WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO?

Do It Yourself Libraries Losinglibraries.org

Free or Fee Conclusio

n

DO IT YOURSELF LIBRARIES

Self-checkout is the way of the future!

According to a survey conducted by Library Journal, 85% of the libraries surveyed offer self-checkout services. Data collected showed that libraries, on average, offered self-checkout services in cities and towns with populations of 50,000 and higher.

DO IT YOURSELF LIBRARIES

Drawbacks of self-checkout systems in libraries include: High costs of new technology

The most basic self-checkout systems start at $20,000 and can run as high as $120,000!

Less librarian/patron interaction Customers miss the friendliness and time old tradition of

interacting with the librarians while checking out materials

Fewer jobs available Increased technology means less work available

Technology failure Cheaper systems are prone to breaking down, and unless

a library has a technology specialist on the workforce team, it will take a decent amount of time to repair

DO IT YOURSELF LIBRARIES: MY OPINION

Coming from several towns that have never had self-checkout systems, this idea was completely new to me. Roanoke, Virginia’s population is 92,967 Paxton, Massachusetts’s population is 4,386 Lebanon, Indiana’s population is 14,222

I enjoy using self-checkout systems at the grocery store, so why not at the library? More privacy is offered by self-checkout at the library More privacy means I no longer have to be afraid of

angry glares from librarians about my frequent checking out of girly romance novels over the summer

Higher taxes will occur if my library installs self-checkout systems, so is it worth it? How many people actually use the library?

Works Cited

LOSINGLIBRARIES.ORG

Library Funding across the world is being drastically reduced

Cities and towns no longer have the money to be supporting libraries, even though a good portion of funding comes from tax payers’ dollars

Jobs are being cut at libraries, and increased fines are being put in place See Free or Fee for

more details

LOSINGLIBRARIES.ORG

The website, Losinglibraries.org, has been launched to “map libraries’ cuts/layoffs/closings and create a unified national picture” (Fialkoff, 2010.)

Losinglibraries.org, seen right, offers a visual map of closings, budget cuts, layoffs, and more, as can be seen in the screen image.

Click to visit siteExploring the site will further expand your knowledge of the impact that these cuts have had on Americans.

LOSINGLIBRARIES.ORG: MY OPINION

Losinglibraries.org offers a greater picture for the impact that the economy is having on all aspects of life, even reaching so far as public libraries, which are all too often taken for granted.

I think that anyone who is concerned for the public library in their city or town should visit this website and do much in-depth research as well about how they can help their own public library. Maybe visit the town hall or attend town meetings to

suggest ideas about how to help your public library. Stay active in community events to help as much as

you can! Works Cited

FREE OR FEE

Public Libraries have been “advertised” as free institutions for the public ever since their creation back in 1854 with the opening of the Boston Public Library. As long as materials are turned in on or before their assigned due date, materials are free.

Recently, several public libraries have begun to charge fees for some materials checked out. Many libraries charge for music, videos, DVDs, and

reserved materials. Not all fees are recent, however. Baltimore County

Public Library has been charging fees for videos and reserved materials since the 1980s. However, BCPL has halted all charges on videos/DVDs due

to the recent decline in materials circulation from the installation of Redbox and increasing popularity of institutions like Netflix in Baltimore.

FREE OR FEE

Other libraries are charging for all materials, regardless or medium or due dates properly observed.

Is it right to charge fees for library materials? Citizens residing in a specific town or city’s

public library region are already paying taxes to that library, so isn’t charging fees for materials the same as charging a person twice?

Some may argue that charging for DVDs is acceptable as long as books are free, but all are services of the library that tax payers fund, so why shouldn’t all materials be free?

FREE OR FEE: MY OPINION

Books and all other materials should be free DVDs, VHSs, CDs, computer games, etc If it’s not free, then why is it being offered at the

Public Library? Budget cuts are acceptable, but not to the point

of completely closing the library. Will installing self-checkout systems eventually even

out to save money for the public? Are there not other ways to raise funds?

Increase fine amounts Allow extended checkout periods for a small price Have town-wide fundraisers to help libraries Book sales available to the public, selling both donated

books and books at the library low in circulation Works Cited

CONCLUSION

Self-checkout systems work for some libraries, but not all.

Fewer libraries could be closed if systems were converted to self-checkout

Fees could raise if systems were converted to self-checkout

Overall, is it worth it to convert to self-checkout if the fees will raise? Library stays open, meaning

higher taxes, but a more convenient location for people traveling to public libraries. A more convenient location means gas money saved, which could be put towards public library taxes.

The verdict: YES