Wordless Wednesday is supposed to be about posting a photo(s) without any words. But, I'm a rule breaker, so here are a few words:
1 - Who here remembers when library books used to be checked out with stamps on cards? Who remembers those old card catalogs?
2 - Nowadays, I don't even have to interact with a human when I check out books from the library. It's all self-serve. While I love that at the grocery store, I have mixed feelings about it at the library. Are they going to get rid of library people? We need more library people in the world, not less.
3 - I've been re-reading some of Ursula Le Guin's books recently. They were on display at my local library after her passing, thanks to the lovely library people.
What words does this picture(s) bring to your mind when you look at it?
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Amazon (US)
Amazon (CA)
Amazon (UK)
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Apple iBooks
Google Play
I think we also need more grocery people in the world.
ReplyDeleteI have to confess, I often use the automated check-outs at the grocery store. So much faster and I can bag everything the way I want it to be.
DeleteAlso automatic check out in libraries is faster, I assume. But you miss a lot there: human interaction, and more people having a job in your town.
DeleteOf course, it's up to everyone to do their way. Just wanted to say what your post suggested to me.
Thanks!
I remember those library cards. Self checkout at the library though? That seems odd.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem odd to me too.
DeleteWhen I worked at a University, I loved to walk to the library, look at all the books, and pick up a new one. Libraries are so special :-)
ReplyDeleteLibraries are the best!
DeleteMy mom was a librarian, so I remember . . . and I love library people. :)
ReplyDeleteYay for your mom - we need more library people in the world.
DeleteOh, but libraries are so much more than checking out books. There's the shelving of books, helping people find books they're looking for, getting users set up on the computers, opening up rooms for stuff like critique group, scheduling, teaching people how to use the copier, demonstrating the 3D printer. My library people always seem to be tasked with something.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the cards, but the digital system is a little easier for me to keep track of.
Library people are a huge community resource. I do like being able to log into the system to renew my books.
DeleteI remember checking out books from the library very well. It was the way of things back in the day and it worked. Labor intensive, but there wasn't any other way back then.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous Wordless Wednesday, Ellen. ♥
It must have been such a labor intensive task for librarians to manually update everything.
DeleteYes, i remember the stamps, and the card catalogs, and sometimes i miss them. We still have librarians who check us out, and i'm glad when it's fast and i'd love self-serve when there's a line and everyone in it has a question.
ReplyDeleteThat's true - there have been times where I've had to wait for quite a while while questions were being asked by the person in front of me.
DeleteWell, I remember working with that system! You hadn’t truly experienced life as a library worker until you had dropped an issue tray or a catalogue drawer and had to refile everything. The issue tray was worse because the person’s ticket and the book card would come apart and you wouldn’t know who had borrowed what. Bonus points for knocking over a trolley of books. I have done all three.
ReplyDeleteOh, Anabel - that sounds like a nightmare :-)
DeleteYes,
ReplyDeleteI remember them well- it was quite an involved system as opposed to today when I download from the library and don't even leave the house
It is nice to be able to download books from home. Convenient and for some people who aren't as mobile, a real plus.
DeleteFear and trepidation, I was always returning my library books late.
ReplyDeleteAnita, Purrsonal Assistant to The Tribe of Five
Oh, me too. I've racked up many a library fine in my time.
DeleteI kinda miss the ol' card catalog and the way we used to check books out at the library. Our library here is self check-out, too. Weird. You can squeeze a whole bunch of books on the scanner, and like magic, they all get "checked out" for ya. They both print out a receipt and send one via email... and then another email reminder a few days before the books are due. Nice, I guess, but I miss the days when librarians interacted with patrons personally and even recommended books.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know. I'm an old fuddy duddy.
I do wonder how those machines work - how can they "see" the book on the top?
DeleteI am a BIG library person so when the library lady (she does actually have a name but she will ALWAYS be the 'Library Lady' to me ;) sees me, she always gives me an extra week to read it!
ReplyDeleteIts funny as when I look at that picture, that old book smell comes to mind.
Thanks for sharing!
- Lisa
What a sweet Library Lady you have :-)
DeleteMy favorite place is a library! I love spending time there!
ReplyDeleteOne of my fave places too :-)
DeleteI remember them too. Ever since Amazon became a thing, I've not gone to the library...which is a good thing, I suppose because I'm buying instead of checking them out.
ReplyDeleteYou can buy some books so cheaply (or free) on Amazon these days. I wonder if that's impacted the number of library patrons.
DeleteI have a pair of socks that look like those old stamped library cards. Of course, here in FL, I rarely wear socks, but I love them just the same. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat great socks!
DeleteYep. I remember those days. We had the same library system in Belgium. Some of the books I used to buy when the library disposed of them, still have those cards. As always, I envy your reading time. :-)
ReplyDeleteReading is such a part of my life. I can't imagine not reading every day.
DeleteOf course!
ReplyDeleteSelf-checkouts? Not so much, I never use them. I'd rather support a real person in a real job. Menial that job may be, but I want a live human to interact with, be it library, Home Depot or grocery store.
Pretty soon, we'll just be interacting with robots the way things are going.
Deleteoh I remember when our library used to have those checkout cards
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one :-)
DeleteStuart is a nice little town. That's where we go when we need things from the "big city" :-)
ReplyDelete