We're taking a bit of a breather while the world rearranges its underpants. Meanwhile, the other blog is here.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

You know it is, it really is

Mary's asked me for some figures on the status of our stock. Much to both of our suprise, I find that 47% of the lending stock bought in 2006/7 has never been on loan.

Not quite so much to our surprise, the libraries with hugely disproportionately moribund stock are those with resident librarians.

If they're not selecting the stock, editing the stock or promoting the stock, and if they don't want to do reader advisory on the enquiry desk, what are they actually doing that requires librarians?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Alas, I have become the victim of a consumerist society, I buy my books from oxfam and then return them after I've read them. You have inspired me to find my local library and talk to the librarians, though perhaps not to ask about lunch suggestions

Kevin Musgrove said...

Oxfam's good - I've got all my Biggles books from there.

Enjoy your local library, they're pretty good despite everything. (-;

Gadjo Dilo said...

Libraries (especially the proper old-fashioned ones with moribund stock and real librarians who never speak) should be regarded as sacred buildings.

Kevin Musgrove said...

gd: Oh no. I'd hate to imagine the librarians at Dutch Bend Reference Library as objects of veneration.

Lavinia said...

That's *precisely* what I'd like to know....(sounds of Lavinia's impatient foot tapping)....