Reply to: Is it just me, or is everything sh*t these days?

[EternalOptimist]

I'll save you the trouble:

The army marched forward. The army marched back.



(Alternatively, it is currently being read on Radio 7. Part 1 of 10 is today.)

a good story must have a beginning, a middle and an end.
where's you middle bit ?

[pleomax]

And if you missed it you could get it on iplayer!

[BrowneIssue]

Tomorrow I will do war and peace.

I'll save you the trouble:

The army marched forward. The army marched back.



(Alternatively, it is currently being read on Radio 7. Part 1 of 10 is today.)

[darmstadt]

Check out Project Gutenberg for the classics for free. I spent an enjoyable contract once reading them all.

[chef]

- 80% of the stock is on shelves but the KPI says it should be 100% on loan;

surely that would make that particular library one of the worst libraries there is as nothing is available

[EternalOptimist]

Jack London ?
I'll save you the trouble - here is a synopsis

There was this dog right, a great big Allie. It was a happy dog till one day, right, it got kidnapped. Dognapped.
It ended up pulling a sled in Alaska and fighting other dogs. One day its new owner died and the dog went native.
the end.


Tomorrow I will do war and peace.

[NickFitz]

You want to live two miles from Saint Hill Manor. We must have the best stocked library in the UK for anyone who actually wants to read Ron Hubbard's crappy sci fi novels.

So stop requesting them

[xoggoth]

You want to live two miles from Saint Hill Manor. We must have the best stocked library in the UK for anyone who actually wants to read Ron Hubbard's crappy sci fi novels.

[Board Game Geek]

Everything is indeed poo, but that's as much to do with consumers wanting stuff "el cheapo", than it is to do with poor standards.

[MrMark]

Waterstones, Borders, Blackwells.
Amazon
The Internet.
OK, so libraries and smaller bookshops have been hit hard, but there's plenty of reading to be had out there.

For this reason I have to vote NO to your debate.

[TheRefactornator]

Since the title of this thread asked a specific question but then went on to discuss public libraries only, I'll chuck in my opinion since I know little about public libraries: everything I come into contact with in the UK service industry is indeed complete sh*t.

[BrowneIssue]

I asked my wife, the professional Librarian, for a comment but she got so angry I let it go.

The Librarians hate it far more than you do. It's to do with:

- libraries do not make money but all council departments are expected to make a profit;
- 80% of the stock is on shelves but the KPI says it should be 100% on loan;
- yoo dont need lybreez when theirs Google, innit.

So you'll have to make do with a comment from me:

Is it just me, or is everything sh*t these days?

Everything's sh*t.

[NickFitz]

Yes - I've got it (twice) and part two - evidently people think (correctly) I'm a Grumpy old man.

Didn't WH Smith publish all the classics for a quid each a whi;e back? I seem to recall libraries saying it wasn't worth them keeping them then esp as I seem to recall they couldn't buy 'em for a pound.

Penguin, Wordsworth and a few other publishers do loads of classics in cheap editions. There's usually an extensive choice in shops like Waterstones and Borders.

[PRC1964]

Do libraries not order books in for you these days?

Ours does They ordered a load of IT books for me last time I was benched. They are also quite good for DVD's as long as you don't want any film released in the last 18 months.

[Moscow Mule]

Do libraries not order books in for you these days?