To the Library!

One of man's many welcome refuges - the library. Now considered a thing of the past and an establishment fighting an ever losing battle against modernism and the abundant source of free information the Internet provides. But is it really? I'm not so sure.

I remember the worried news articles, ranting about the need to 'save our libraries', hitting a high around three or more years ago. And hurrah, libraries are still around. They have evolved. Councils have funded them, and you can now expect, on the most part, a modern, clean, comfortable world once you step through the doors of your local. Now libraries aren't just for books, they are about providing an in-house service. Provision of computers, Internet time, and classes aimed at teaching people, who just don't get computers, to 'get' them. Not to mention story and play time for children, and acting as a local hotspot and notice board for all community groups and activities. All this for minimal costs, if any, and without the risk of someone spilling their tea all over your keyboard like you would in a cafe.

One of my favourite things is the ability to rent pretty new DVDs for about £1 for a whole week! Sorry, but why someone would choose Blockbuster over that is beyond me!

The negative side, if you're lucky enough to consider it negative, is probably the 'eclectic' mix of people that do spend their time in a library. I say you'd be lucky because it is people who have no where else to go that go to the library. The homeless, the drug dependant, the lonely and probably slightly weird, and those who don't want to go home for whatever reason. This selection, who aren't as used to convening to society rules, often provide a few horror stories to people like my friend, who works in a library. This scales from rude to scary treatment, to finding a human poo amongst the isles....aahhh the 9 to 5, who'd have it!

All this considering, I'm happier knowing that there is a secondary support system in our society than just human kindness from change given in the street. This is a support system for everyone at the end of the day (sorry, that Jeremy Kyle phrase is just too useful). What inspired me to write this article is my recent need of a working space and environment. Fed up of my continued laziness and lack of discipline at home, I hibernated in my library and used the opportunity to concentrate on a mass application session. I am happy to say this has successfully led to me getting an internship in London, but more on that another time!

In conclusion, support your local! As it were. The library is a good place go. It's an extra study place, it gives you tech, classes, multimedia items and what d'ya know, some books as well.