Weblog Archive

Hello

How are you today?  Can you recommend anything good to read?

It's slightly worrying the number of people who think that, as a librarian, I should read all the time and that I ought to know all about every book ever written.  In fact I should think that there a fair number of people reading this who still picture a librarian as being a middle-aged woman with her hair in a bun wearing a twin-set, sensible shoes, glasses and a permanent scowl.  Not that there's anything wrong with looking like that obviously.  And whilst I can never be accused of wearing sensible shoes I have occasionally lapsed and worn a twin set!  But it's an outdated stereotype that librarians and libraries have to battle in order to encourage new people to visit us.

There's also lots of other things that you and I, as regular library users know, but that many other people don't.  So just to test you here's a quick true or false quiz (answers at the bottom of the screen).

1. It's free to join the library.
2. Libraries only loan books.
3. You have to have a card before you come in to a library.
4. You don't need to have any ID with you to get a library card.
5. There's no upper or lower age limit to having a library card.
6. You have to be silent in a library.

How do you think you did?

Well here are the answers

1. It's free to join the library.  TRUE

Whilst there are some things that you have to pay for, most things are FREE.  Joining the library is FREE.  Borrowing books is FREE.  Using a computer for 30 minutes every day is FREE.

2. Libraries only loan books.  FALSE

You can borrow all sorts of things from your library including music scores, talking books, language courses, and foreign language books.  You can also use the use the computers, research your family history, read the newspapers, look at car manuals, the list goes on.

3. You have to have a card before you come in to a library.  FALSE

Anyone is welcome to come in and use any of the resources within the library.  You only need to have a ticket if you want to borrow books, and it is really easy to join (see the next question).

4. You don't need to have any ID with you to get a library card.  TRUE

Even if you don't have proof of your name and address with you, you can still join the library.  As an introductory borrower you can borrow 3 items and simply show us your ID the next time you visit.

5. There's no upper or lower age limit to having a library card.  TRUE

You can join the library from birth (although you might have to ask your mum or dad to give us your details for you).  Our youngest member is just a few weeks old whilst our oldest is 103 years young.

6. You have to be silent in a library.  FALSE

We do ask you not to make too much noise, as many people come to the library to study, but we don't go around with our fingers to our lips telling you to shhhhh.  Well ok, I have been known to do it occasionally when people were being really noisy, but I was really embarrassed afterwards when I realised I'd fallen into the stereotype!

So how did you do?  Did you get them all right?  Come and visit us soon to see what we're really like!

Suzanne