels featuring either illustrations from books, or local artists works. Wonderful.
Elevators to other floors, except for the 2nd floor balcony, and inner rooms you go up, and down to by escalators. Up by the left wall, down by the right wall. They had displays up there for books, and art as well.
I haven't been there in about 14 yrs. I should pay a visit in Late April, early May! A very pretty tome to visit.