captaindibbzy:
raptorkin:
cryptiboy:
what if public libraries were open late every night so that:
- children and teens who cant get home until a later time have a safe, warm, well lit, populated area to socialize, charge devices, rest, etc
- children and teens have a safe place to go to stay away from danger
- people who have jobs that take up most of the day would still have time ANY DAY OF THE WEEK to go use the libraries facilities (printing, computers, etc)
This is exactly what public libraries are trying to achieve - public libraries as a third place is a whole thing - it’s just that the funding isn’t there (yet).
Libraries need and deserve so much funding
It depends on the area and on the day of the week. At the public library where I worked, we were open until 9 Monday—Thursday, till 5 on Friday and Saturday, and till 4 on Sunday. Which doesn’t solve the problem of people having no library to go to in the evenings on weekends.
It’s definitely an issue of funding, but also of staffing. The one where I worked (one of two main branches in the county, so we’d get hundreds of patrons per day) rarely had enough people to properly staff the desk on an average day. It wasn’t unusual for librarians to work a 7 to 10 day week, which led to burnout, which led to people leaving, which led to more understaffing. More funding would’ve helped allow for more new hires, but we also needed management to end the grueling 10-day weeks because, for a staff comprised mainly of introverts, 10 days straight answering questions from sometimes angry patrons (there are more of them in some areas than in others) and solving more complex technology problems takes its toll—even on people who want to help, which the librarians there did. In that environment, extended hours would not have allowed the staff to provide the friendly and welcoming service late-night patrons would need.
I’m not saying I’m against having libraries stay open late. I think it’s a fantastic idea that will only do good in the communities where it’s implemented. But there are some kinks that need to be worked out first. More funding would be a major help, but it would only solve part of the problem.
Is it a problem of people wanting to work there or pf pay? I’m guessing a bit of both, but I’d love to work in a library if given the opportunity and decent money.
