Old Library, New Library

I've always found it rather interesting to compare and contrast libraries. I guess I spend more time in them than others, sparking that habit. Where I grew up, we were roughly equal distances from libraries belonging to two systems: there was the Phoenix Library, and there was the Scottsdale Library. Little things made them different from each other. It started with the cards. Phoenix had a plain vermillion-like red one which about matched the license plates in use at the time. Scottsdale's was both more colorful and less memorable. Apart from that, the physical edifices just had different feels to them. The functional differences were trivial by comparison. The computers became the biggest of those differences, and they were about the same.

Where I am now, there are several different systems, three of which I have received cards for. One of those, Santa Monica, has now expired without my having made a second trip succeeding the one I took to get the card. I obviously therefore can made no credible judgments on that one. The other two are the Los Angeles Library and now the Glendale Library. I'm quite grateful for the presence of the latter, which makes up for some of the shortcomings creating by merciless rounds of budget cuts to the former. Glendale's branches remain open on Sundays and Mondays, which is a blessing. Also very nice are their pretty designs for cards. That's correct- there are multiple designs, and the patron has a choice. Also rather neat is the apparent availability of automated checkout machines, which they had at the systems in Arizona when I was a kid, but which remains unavailable in Los Angeles. That about sums up the advantages held by Glendale.

Something that may or may not be good is the availability of antiquated technology which I have not really noticed too much at LAPL branches. At least the microfiche machines were seeing some use, unlike the typewriters. Admittedly I've seen the later at LAPL branches. Definitely negatives for Glendale are their more restrictive limits on computer use and policy of charging for checking out DVDs. There seem to be fewer branches, but I would imagine that fewer are needed. They seem to have shorter lending periods, which could be an issue even for me. The LAPL wins on those scores, and any others I haven't thought to mention.

To the detriment of both systems is the relative distance of each one's nearest branch to me personally. Both are just too far. Neither is prohibitively far, but I can realistically walk to neither. Anyone could tell them that I'm a person they want to ensure has easy access. I can be a valued patron or a powerful enemy. I'll put up with this inconvenience as long as I have to, and no longer. Of course, all this I've gleaned on a fairly cursory examination of Glendale. There may yet be more to learn about them, and I'll naturally catalog all data I collect during the next couple of months.