Martoons

Hi mARToons fan!

Libraries have traditionally been known as very boring places.

Not anymore.

They are one of a dying breed of public spaces left.

One reason is safety.

Society is now paranoid about “staying safe” and a library is one place pretty much anyone can go and be safe.

Libraries are basically community centres now, not just places to go and read books and get a few photocopies done.

But libraries will have to continue to evolve to stay relevant and continue drawing the big blocks of taxpayer’s money that they do.

One idea is more group rooms where students or like-minded folks can gather and DISCUSS ideas or work on projects.

“Shhh!” used to be a commonly heard scolding in libraries, but not anymore.

People need to talk to each other face to face, and a library group room is one place they can do that without disturbing the book worms.

“But we have no space for such rooms!” cries an old craggy librarian.

Wrong.

There is space, it just currently has the wrong stuff in it.

Like what?

Like books that nobody reads.

One library I attended recently has a whole stacks dedicated to how to make printed books.

Obsolete!

Get rid of those books and open up that space for whatever users are needing it for.

Long live libraries.

Cheers, mARTy West, editor, clickmARToons.com

Contact: west_martin@hotmail.com

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