Dulwich Library

[bookstamper]

Just been to Dulwich Library it looks fantastic I like the self issue,any body else been?

[StraferJack]

Mrs strafer and straferette went today and were quite vocal in their endorsement

[steveo]

Didn't Father Jack go?

[KestonKid]

Thought it was a great improvement all round. The four terminals in the lobby are really easy and quick to use, and the main ground floor room seems bigger and lighter. There is one desk for enquiries though so users, as before, can still speak to a real person.

[Lynne]

I agree, nice and light and easy to use. But I can't see that the actual stock, which is after all why we go, has improved

Lynne

[legalalien]

Does anyone know if the library takes book donations? I have about 10 recently published modern fiction books that I've read and are in good nick.

[KestonKid]

I asked about donating some (new) books a year or two ago and was told that the policy was that they would take only books which they already had in their system.

[Lynne]

Lewisham used to, subject to approval

Lambeth might too

Lynne.

[Nigello]

There are plenty of new books, which is great, but even better is that they have got whole sets or series from a particular author. They have lots of new Ian Flemings and stacks of Margaret Atwood, for example.

The acoustics are bad, though: even non-raised voices sound loud.

The self-service counters are easy to use and do cut down the queues.

[Ruffler]

I agree about the acoustics. Call me old fashioned, but I do like a bit of hush in a library. I was there earlier today and even the lift seemed to make a huge amount of noise.

[tfm33]

"GOING UP? GOING UP? GOING UP? GOING UP"

You mean that lift?

[Ruffler]

Yep, that's the one!

[AGW3]

I've been and the upstairs where you can sit down with your laptop is a lot better; there are points at every table for plugging in laptop now and it's generally refreshed.

[legalalien]

Already in their system = precensored I guess. Maybe I'll give them a call. (Or post in classifieds to see if anyone wants some free books. :). )

[catalpa]

I don't like it, it's like a supermarket. There's hardly anywhere for the poor people working there to sit down. Seems a bit harsh to make them be on their feet all day.

[MrDude21]

They need more seating areas, I have been today to do some work and every point I turn everyone is in a spot and upstairs is completely packed but I have to say it looks nicer and modern!

[maxxi]

I disagree Dude - libraries aren't just for people who want to work on their laptops. The problem with Peckham Library is that it's like a giant internet cafe with a few books squeezed around the outside - and they even have a separate floor set aside for 'quiet study' - I like the room and light Dulwich seems to have now.

[siousxiesue]

catalpa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I don't like it, it's like a supermarket. There's

> hardly anywhere for the poor people working there

> to sit down. Seems a bit harsh to make them be on

> their feet all day.

It's the new thing, staff are called 'floor walkers' and expected to do just that all day long...

[mrure26]

I take books to charity shops.

[Sue]

I went yesterday and I like it, but I apologise to everyone who had to wait whilst I took ages to work out how to use the self-serve thing for CDs - even with very patient help from one of the staff :))

One of the terminals was out of use.

I don't think the Southwark Libraries website is as clear as it might be, and it seems to be out of date, eg for CD hire charges.

I want to browse the whole catalogue online (music and books), and I can't see a way to do that without putting in search words.

Also some of their allocations to music categories seems quite weird, so for example sorting on the genre "English Folk" only brought up five CDs, but probably that's because most of them are categorised under "Pop" or "World". ... doesn't make it easy to see what they've got .....

ETA: Just clicked on "more like this" for a Shirley Collins CD, and what came up included Shostakovich and David Bowie - EH?!?!?!

[dukesdenver]

I went on Saturday. Nice to see it busy with lots of enticing new books on display, but presumably there isn't enough study space as there were people sitting on the floor between the bookshelves which put me off browsing.

[bookstamper]

Yes I find this very annoying to

[Bluerevolution]

I was in there today from 3pm until 8pm as a volunteer for Dulwich festivals "Here they Come" exhibition (History of famous Dulwich residents past and present in the form of locally made Scarecrows: sub note a fascinating guided iPod tour is available free of charge !! I'm there 9am til 230pm Thursday !! )

Anyway, post school it was like a (4pm onwards) f#cking youth club. No disrespect to the staff, they did their absolute best to keep calm and in control but they couldn't.

As simply there as a volunteer I wasn't allowed to get involved, boy did I want to, the disrespect shown to to a library let alone adults was fist clenching.

Not wanting/wishing to make this an issue/item but they were all black early teens in school uniform. Police were called in the end.

So as much as the doings have been much more nicer there is talk of security being needed

[bookstamper]

I don't think I'll be going back here.

[the-e-dealer]

Black teens. Get the Wicker out!