# Do you use libraries?



## Sid James

This topic came up on the Hovhaness thread, so I thought I'd make a seperate thread.

Do you like to use the library in your local area to maybe access the internet, or borrow some books or cd's? Do you use it as a place to study? What's your local library like?

I do all of the above & I'm pretty satisfied with my local library. It's got free internet/computer access for members, & a good selection of books, cd's and dvd's, etc. It's also situated in a modern building, built 10 years ago. I like to use it for study & recreation.

How about you?


----------



## Mirror Image

Everybody already knows what I think about libraries.  So no need going into that again.


----------



## jurianbai

i am a heavy visitor to library. i think about 3-4 times a week. usually i come to browse all the things that come to my mind and find a book to satisfy my curiousity. in singapore the way the nation manage their libraries is outstanding. for music material the library at esplanade has large collection of classical cd and reading.

if you visit singapore you should visit the national library in the central of the cities. it is a 15 floors stories library.


----------



## Weston

I used to frequent the library a lot. The local one is well stocked, but I had to quit going. Somehow people have forgotten it's supposed to be a quiet place. The last time I went, I even heard the librarian giving instructions to someone in a decidedly non-whisper. As I've gotten older I've found my focus is waning and I need a LOT more quiet than I used to. So I am very disappointed in this last haven of study being invaded by this noisy world.

I used our library quite a bit for checking out audio books I could listen to in headphones while doing mundane tasks around the house. But now, podcasts have taken the place of those. The library is obsolete for me. 

The internet is my library.


----------



## BuddhaBandit

I go to the library for about 45 mins every other day to read magazine articles. I try to read three to four articles on various topics- architecture, geology, American history, hunting and fishing, politics, visual art- basically everything except music. I can't begin to describe how much richer my life his from reading just a few articles every other day.

In addition, I use the library to borrow books and CDs. After hearing about a new composer, I usually check out a disc of his compositions from the library; same with an author (although, I read by themes instead of by word-of-mouth recommendations).

If ever in life I should find myself with money to donate, I will donate it it to free libraries. They are the only route many people have to a true education. Borges once said that "heaven is a kind of library". I completely agree.


----------



## Tockley

No but I probably should start; it would save me a lot of money.


----------



## Mirror Image

BuddhaBandit said:


> I go to the library for about 45 mins every other day to read magazine articles. I try to read three to four articles on various topics- architecture, geology, American history, hunting and fishing, politics, visual art- basically everything except music. I can't begin to describe how much richer my life his from reading just a few articles every other day.


You know you can look at magazine articles online now, right? Just type in the name of the magazine you want to checkout on Google and go to their homepage, unless you know the magazine's homepage you're looking for already.


----------



## starry

I use the internet more than libraries at present, but I'll get back to them more eventually. With music recordings though they have really put their prices up in some places, not like how it was in the past. In the 80s I think it was either free to take out recordings or I just had pay a one off fee (or maybe an annual one) and I could take out as much as I wanted. And overdue fees in some places are at a ridiculous rate as well.


----------



## bassClef

What's your objection to libraries MI? Let me guess - annoying people?


----------



## Chi_townPhilly

Libraries of the local/regional nature (i.e.: the ones _I_'m able to access) are, I believe, a better resource for those who are in the earlier stages of their Classical Music journey. In fact, I recommend them as an avenue to make preliminary investigations. If one remains interested in the Classics, though, there is that point of diminishing returns.

Lately, the greatest 'return on (time) investment' I've gotten from our local library has been inter-library loan of _books about music_. Oh, yeah- and I also purchased a 'Classic FM' book on Shostakovich, at this library's used-book-sale- for 50 cents. It's worth perhaps a little more than what I paid for it.


----------



## vavaving

I wonder which libraries have the largest classical music collections.


----------



## BuddhaBandit

Mirror Image said:


> You know you can look at magazine articles online now, right? Just type in the name of the magazine you want to checkout on Google and go to their homepage, unless you know the magazine's homepage you're looking for already.


I know, but I don't believe in doing things online unless I have to. Doing things on a computer always bugs me because it's just staring at pixels on a screen instead of sitting back in a comfy armchair and paging through a magazine. And, if I read articles online, I get distracted very easily, so going to a library keeps me focused.


----------



## Sid James

I agree, Buddha, some libraries, like the one I use, have a good vibe for study-related & also recreational reading...

& I agree that it's a great place to borrow cd's. At my local library, there is alot of classical music on labels which I can't really afford, such as Hyperion, Chandos, DG. It's great to have access to these type of things (& the non-classical as well!)...


----------



## Conservationist

I use lots of libraries. Usually for network functionality.

Oh wait, not that kind of library... the local library. Love it, except when the hordes of kids are there avoiding their broken homes by doing their homework on Runescape.


----------



## Bobotox

vavaving said:


> I wonder which libraries have the largest classical music collections.


I live about 10min away from this one:

http://sjlibrary.org/about/locations/king/index.htm

It has around a thousand classical cd's in the first floor. In the fifth floor is like heaven. It has thousands of classical cd's and lp's. I feel like going there now lol.


----------



## Zuo17

I love books and reading them, so of course the library would be one of my favorite hangouts(_which is quite unusual for a teenager_).

I love the library because it allows me to borrow books(_especially music college textbooks_) that would have cost me a fortune to buy. The only downside to that is the limited due dates....

Since I can't afford to buy a lot of books at a local bookstore, _I deceive myself into thinking that I am splurging on getting books_. I can't imagine how crazy I would become if that happened in real life..haha 

Until again,
Zach


----------



## ozradio

I use the local libraries constantly. If you're doing research in any number of areas you don't have much choice but to get out to the libraries, archives and depositories and dig into real-life books and documents. I do, however, read magazines and newspapers online, at least those portions that are still free.


----------



## Houshintida

yes, especially when i'm doing a research...i could just visit our school library or thru online...it just depend on some situations...


----------



## danae

When you're in the middle of research, on any kind of subject, you simply HAVE to use libraries. When I was studying, I used to spend sooo many hours of my life in the music library (in Athens we have music library with a lot of specialized material, but it doesn't belong to the Music Department of the university, it's part of the Athens concert hall).


----------



## Mirror Image

ozradio said:


> I use the local libraries constantly. If you're doing research in any number of areas you don't have much choice but to get out to the libraries, archives and depositories and dig into real-life books and documents. I do, however, read magazines and newspapers online, at least those portions that are still free.


Yeah, I like listening to real-life CDs, so that's why I collect them. I physically own the recordings whereas most people nowadays just download an mp3 file and think they own something, but they have nothing to show for it.


----------



## BuddhaBandit

Zuo17 said:


> I love books and reading them, so of course the library would be one of my favorite hangouts(_which is quite unusual for a teenager_).


I'm a teen that enjoys libraries, too, but more for the magazines (I borrow books and read them at home). I try to read a few magazine articles every other day, and the library always has a nice selection of publications.



MirrorImage said:


> Yeah, I like listening to real-life CDs, so that's why I collect them. I physically own the recordings whereas most people nowadays just download an mp3 file and think they own something, but they have nothing to show for it.


I couldn't agree more. The whole point of a collection (for me) is having physical objects to browse through and enjoy. Visually, a digital music collection is really just a collection of colored pixels- which is far less satisfying than a physical CD collection. Plus, I'm a huge country music fan, and there are many country recordings (and, in fact, classical recordings) that are impossible to find as downloads.


----------



## Air

BuddhaBandit said:


> I couldn't agree more. The whole point of a collection (for me) is having physical objects to browse through and enjoy. Visually, a digital music collection is really just a collection of colored pixels- which is far less satisfying than a physical CD collection. Plus, I'm a huge country music fan, and there are many country recordings (and, in fact, classical recordings) that are impossible to find as downloads.


And contrary to popular belief, a physical CD collection is actually cheaper. (Not to mention it keeps some of us away from the computer...)


----------



## Mirror Image

BuddhaBandit said:


> I couldn't agree more. The whole point of a collection (for me) is having physical objects to browse through and enjoy. Visually, a digital music collection is really just a collection of colored pixels- which is far less satisfying than a physical CD collection. Plus, I'm a huge country music fan, and there are many country recordings (and, in fact, classical recordings) that are impossible to find as downloads.


Yeah, I just don't understand the whole downloading thing. You can buy the recordings in most cases a lot cheaper than you purchase what it costs to download it. I think people who are downloading music are getting ripped off.


----------



## Mirror Image

airad2 said:


> And contrary to popular belief, a physical CD collection is actually cheaper. (Not to mention it keeps some of us away from the computer...)


It's a lot cheaper. No question about it.


----------



## Conservationist

Zuo17 said:


> I love books and reading them, so of course the library would be one of my favorite hangouts(_which is quite unusual for a teenager_).


Not around here it isn't.

It's one of the few places for teens that's outside of parental oversight, doesn't require purchases, and is relatively quiet.

I see many taking advantage of it, especially the computers (and "Runescape").


----------



## Noak

Yes, I go there once in a while and to get music.


----------



## Padawan

I use libraries mostly for books and DVDs. When I do research for art and interior design projects, nothing beats flipping through the pages of hard cover books and magazines. At the library in my previous hometown, I could watch movies for free by reserving them online. Another thread I read recommended many classical books for references. I will probably check them out at the library first before making any purchases. 

When I was growing up, the library was the one place I could go to escape my step-mother. I read a lot and was “advanced” for my age. Unlike music, I almost never re-read books so the library was the cheapest way for me to read hundreds of books for free.


----------



## Pianoforte

I hire complex piano sheet music at my library so I appear much more technically capable than I actually am. I could come unstuck though if I ever see the library staff in a piano bar.


----------



## chillowack

I love libraries! At any given moment I have several library books in my home, plus several more on order.

Libraries also provide free internet access, all the movies you could ever watch, any kind of music you want, etc. And it's all free! Libraries are one of the best things about civilization.

I am privileged to live near one of the best libraries in the world, the Boston Public Library, which is like a royal palace, vast and splendid and magnificent. I've never seen its equal. I could spend all day there, reading and researching and writing my novels and composing.


----------



## Padawan

chillowack said:


> I am privileged to live near one of the best libraries in the world, the Boston Public Library, which is like a royal palace, vast and splendid and magnificent. I've never seen its equal. .


I'm jealous, especially since I love architecture also. There's nothing remotely comparable where I live now.


----------



## Selby

Yes. Yes. Yes. 

I actually have 4 library cards - 3 of them to county library systems and 1 to my alma mater.

I literally have access to tens of thousands of classical cds. I cannot fathom living without them. They all have searchable internet databases and will ship the cd to the nearest library of my choice. It is amazing.


----------



## brianvds

Around here public libraries are nothing to get very excited about, but I have a library card anyway - I always manage to find something worth reading.


----------



## Vesteralen

Constantly.

It took me about six months just to get through my library system's complete catalog of CPO discs. Now, I'm working my way through the Chandos label.

And, I can't begin to tell you how many opera DVDs I've borrowed from them. The online catalog has about 20 pages with 50 items on each page. Even after you take out DVDs that just happen to have the word "opera" somewhere in the description, I'd say you've easily got 500 genuine opera DVDs in the collection.


----------



## superhorn

At my local library in New Rochelle, just north of NYC , you can go to its website nd search the entire catalogue of books, CDs and DVDs from all the libraries in Westchester county . If you want to get something from another library in the county, you can easily reserve it online , and it comes to your local library for you to pick up there , usually no later than a week . Each item has a 40 cent charge . Very convenient ! And you can return it t your local libary . Cool !


----------



## JCarmel

Our County library system is like yours, superhorn...except that nowadays it's nothing like as good-value as 40 cents nor is there anything left that's worth borrowing in terms of audio material or music dvd's. It's all been sold off for peanuts, pinched (stolen) or put in't bin....it's so sad. I had the benefit of a great Music Library earlier in my life & it was a wonderful thing.


----------



## Vesteralen

Man, we really have it good. There is no charge for any of these intra-library loans in our county-wide system. I make voluntary contributions periodically just because I value it so highly.


----------



## JCarmel

Wish I had an Alma Mater, Mitchell....I've only got an Alma Cogan!


----------



## Krummhorn

We are a university town ... and the school here a very fine music library, but the annual pass is $100 (US) to check out materials. For the students and alumni there is no cost. 

I was a member years back and had used it extensively for those out of print organ works that are not yet in the public domain.


----------



## Crudblud

JCarmel said:


> Wish I had an Alma Mater, Mitchell....I've only got an Alma Cogan!
> 
> View attachment 22813


You know she _did_ do a tango with an eskimo? What a sellout!


----------



## Mahlerian

I don't have an Alma Mahler, and I'm pretty grateful for not having to deal with such a thing! 









Unfortunately, I'm not near enough to my alma mater to use its great library, but there are college libraries around here that will send materials via inter-library loan, including scores and CDs. Great stuff.


----------



## Blancrocher

Mahlerian said:


> I don't have an Alma Mahler, and I'm pretty grateful for not having to deal with such a thing!


I assume you've heard the latest about Gustav's love affairs, Mahlerian? Why didn't Alma mention these in her memoir?!


----------



## ptr

Libraries have been an essential part of my life, my gramps dumped me at the local one at age 4 or 5 when he had some important archaeological business to carry out (he fancied himself being quite a Henry Jones!), the Librarian took good care of me, I actually used to flee there when I was in contempt of Mrs Hultqvist my primary school form-master. It was probably not her fault, but she dealt with myself and the other 25 boisterous ilbehavers very poorly, so the library became my sanctum!

I really don't think that a younger generation that has grown up with that internet thingy really ever will understand how important a sanctuary libraries are for intellectual stimulation!

Libraries are internet before computers, but much more reliable! :tiphat:

/ptr


----------



## Kieran

Public library man myself, haven't borrowed any CD's yet, just books... :tiphat:


----------



## Ingélou

We still love libraries - Taggart is a book-reading machine - but we don't borrow music or dvds from ours, usually. I think we grew a bit wary in the days when we borrowed vinyl long-playing records. The assistant would look at the record going out & make a note of the scratches, but it was a fallible system. We were innocent of scratching an LP we'd borrowed called 'Music of the French Court' (mostly 16th century) but we were forced to buy it anyway. Mind you, it *was* a nice record & I can still sing along in Old French to it!


----------



## Vesteralen

Ingenue said:


> We still love libraries - Taggart is a book-reading machine - but we don't borrow music or dvds from ours, usually. I think we grew a bit wary in the days when we borrowed vinyl long-playing records. The assistant would look at the record going out & make a note of the scratches, but it was a fallible system. We were innocent of scratching an LP we'd borrowed called 'Music of the French Court' (mostly 16th century) but we were forced to buy it anyway. Mind you, it *was* a nice record & I can still sing along in Old French to it!


But, you see - I'm such a familiar face at my local library, I never have any trouble getting them to believe me when I'm telling the truth (which I always do ).

I think they love me. The branches seem to depend for their existence on amount of use. And, my local branch is so small that I single-handedly boost their rating every week!


----------



## Ukko

ptr said:


> [...]
> I really don't think that a younger generation that has grown up with that internet thingy really ever will understand how important a sanctuary libraries are for intellectual stimulation!
> 
> Libraries are internet before computers, but much more reliable! :tiphat:
> 
> /ptr


By Jove, you're right; I had forgotten that exploration. After I figured out the Dewey system well enough to find the section I wanted to explore... and the local library even smelled good; all those books, and their bindings. The restroom - there was just one - was old-fashioned, with the toilet flush tank high on the wall above the toilet, with a chain-pull. The water gained impressive force coming down from that height.

Ahem. The Good Old Days. The Internet is really a much more amazing treasure-store of information. The potential for self-education is very high. If it had been around when my mind had more room in it - my vocabulary alone would make me quite incomprehensible to normal folk.


----------



## Taggart

Hilltroll72 said:


> The Internet is really a much more amazing treasure-store of information. The potential for self-education is very high. If it had been around when my mind had more room in it - my vocabulary alone would make me quite incomprehensible to normal folk.


One of your vice-presidents in the 1970's had a good line in long words. He derided the nattering nabobs of negativism and said "A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals."


----------



## Pantheon

My library is great ! It's big with study areas, a little vintage cinema and a huge collection of books and CDs, especially books on music. Everything concerning CDs is categorised by composer. Moreover they update it regularly with new CDs!
I go there once every week or two weeks. 
I went there today to borrow some Arvo Pärt (as recommended by lovely TC members on the Arvo Pärt thread  )


----------



## Mahlerian

Blancrocher said:


> I assume you've heard the latest about Gustav's love affairs, Mahlerian? Why didn't Alma mention these in her memoir?!


Alma liked to make Mahler out to be a virgin at marriage, as well as somehow completely unadept socially. Both have been proven (or rather very much insinuated, in the case of the former) false, although he was somewhat awkward in public. My guess is that it fed Alma's ego somehow to deny these things.


----------



## deggial

I recently rejoined especially so that I could rip their opera collection which has some stuff that I wouldn't immediately shell full price on but would very much have for 60p/piece. Once I'm done with it, there's an even more extensive instrumental classical section and there are, of course, books. When I was at uni I worked in the school's library and made copious use of it. There's no telling how much I saved on books and films plus a (the speediest for its time) internet connection. I sometimes wish I still lived in the neighbourhood, as alumni get almost full access to the goods.


----------



## Ingélou

Libraries are great because they stop you disappearing under a pile of books you wanted to own - most of which you probably never read again, though you like them on the shelf 'to refer to'.

(General 'you' throughout, btw; less affected than 'one'.)

Occasionally I wish I had succumbed to the temptation to buy, however. There was a soppy historical novel by an out-of-favour author that really *got* me, as addictive as chocolate, & I'd get it out again & again - its only borrower. Then one day I found they'd sold it off as redundant stock.

Then there was the gripping and poignant story of what *really* happened in the Appin Murder (18th century Scotland; used in RLS's *Kidnapped*). A couple of years later I thought I'd like to reread it, but it had been 'nicked'. I found out why when I tried to order it at the bookshop - out of print.


----------



## deggial

Ingenue said:


> Libraries are great because they stop you disappearing under a pile of books you wanted to own - most of which you probably never read again, though you like them on the shelf 'to refer to'.


yes; I rarely buy books or CDs or DVDs if I can find them online for free or for the kindle. My mum has a huge collection (one reason why I rarely buy - chances are she's got it, whatever _it_ is, and surely if it's a classic) and she only re-reads a small portion. I know she takes pride in her collection, but she's only moved maybe 4 times in 60 years whereas I moved ~10 times in 15 years.


----------



## Vesteralen

I occasionally go in to the online library system and order some of my favorite old books that are out of print just so they won't decide to get rid of them for lack of interest.

I also order a lot of books from before 1970. One day at my old branch library, the guy behind the counter who knew me pretty well said, "Where do you find all these old books?" I couldn't believe he didn't know that you can search by publication years.
I'll use a modifier like "Illustrated", select "Book" and then select Publication Date "before 1933, after 1931" (for example), and thus get a complete list of all books with the word "illustrated" in the catalog description published in 1932.


----------



## neoshredder

WIth MOG and Spotify available, I find less need to go to libraries even. We're living in a decade of accessibility for music and knowledge.


----------



## deggial

Ingenue said:


> Then one day I found they'd sold it off as redundant stock.


I bought some very good "redundant stock" from my school's library back in the '90s. One of them was Borges' Ficciones.


----------



## Sonata

I love libraries!! I always have. Growing up I was a major bookworm. I still love reading, I just don't do it as much now that I have my piano . I go to two libraries in the area. One it a 15 minute drive away, in the town where I work. We take our kids to the morning story hour club throughout the year. It was a great way for getting to know people when we first moved to the area. I'll check out kids books from time to time, but I don't do much "Browsing" there.

The other library is a bit further away, 25-30 minutes. First library I've had access to with a serious music section. (though they culled a lot from the classical section recently. They have a small but respectable collection of opera DVDs, of which I've checked a couple out. Good book selection. This is a very good library, I was thrilled the first time I went. This is the one I go to for some "me time" and spend time browsing. 

I don't use the internet or technology at the library. I've plenty enough of that at home!


----------



## Cosmos

I always go to my public library, only to check out books and cds. I never buy books unless I read one that I like enough to know i will read it multiple times


----------



## Op.123

No .


----------



## Crudblud

I haven't been to the central lending library here in Sheffield in a while, mainly because I currently have a huge stack (several huge stacks, in fact) of second hand books to work through, but it is an invaluable resource nonetheless.


----------



## Ryan

I rented Billy Elliot on dvd from a library about 2 years ago.


----------

