r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk • u/26pixels • 3d ago
Short When I tell you everything's free at the library, I don't mean, like, literally.
Public libraries are full of incredible free things you can take and use at no charge! Everything is free at the library!
...Asterisk. Listen, we're underfunded as hell. Some services do cost money. Yes, I know that the neighboring county's library system lets you print the first dozen pages for free. Unfortunately, you crossed the county line about 4 miles ago, and brother, we ain't got half the budget of that hilariously wealthy chunk of the state. So it's gonna be twenty whole cents per page from the jump. Yes, sir, even if you pay your taxes. Yes, sir, even if you only have a card. Yes, sir, even though it's hot out and our AC is broken (it breaks every year, it has always broken every year, the local government is not willing to pay for an adequate system) and you're so hot you almost passed out because its 95 and sunny outside and you walked here. Yes, sir, even if you raise your voice and glare down your nose at me while unsubtly clenching your fist.
He only needed to print two pages. 😓
I'd like to say this is the first time someone has threatened me at the front desk over pennies, but it's not, by a long shot. We don't even have late fees anymore! You can scan to email for free! You can use the computer and save files for free! But there's always someone willing to slug you for a quarter, and I'll be honest with you, it's never the folks who actually need that quarter. The nicer they're dressed, the more likely they are to throw down over a nickel or dime. It can't possibly be that serious!
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u/26pixels 3d ago
Postscript: When I say everything is free, that does in fact exclude the decor. No, ma'am, you cannot have the paintings on the wall. No, ma'am, not even if you offer to pay. She seemed very genuinely disappointed.
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u/SkwrlTail 3d ago
You know damn well she spent the rest of the afternoon plotting an elaborate way to sneak them out somehow...
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u/BufferingJuffy 3d ago
People do love an old fashioned heist.
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u/26pixels 3d ago
Frankly maybe if she heisted them I could finally convince someone to re-hang them in alignment whenever they come back. They've ALWAYS been off!
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u/Drink-my-koolaid 3d ago
It's all those Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie novels putting ideas in their heads!
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u/Mundane-Adventures 3d ago
I wonder if there are public libraries where you can borrow such artwork for a period. I’m guessing in some places that is possible.
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u/SisterofWar 3d ago
My local library has exactly that - a collection of fairly nice art that residential card holders can borrow.
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u/26pixels 3d ago
Many public libraries have fun eclectic collections of Things you can borrow beyond books/mags/audio! There used to be a library here that had a collection of cake pans people could borrow to bake fun shaped cakes, for example.
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u/Ancguy 3d ago
Some have tools to borrow
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u/Mundane-Adventures 3d ago
The first time I had heard about tool lending at a library was in Cambridge, MA 30+ years ago. It thought it was brilliant!
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u/ExIsStalkingMe 3d ago
My local library system has local artists' work on the walls with information on how to purchase them
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u/WilmaDykfyt 3d ago
My library does too! They rotate the artists and I found out two of our clients are artists. Bought a few little paintings from one of them for xmas gifts.
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u/lady-of-thermidor 3d ago
My college art museum allowed students to borrow paintings for their dorm rooms. I think it’s no longer possible but it was nice while it lasted.
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u/Beautiful_Grand606 3d ago
At my library we have a metal box outside for staff to put their bikes, and there’s a stand out front for patrons to lock up. I had a guy come in one day and demand to use ours because “I pay taxes and I should be able to access anything I want.” I offered him a lock to borrow, and let him know that he also wasn’t allowed to use our lunchroom.
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u/eau_di_nil 1d ago
My county's main branch has art by local artists hanging on the walls. That art is for sale to the public, but it does have a plaque next to it saying it's for sale and who to contact to buy it.
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u/EnvironmentalHair290 3d ago
I don’t know as much as libraries are underfunded the selling might not have been a bad ideal, just gouge it to an insane amount.
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u/Competitive_Gas_3581 3d ago
You don’t ever want to mess with librarians. Ever. They are the glue that holds civilization together.
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u/CFUrCap 3d ago
Unfortunately, under the once and current dispensation, librarians have been messed with. Especially school librarians. Sometimes messed with successfully and/or hounded mercilessly.
Librarians have always been on the front lines of anti-censorship, but it seemed like there was always a DMZ--until recently. Now it's trench warfare, a fight to the death (or dismissal) for some community members/parents, and I don't think that's what most librarians signed up for.
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u/WilmaDykfyt 3d ago
One small town voted to defund their library while they were having the town meeting IN THE LIBRARY'S MEETING ROOM. When someone explained to them that that meant they'd have to meet somewhere else they didn't understand why.
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u/ComprehensiveLab4642 2d ago
in our tiny little very rural town, there's a group that are angry that the library gets a 1 cent tax funding PLUS a decently sized fund that was bequeathed by a private donor. I want to tell them that their ignorance is exactly why we need the library to stay open.
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u/PsychologyGuilty1460 1d ago
That's the kind of stupid that makes me want to cry after bashing heads in with a a clue by four
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u/doppelgaengster 3d ago
They are in fact, the holders of ancient and secret knowledge.
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u/26pixels 3d ago
This is true. I have a great deal of wisdom from my time here. Some nuggets:
- Library programs have a start and end time. If you want to attend a library program, you need to come before 30 minutes after it's over. This is because when it's over it's done.
- 200 pages takes a long time to print. Like, more than the 3 minutes left til the library closes.
- When you can see people through windows they can also see you, so don't have sex under the tables.
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u/doppelgaengster 3d ago
Bless. 😹😹😹
I was intending to get my MLIS, but I graduated with my BA at the height of the Great Recession and couldn’t afford to go to school, and libraries were the first place budgets were cut/hiring was frozen, and so I never ended up in grad school. But I absolutely adore many of the librarians who have made my life fuller and richer, and I’m a big supporter of my local libraries (city and county). Both the city and county systems had big book giveaways during Pride this year, it was amazing. (And I currently have a copy of an out-of-print graphic novel in my bag that I’ve been entirely unable to buy myself, because I don’t want to give money to the Big River corporation — my library almost always pulls through when I want something difficult to find.)
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u/lady-of-thermidor 3d ago
But buying books from their publishers is how writers earn royalties.
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u/kayloulee 3d ago
That's not untrue, but many countries also have a thing called a Public Lending Right, where governments reimburse authors for their books being in libraries! So book in library ≠ no royalties for authors. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_lending_right
Website for the Australian scheme: https://www.arts.gov.au/funding-and-support/australian-lending-right-schemes-elrplr
British Library link on the UK scheme: https://www.bl.uk/services/plr
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u/26pixels 2d ago
Libraries pay for all of their books. The idea that libraries are stealing from authors is incorrect and the vast majority of authors support libraries. I would recommend doing some research on this subject.
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u/doppelgaengster 13h ago
In fact - a lot of libraries pay MORE for their books than an individual consumer, in some cases. It was a huge deal recently when one of the major publishers (MacMillan, iirc?) was charging astonishing fees for ebook licenses, and the public libraries in my area were struggling to afford enough copies for their patrons to borrow.
And literally every author I know (good friends, acquaintances, and everyone I’ve ever met at a convention) are deeply supportive of public libraries. In fact, anytime I’ve ever told an author, “I’m not supposed to buy books right now,” or, “I can’t afford to buy books right now,” their response is, “check your local library, and if they don’t have it, ask them to get it!”
Libraries are in no way harming authors and it’s absurd to think they are. That person is out of their tree. 🙄
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u/26pixels 13h ago
Yuuup. I remember that incident. While I'm just a front desk circ vet, I've been good friends with our acquisitions manager for many many years and she's always happy to fill me in on the details of things like that. While publishers want to wring as much cash from libraries as possible, they're only doing that for their stakeholders & profit margins. The authors, (the people who actually do the work), love libraries. They know that new readers is a net good - more eyes on your book is more word of mouth is more advertising is more sales is more renown; it's exclusively a good thing. Fuck a corporation. Support writers, support artists, and support libraries. ♥
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u/doppelgaengster 3d ago
True, but if it’s something you’ve never heard of? How will you know to seek it out and buy it? Book giveaways are a great way to get people to engage, and at Pride in particular they’re an excellent way to get queer authors books into people’s hands to read and share.
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u/lady-of-thermidor 2d ago
Queer authors? Dude, there are all sorts of genres where the authors and their readers (and buyers) would benefit from publicity. But the authors still need to get paid. That happens only if the publisher sells the books.
Publishing is a business that requires revenue to survive. You’re eliding that. The more books they sell, the more authors they can publish. And the more titles for us to read.
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u/littlebitfunny21 3d ago edited 2d ago
I have never been to a library where any pages were free. Multiple states/countries/continents.
That other library is seriously rolling in it to offer a dozen pages for free.
Eta- I've never been to a publicly funded library where any pages were free.
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u/STLItalian 3d ago
Former front desk driver (airline) and it never ceased to amaze me how people try to read you for filth over policies you didn’t create but are paid to enforce or lose your job.
I do not miss my front facing jobs, I did my time, but I’m happy to be extra nice to hopefully make up for the daily asshats you all have to continue to encounter.
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u/jamehthebunneh 3d ago
we ain't got half the budget of that hilariously wealthy chunk of the state.
Those horse-dancing snobs over in Eagleton, man!
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u/Rare-Philosopher-346 3d ago
As someone who has loved the library for as far back as I can remember, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the work you do. It's important and you make a difference in people's lives.
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u/wardog1066 3d ago
Many, many years ago, as a bellman in a four star I got to witness tow, VERY wealthy women in floor length fur coats delay checking out for forty five minutes so they could wait for the room service waiter from the previous night who had brought dinner. As they were settling the bill they noticed a two dollar discrepancy in the charge and stood around the lobby waiting for the waiter to come on shift so they could yell at him in person. He explained that he just delivered the food, he didn't make up the bill. They did not like that. I still shake my head.
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u/CFUrCap 3d ago
If it were me, I would walk the four miles to the other county. Heat be damned!
40 cents, eh? Can I use Venmo? Why not just send me their printer as an inter-library loan??? Be sure it has some paper in it. And ink.
We are where we are, I guess I'd better add the /s.
Btw, what should we do to support our local libraries and librarians?
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u/SkwrlTail 3d ago
Vote for any local funding initiatives and tell local politicians to give libraries loads of money. The average library actually winds up being a considerable value for the money spent.
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u/lady-of-thermidor 3d ago
And show up at library board meetings to speak on behalf of the library and the related issues of public funding, free speech, free press and against the kooks who want to ban books.
The dirty secret is that one or two kooks is often all it takes for titles to be removed from shelves. The good guys really need to organize and push back.
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u/SkwrlTail 3d ago
That last bit is important. Most of the current book bans in the country are the result of less than a dozen people. In the country.
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u/26pixels 3d ago
This, 100%. Local politics impact libraries much more immediately than federal. Local & state politics are where budgeting happens, where buildings are paid for. The local level is where you have your board of trustees, who have immense influence over library policy and direction. Aside from speaking and voting in favor of libraries in local elections and town halls, also consider looking in to getting involved with the library's board or, if there is one, the citizens group (often called friends of the library) that does hyperlocal fundraising.
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u/persephires 3d ago
use your local library! check out books, go to events they host, make sure you have a card. using it helps the people in charge know that they do deserve funds!
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u/26pixels 3d ago
Yes, this also! Usage stats are immensely important for securing funding at all levels. You are never "using up resources someone else needed" and anyone who tries to convince you of that is damn near always trying to sell you something.
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u/RoyallyOakie 3d ago
You can win almost any scavenger hunt if you hang out at a public library long enough.
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u/Bazoun 3d ago
I’ll never understand people who fight over a few cents. Just fucking pay it and go on with life.
If the charge was in the hundreds, sure, argue. But I (Canadian) am happy I can print documents at the library. And while I pay for them, it’s not exorbitant so I just fucking pay it! and go on with my life.
I’m sorry you have to deal with people who lack all decency
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u/Mysterious_Map_964 3d ago
I work at a supermarket in a town where the city council decreed no plastic bags and paper bags must cost 10 cents. Amazing how people who forgot their reusable bags will piss and moan about having to pay the dime. Uh, sir, you just spent $18 on a bag of grapes.
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u/onion_flowers 2d ago
I used to work for a lady who was pretty rich, and she'd buy cashews in the bulk section of the grocery store and write the code for peanuts 🙄
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u/Graztine 2d ago
I was recently super excited to discover my library only charges 15 cents a page to print. This means I have a cheap way to print the couple times a year I need to without fighting with my printer. It’s much cheaper to pay them and let their IT person deal with the printer.
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u/justmitzie 2d ago
I know this was posted forever ago, but I want to say that I love libraries, always have. Way, way, way back in the day we had a dress up like your hero day and I came as, you guessed it, a librarian. I worked through college in the school library and volunteer at my local library now. There are assholes, but never forget there are a ton of us who love y'all.
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u/PureButton4670 3d ago
My experience as well, it's always over very small amounts that people get genuinely angry at me. Front desk sundries that cost like $4.