Boston Public Library

I am not interested in arguing the list. I have a pretty good feeling that my library can beat these other libraries. But that's what the cutters want, they want to pit us one neighborhood against the other. I imagine the West End library is still there because modernizers of the past, in an effort to bring the West End into the 20th century, flattened the neighborhood in the name of progress, dense urban living and a major road interchange. But instead of a modern neighborhood, the West End became an infamous name, and a symbol of everything that went wrong in urban renewal. Even our own Brighton library was a clunky modern replacement for a much-loved and mourned older building.

As we have read in many comments, the present library system has arisen not from a coordinated plan, but often in a haphazard manner. Many of the defenders of these libraries remember the older, better library too. As any visitor to the Copley library can see, the older section was obviously built by a wealthier society that knew much more about what looked good and what aged well. But we are left with what we have, and even the shoddy replacement Brighton library serves patrons.

This one's right up Don's (the zak) alley. As reported in The Globe:

"Just as the Yankees took Babe Ruth, Boston's loss is our gain," said Tom Dunn, New York education department spokesman. "We are thrilled."

Bernard Margolis, the former head of the Boston Public Library, has gone head-to-head with the Menino administration since he was removed over his management style which Menino felt left the community branches disadvantaged at the expense of the Copley head branch. He will now be leading one of the nation's largest research libraries by running the NY State libraries.

Digital Restrictions protest photos. Boston Public Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/makoshark/sets/72157600127273939/show/with/2255532118/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/makoshark/

MAKOSHARK IS STRONG

Many people haven't yet used interlibrary loan readily available at our branch public libraries for books, audio and video not on the shelves within the immediate Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville and other Massachusetts' libraries systems.

Better software is being developed for tracking what titles library users/customers/consumers ask for.

Alternately new book suggestions, audio suggestions and video suggestions can be submitted for local branch libraries' collections.

Hints, tips and pointers for more effective use of interlibrary loan...

Branch Boston public libraries