I love my local library. We have an interlibrary loan that means I can pretty much find any book, and they have great programs and classes for both kids and adults. They also have many online resources. Since it's a public library, it's free.

I've been toying with joining the Boston Atheneum, but it is expensive and I doubt that I would use it much sine I would have to either drive or take the train into Boston, which I don't do that often. But, it is a beautiful library and a Boston institution that I would love to support.

With the exception of some dubious architectural decisions that still rankle with me after a decade, yes. (I should learn to let go. Hmmm. Probably not going to happen.)

Our county library system is excellent, and so are the several independent libraries to which I have access. In fact the library in my own town has the highest circulation per capita in the state. Silicon Valley is an area with an almost obsessive emphasis on education. A large population of highly educated immigrant professionals helps intensify this focus. Think of the Tiger Mom book that was in the media a year or two ago and you will have a picture of local forces.

Rosefolly

Yes, especially since I am able to make requests from home via computer and then just go pick up my selections. We have quite a few branches scattered throughout the city, and my requests seem to come in from all over, so it's no wonder I used to have a hard time finding the next in a series, etc.

I didn't know about inter-library loan until you all started talking about it and have used it a few times. Twice I have received an email saying they couldn't find a request for me, the most recent the second in the Toby Neal series that Frieda recommended for Hawaii settings. The other was a Giles Blunt book. I don't know why my library quit buying his books, but evidently others did, too.

Our city library system gets an A+ from me. I love it. There are 27 branches, spread all over the city, and the mobile library services. The Central library is a world in itself, where a bibliophile could go down the rabbit hole (or up, since it is a 9-story building) and resurface a couple of years later. That is the feeling I get every time I go. Besides books, movies, music, etc, they have an engaging program of lectures with local and national authors. My only complaint is that books disappear from the system at a rather fast pace, I suppose to make room for new ones. The ILL are not free, they are $5 each. The library use is very high. When you guys discussed A Tale for the Time Being, I was surprised how many of you were able to get it from your libraries. I checked then and our library had 214 holds on 41 copies. I remember because I could hardly believe it.

My State of Western Australia has a good system with separate Local Councils having their own branches. The books mainly are bought and distributed by the State Library Board but Councils have budgets too. This caters for local interests.
I get most of the books I need but one gripe I have is that the murder mystery series that I read aren't always available as a whole series anywhere. I sometimes have to buy some to fill the gaps. I would donate them after reading but they aren't necessarily added to the stock. They could just go into the Book Sales.
Plenty of special interests are catered for in the various buildings and there is a van with a service for house-bound readers.

Interesting. I would also like to hear from our friends in Canada, the UK, and Iceland.

Yes, I would too. As for the UK, I think Vee mentioned a while back that budgets had been cut to her local library during the Great Recession. I wonder if those budgets and the services they support had been restored.

And I know nothing about libraries in Canada or Iceland, so that would be interesting to hear.

Folly

From your friend in England, where the situation regarding libraries is not very good. I know we live in something of a rural backwater and our county (Gloucestershire) probably doesn't have the money available that large cities/municipalities seem to have, but I rarely visit our local town library.
Everything is now 'on-line' so I use that system to order books. When the book is 'in' an email arrives and I go and pick it up. Sometimes I have to wait for several months before the title turns up . . . I imagine lack of funds prevents more than a couple of copies being bought. Quite often I do receive a beautiful new copy; well worth the wait.
I have found if I order an older book, which is gathering dust in the 'stores' it arrives quite promptly and is often covered in that strange dull-coloured cardboard only found in libraries.
Once or twice I have searched for a book and found that is only available at Gloucester Prison. I usually draw the line at that. It might be 'un-Christian' of me but they are often very grubby. ;-(
We do have inter-library loans within each county, but if the book has to be borrowed from outside the area a hefty charge is made (to cover postage); I then don't bother.
Re the mobile library service. The County tried to do away with it, but apparently were told they must keep something going. I received a letter telling me the nearest stop would now be several miles further than the 'real' library, and would only be every other month!
Ann, we have been told NOT to donate books to the library. Usually there are a few tatty copies of their own books 'For Sale' inside the entrance to the building.

Vee...Our libraries are happy to receive clean books and they are sold at certain times. Not that cheaply either! I protested to my friend, who is a Head Librarian, that I can get children's books at charity shops for $A 0.50c as opposed to the $A 2.00 being charged but she said they are in very good condition.
She has a point as I have to check the charity shop books for scribbles and teethmarks!

I live in the capital of Iceland and can't complain, having access to municipal libraries in Reykjavik and two neighbouring towns through my library card. The bookmobile stops just up the street where I live.

All the libraries are friendly places and you can find just about any book, magazine and newspaper published in Icelandic in them, plus an array of books, magazines and movies in many other languages. You can even rent art for your walls from the Artotek housed within the main branch.

While I do miss the ambience of the old city centre branch of the municipal library, with its creaky, uneven floors and old-house smells and sounds, I find the browsing much better in the new building, which also houses the Reykjavik Museum of Photography.

Another branch is situated in the city's biggest shopping mall and I find it a nice haven to take a break from shopping.

Then there's the National and University Library, which houses a huge array of books and where I can get lost browsing for hours.

I still miss the small but well-stocked municipal library in Akureyri, where I went to secondary school for four years. I loved it so much that I wanted to live there and almost decided to study library science at university rather than English.

I live in Canada. I love our libraries in my city. We have many nice ones with so many books and different programs. We have one library with a fireplace and many windows. However, our main library is not very nice. It is old and not many windows. We are suppose to get a new one, but by the time politicians decide anything, it could take a very long time.

I live in a country town east coast N.S.W. Australia, and love my library. The staff are so helpful if called upon, and there are always books for sale at very reasonable prices.

It is part of a municipal chain of five coastal libraries, if they do not have the book that I am seeking, from home I open the website and order from another, when sent to my branch they email me, there is $1 cost for this service as transport is involved etc, no complaints from me..

BTW I still trawl the op shops!!

I love my library and the ILL is great.
For the past 5-6 years during National Library Week I have been bringing gifts of candy, nice candy, and teas in a basket to the library staff. The first year they were amazed because no one had ever done such a thing, but they work hard and keep everything going smoothly and are so helpful, and the library is so clean and bright that I felt they deserved at least that.
Twice over these years I have also written a letter to the editor of our local newpaper extolling my gratitude for the library and its great staff and encouraging others to honor them too.....where else can you take something on the honor system, bring it back and get more? For free!
So I would encourage all of you, great readers that we are, to honor our libraries in some way this National Library Week which I believe starts this Monday 4-13-14.

Cindy

I love my libraries here in the upper Midwest. We have some beautiful old Carnegie libraries and a great system of branches. We also now have the little free libraries--those cute boxes with books are on many streets throughout my town.

I think it was only last year that I began to check out e-books with a couple clicks on my computer. I still fee like I did as a child when I checked out a stack of books--like this is too good to be true! I probably check out 4-5 e-books per week.

Gooseberrygirl - what a thoughtful gesture for you to give your local librarians. Mine are really sweet too...

And Marita - I have just come across my first "Little Free Library" box in our town - except it was empty. :-( I'll have to fill it up sometime.

Does anyone know if the "Little Free Library" name is linked with the free libraries that were built during slavery (and by slaves)? Is the project reflecting that? ...

Guess I'll look it up...

UPDATE: I checked the website and the two things don't seem to be related directly (apart from the literary connection)...

Here is a link that might be useful: Little Free Library website

I just returned from Philadelphia where regular libraries are called "Free Libraries." So I think it is more an early American (ie. Ben Franklin) thing that persists on the east coast.

Our library's full name is The Louisville Free Public Library. It officially opened in 1908.

Just a few blocks from where I live we have a charming "Little Free Library." I love the idea!

Having read about the Little Free Library project, I was all excited to spot one downtown the other day. AND it looked empty and primed for donationsâ¦

So I collected a varied selection of titles of books from my shelves, put them in a bag in the back of my car for next time I was that way, and looked forward to that moment of contributing to this great community-focused project.

And then I happened to drive by it on Sunday, and found that it wasnâÂÂt actually a Little Free Library.

(I had understood LFLs to be community-driven, a place where you pick up and donate varied titles for others to enjoy.) It was not to beâ¦

As I walked up to it, I saw that the little box was actually shaped like a church with a spire etc. That didnâÂÂt bode well, but I investigated further. On the little window was a sign that read: âÂÂPlease feel free to take on. Please - no donations accepted.âÂÂ

Hmm.

And then I looked more closely at the surroundings and finally saw that there was a religious mission type organization there just a few doors up. Darn it. It was just a method of passing their message, it seems, although they had a sign that said âÂÂLittle Free Libraryâ which is false advertising to me in some ways as it wasn't really a LFL in the end. (At least not in the typical definition.)

I was sooo disappointed. I ended up taking my books to the FoL book site after that, but it was with a heavy heart as I had been thrilled that our town was taking part in this. It was, but not in the usual way.
ïÂÂ
:-(

Here is a link that might be useful: Little Free Library website

Thought I had posted to this thread, apparently not! One reason why I am able to live happily in a very small town in Maine is that we have terrific resources here, one of which is a well stocked, well run library. We got a new library director a couple of years ago; he promptly landed us a grant to greatly expand and improve our beautiful but old and tatty building, which was once a handsome Greek revival home. The renovations are almost complete, and they are spectacular. Wonderful as that is, the best thing about the library is the expansive free interlibrary loan system. Run almost entirely by volunteers, I think it is possibly the best use of computers so far! And the librarians, who are helpful, friendly, personable, caring, know everyone's name, and work quite hard for very little money. Yes, I am pleased with my local library!

Everyone has been so positive that I guess, well, I guess it is my turn. My town has about 20,000 residents. Our library looks huge. The center section is two and a half stories tall with huge long wings on either side of the building. It is solid brick, about 15 years old. It sits upon a gentle rise on several acres of land with a lazy stream meandering out front. It is connected, via bike/walking path to the community recreation center and to the town's sports fields and to all of the schools, K-12. Once you get inside, however, you will see great vaulted ceilings which, to many, signify wasted space, and which make every whisper an echoing shout. The children's department is located on one end of the building with no sort of divider which means kids and their mothers are squealing and yelling. Before you think me rude, I love that the kids come to the library. But I also think that both kids AND parents need to abide by the rules of the library.

Many of the librarians are sweet and kind and read constantly. The lady in charge, however, is the black cloud over the whole thing. She would rather be an actress. And instead of putting her energy into the library, she allows it to coast along while putting all of her time and energy and creativity into finding little acting gigs in the area. She listens to no one, and thinks she knows more than everyone. The whole town wishes to fire her, as do all of the librarians. But so far, no success.

As far as selection goes, non-fiction is okay... in need of updating. Fiction is very well represented as are videos, CD, DVD's and audio books. We have great ILL service as well as a huge selection of e-book titles.

So, good and bad, but I am still grateful to have it. It is very close to my house and we often bike or walk over.

PAM