I headed to Valla Beach at 5.45am to meet some running friends for our regular Saturday social run. We run in different places each Saturday morning (although we do seem to favour Valla), and then have breakfast at the local café on completion of the run.
The run is usually an easier run and goes for an hour. Unfortunately our run was cut short due to one of our runners tripping and falling over. They couldn't walk or run so thankfully some lovely tourist drove one of the other runners back to our cars so they could bring theirmcar over to pick upmthe fallen runner.
Once the rescue operation was complete, I continued running and then drove home and had breakfast.
Miss A and I then went to the park and Miss A had a swim and we stopped for a slushy and frozen yoghurt on the way home.
It was hot and humid again today but not as bad as yesterday or what it was like in my hometown of Ipswich. Thankfully two years ago I made the decision not to visit Ipswich in summer.
The rest of the day followed the routine of previous days with trashy tv, afternoon walk and more trashy tv.
I have just realised that tomorrow is the second last day of #blog12daysxmas and then we finish with the epiphany. And I really haven't done much in the way of reflection. That could be because it would mean I have to think about work and I don't want to do that while on holidays.
However, I will comment about @shewgirl blog post from yesterday http://shewgirl.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/day-6-gourmet-3d-printing-blog12daysxmas.html
I would love a 3D printer that printed meals but my weight loss would suffer.
I absolutely wonder if libraries are the place for 3D printers and would love to hear more about how 3D printers are being used in libraries and whether it is something library users want or need in their libraries? I go back to core services and traditional roles of libraries. Food for thought but worthy of a blog post on its own.
Showing posts with label future libraries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label future libraries. Show all posts
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Blog December Post 5 - Future vs Reality
So I really did post yesterday's post before reading the latest issue of Incite.
If you haven't read it yet, it discusses the future of libraries.
In the Opinion piece, Seth Godin says: The next library is a place, still. A place where people come together to do co-working and coordinate and invent projects worth working on together.
My question back would be, what happens to all the libraries that exist that do not have the space to be a place where people come together to do co-working and coordinate and invent projects? I have branch libraries that you can barely swing a cat around in - and I can't really believe that the book collection will shrink so much that we can remove the shelves and become a space.
Who will fund the new furniture and technology required to become this. With local, state and federal budgets being so tight and libraries being at the end of the priority line - where will the money come from to create these spaces??
While I do see new libraries moving this way - what happens to the old? Do those communities miss out because of lack of funding?
Or in my case we have youth hubs popping up that are providing those spaces for the youth - what of the library?
And then I go back to looking at my libraries and I don't see people using the library space as a space they come together to work. I see the library space where people use the public computers, sit and read the paper but the majority come in, choose their books and leave.
Another article mentions offering programs. What of the one person library? I have a branch where I can't even offer storytime because we don't have the funding to provide an extra staff member for an hour a week to provide this service.
I've been told to use volunteers but we have tried this in the past and it is not sustainable as the volunteer eventually moves on or wants to be paid.
I don't mean to be negative, and I'm happy for people to come back at me with "buts" and suggestions. Today I just have an issue with looking past the reality of our situation. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.
I am optimistic that one day the funding will rain on us and we will build new buildings enabling us to be creating spaces and have more than one staff working.
But unfortunately, today the realist in me spoke!!
If you haven't read it yet, it discusses the future of libraries.
In the Opinion piece, Seth Godin says: The next library is a place, still. A place where people come together to do co-working and coordinate and invent projects worth working on together.
My question back would be, what happens to all the libraries that exist that do not have the space to be a place where people come together to do co-working and coordinate and invent projects? I have branch libraries that you can barely swing a cat around in - and I can't really believe that the book collection will shrink so much that we can remove the shelves and become a space.
Who will fund the new furniture and technology required to become this. With local, state and federal budgets being so tight and libraries being at the end of the priority line - where will the money come from to create these spaces??
While I do see new libraries moving this way - what happens to the old? Do those communities miss out because of lack of funding?
Or in my case we have youth hubs popping up that are providing those spaces for the youth - what of the library?
And then I go back to looking at my libraries and I don't see people using the library space as a space they come together to work. I see the library space where people use the public computers, sit and read the paper but the majority come in, choose their books and leave.
Another article mentions offering programs. What of the one person library? I have a branch where I can't even offer storytime because we don't have the funding to provide an extra staff member for an hour a week to provide this service.
I've been told to use volunteers but we have tried this in the past and it is not sustainable as the volunteer eventually moves on or wants to be paid.
I don't mean to be negative, and I'm happy for people to come back at me with "buts" and suggestions. Today I just have an issue with looking past the reality of our situation. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.
I am optimistic that one day the funding will rain on us and we will build new buildings enabling us to be creating spaces and have more than one staff working.
But unfortunately, today the realist in me spoke!!
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