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Gen Y Hits the Library the Most -- But Not For Books
Lucas123 writes "More than half of all Americans visited a library this past year and, of those, most were from Generation Y, the tech-loving young adults aged 18-30 years, according to a recent survey. The reason most cited for visiting their local public archive? Not books. Most were seeking gaming software programs, characters in the Second Life virtual world and online help with homework."
Another way to think about the results: about 47 percent of Americans didn't visit a library even once last year.
Another way to think about the results: about 47 percent of Americans didn't visit a library even once last year.
I visited the Library at least once a week, ONLY for books. I browse every new book in the new section, hit up the SciFi section, see if there is a new romance book that suits my needs. I'll be there for about an hour, and sometimes I'll head over to Bookmans for a used book afterwards if I can't find what I want. If I'm willing to wait, I use the library's electronic catalog to order the book, and pick it up when I stop by next week.
I can't get a single friend to visit the library, but when I see a book I *know* they will love, I check it out for them, and make them borrow it. I routinely have to borrow ~4 books at a time, just so I have one to read.
So, how about average number of books checked out, because I can't be the only person who brings home entertainment for the masses.
Just -1, Troll talking to another.
When it comes to sci-fi/etc. I typically buy used books at about 1-2$ a pop, load up on 20-40 and I'm set for a year. Way more convenient than the library.
Fair enough. Interestingly, I met my wife when I was working at the library (computer hotline), and had to take the library time sheet over to Computing Services in another building. So, I didn't meet her in the library, but I did meet her because I was working in the library. We're still together 12 years later.
As for going to the library to use the computers... I was doing that over 20 years ago! Who knew I'd be one of the trendsetters.
(Their Apple ][e kicked my TI-99/4A's arse. I still have those ProDOS 5.25" floppy disks, too. Verbatim: The elephant never forgets!)
--JoeProgram Intellivision!
How do you handle the approach though? Indeed, most of the time, she will be busy reading, doing homework or browsing the shelves.
To stay on topic though, the University of Leeds was the last place where I spent a lot of time at the library (Peopleware, Code Complete, The Limits to Growth [2nd ed], The World at the End of Time...). That was in 2000. I've been ordering books from Amazon ever since, since the books I now read cannot usually be found in local libraries or bookstores (I live in France/Switzerland).
Easy: I buy reference books, not fiction. :-) I don't even read the whole thing once, but I do read many portions repeatedly, and it tends to be demand-driven random access. That said, I did read "Effective C++" pretty much linearly cover-to-cover when I got it, as well as "The Algorithm Design Manual." I'll still go back and reference bits randomly.
Aside from that, there's my, erm, "throne of learning" book set, which currently consists of "Areas of My Expertise" (which I did read cover to cover, and will probably re-read bits of for a muse), and "A New Kind of Science", which I'm about 1/3rd of the way through. ANKOS is big enough that I can't possibly read it as a borrowed book. And, it has pretty pictures... I'm sure I'll go back and borrow some of the automata to repurpose them. And as for having books in the john... I know I'm not alone.
So, I guess there's two rationales: Reference books get reused, and many people read books while in the bathroom. As for the former, it's nice to keep the book. As for the latter... wouldn't you like one that hasn't been in the bathroom yet?
--JoeProgram Intellivision!
Good point. When I first moved down to my new job, before my wife had graduated college, I'd spend a lot of time at B&N "renting" books for $3/cup at their coffee shop. (Typically these were $60 - $90 tomes from the engineering section.) Every so often, I'd actually buy one that seemed worthwhile. With B & N shops every couple miles, it's just too easy. I couldn't even tell you where the libraries are in that neighborhood. But I can tell you where the bookstores are.
In the end, I think I ended up better off than if I had gone to the library. Not only did I get my fill of lattes, but also I got to buy and keep the really good books, and what books they had were guaranteed to be up to date. I remember back in junior high and high school (and to a lesser extent, college) relying on interlibrary loans to get the occasional computer book that was less than 5 years old. That's a lifetime in this industry!
Don't get me wrong: As a broke high schooler, the library was a godsend. But once I got into my engineering career, there was no going back. I haven't been back to a public library since.
--JoeProgram Intellivision!
It's got an excellent DVD and CD library.
Use your library. Donate digital media. Your entire community will thank you.
Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
I agree. Our local library has a lot of "photochop for dummies", "service your car for dummies", "the idiots guide to google" (you need instructions to use Google?) type books now.
It was once a treasure trove of useful technical manuals in fields like engineering, computer science, medicine and the like. The fiction section was even pretty good with a fairly wide range. Now it seems that it's mostly popular romance trite and not much more.
I still go there for the kids books (yes, a Slashdork spawned a child process), which they keep fairly current.
That said, I must concede I have a couple of electronics magazines that they have only recently resubscribed to.
I drink to make other people interesting!
I do it all the time and it's very good: While I read a book my mind works all the time and I'm thinking a lot, and if I have an idea I write it on the margin, or elaborate some of the mathematics that the author didn't explain much. My marginalia go back 10+ years, so I can see all my life in them, as I often include the current date with most marginalia. It's also funny when you lend a book... you can actually communicate with fellow nerds only with marginalia. All my books are treated as workbooks, in the sense that my books aren't trophies that are bought for their beauty and left on the bookshelf, but are supposed to put something into my brain, so being able to write notes on the margins helps a lot with activelly reading the material. I also keep longer notes on my PDA and my wiki, but marginalia is something like a cultural thing or a custom, so even if I had no need to do that I would still do it because I like it. It's also useful because it helps you keep track of how your ideas and your understanding of particular books changes over the years. It's really nice to be able to know exactly what I was thinking for every paragraph I was reading 10 years ago. It's a way to personalise your books and make them really yours, unique, and different from all the other copies of the same book, and it also helps you have a much more personal and better relationship with your book.
I never bought books when I was a student, but always borrowed them from the library. Now that I'm finally earning a decent wage, I've gone back and bought my favourite books so that I own a copy. Not only can I re-read them at my pleasure (and yes -- I do re-read my favourite books), not only can I lend them out to my friends and share the love of good literature, but having a massive library in your house seriously impresses the chicks