Comments on: Can a Library be your Office?

By: natan

natan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:36:12 +0000

I am working out of a library in Antwerp Belgium for 6 months now. I'm a designer and the surrounding books are not only a pleasant backdrop while working but are very usefull to me. I can just stand up and reach for just that info that I need or take a break when needed and read something of interest.
the library is a very airy building with lots of light and space. we have working area's with power plugs and wired internet. slower wireless internet is available troughout the building, as are ground sockets for power.
I love the ability to sit back in a comfy lounge chair in the reading area and to take place at one of the tables to write or to make drawings. when meeting with people I meet in the lounge area or in an area that is more or less seperate from the rest of the building. There even is a meeting room available that can be rented when needed. There is a fax and copy machine that can be used for a small fee and next to the library building is a very nice coffe shop with a daily fresh cooked menu at a very acceptable price of 7 Euro's. I love the fact that everything is so close and that it is all free or very cheap to use. I don't need to bother with finding food or driks and as mentioned somewhere before I meet a lot of very interesting people along the way. in my opinion all offices should be like this, why bother going elswhere!? I will be doing this for a long time and can't really see how a 'normal' office could beat it. it saves me lot's of money, gives me hastlefree use and is probably the most ecological thing to do. true nomad style!

By: natan

natan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:36:12 +0000

By: What Office? | The Tiny Life

What Office? | The Tiny Life — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:49:22 +0000

[...] about Libraries (I love how on the internet you can find people jazzed up about everything!) . In his post he discusses how Libraries are becoming the new office. With computers, wifi, fax machines, copy machines and a slew of research materials its no wonder [...]

By: It’s Your Library, Too: On Being a Valued Library Customer — CECILY.info

It’s Your Library, Too: On Being a Valued Library Customer — CECILY.info — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:38:20 +0000

[...] find that most if not all of the virtues he writes about are available at your local library. David Lee King went through the same exercise and reached the same [...]

By: Enzo Abbagliati

Enzo Abbagliati — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:05:13 +0000

Ups… the link:
http://abbagliati.blogspot.com/2009/03/puede-una-biblioteca-ser-tu-oficina.html

By: Enzo Abbagliati

Enzo Abbagliati — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:04:45 +0000

David, here is the link to your post translated to Spanish an published in my blog:

By: Laura H.

Laura H. — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:27:31 +0000

Thanks for the clarification, David. The hat analogy cleared things up for me.

By: Brian Herzog

Brian Herzog — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:30:06 +0000

Funny - I was honestly just talking today with a freelance reporter who has been working out of my library for months. We don't serve food or drink, but we allow it, along with respectful cell phone use, wifi, and talking above a whisper. Our conversation was about how she is getting her research done and stories written so quickly that she's been able to expand her freelance work to writing marketing materials for local businesses. So in addition to being useful to our patrons, we're even contributing to a little economic stimulus.

By: davidleeking

davidleeking — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:51:52 +0000

Josh – no beef with finding a job being more important than being comfortable, if having to choose … but I see no reason why both can’t take place at the same time.

And – “Right now, my library has bigger things to worry about than whether or not we serve food and drink to businesspeople” – not really where I was going with that. My library has a cafe. Yay for us. Other libraries that don’t can simply allow covered drinks in the library (you wouldn’t believe the amount of consternation that simple idea can cause).

By: davidleeking

davidleeking — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:48:50 +0000

Laura H., and others that are “a bit bothered by [my] statement that “People without computers? They are not my branch’s clientele, simply stated.” Let me clarify a bit.

Yes, yes – lots of people use our website and our computers who don’t have one at home – of course those are also my customers. A longer version of what I think about that would go along the lines of “everyone in Shawnee County has a computer, because they all have access to the library.”

But at the same time, I was responding to Rochelle, who said: “I am seeing people in their 50s and 60s who … have to fill out online apps … don’t have email addresses … never touched a mouse …” These people don’t have computers, and obviously haven’t ever used a computer, or even had a reason to, in or out of the library. Honestly, seriously … no, these people really aren’t a digital librarian’s customers … not until they show some interest, anyway. People unfamiliar with computers who take a computer basics class at the library? They are showing an interest, and are my customer.

Why does this sound so odd? I see it as very similar to a TV ad agency – they aren’t marketing to people who don’t own TVs, are they?

Our websites should all be extremely easy to use and should be as quickly intuitive as putting on a hat is to the average person. But if that person hates hats, doesn’t see the sense in wearing one, doesn’t like how they feel, and hopes to retire before having to wear one … well then, that person is not my customer. Not until they want a hat, anyway.