Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Please borrow books from Stroud Green & Harringay library
Apparently, despite the recent refurbishment, Stroud Green and Haringey library is constantly under threat of closure because not enough people borrow books from there. I've relied on Haringey libraries for years, borrowing both for myself and my son when he was young. The library has a great selection both of children's books and adult fiction/non-fiction, and also DVDs. In addition they will order books for you from another Haringey library for free and I have sometimes asked them to buy books which I thought would be good to have in the library.
Use it or lose it, as they say!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Moreover, when you borrow from a local library you ensure that the authors get payment via the Public Lending Right which for many of the less "big name" authors is a source of income. It's often the case that families will borrow books for the children but don't take out books for themselves. So if you go to the library regularly with a little one, why not pick up a book or two for yourself (or even 12!).
You can renew online up to 6 times through the app which also allows you to order books from the catalogue which is now free. Your library card also enables you to access other services too such as free audiobooks and ebooks (all of which I use as well as borrowing tons of books). Your library card also allows access to various research databases including Ancestry in their branches and you can get PressReader which lets you read papers and magazines online. They also have an amazing catalogue of works in reserve stock which was an enormous help when I was doing OU courses and sometimes you find yourself with beautiful first editions when you request a backlisted book.
I like to use the library both to get books that I would prefer not to buy, like crime thrillers, or books that I might read about but are quite expensive to buy and which if I don't enjoy would be a waste of a tenner. It's also a way of experimenting with genres/authors that you might not want to spend money on in case you don't enjoy them.
And it's all FREE!
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There are also plans to be parted of a bigger consortium that allows Haringey users access to other London libraries
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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Which used to be called 'Inter Library Loan' - but somehow disappeared. I used to borrow music from the Barbican library through Haringey.
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To add to this I note that existing users need to agree to new terms and conditions before 2nd December in order to use the library after that time. This wasn’t flagged up to me on my last visit I have to say although the plan was pointed out to me. To accept the conditions you can log in with your library card here
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Permalink Reply by Paul Skelton on
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Thanks for posting this. I joined recently it would be a shame if it closed. I'll get borrowing.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Maddy, Can I please ask where you've seen or heard any evidence that "Stroud Green and Harringay library is constantly under threat of closure".
I would never dismiss any such risk. In years gone past so-called senior councillors have expressed ambitions to shut libraries. I've played a small part in opposing such plans. But please let's have some solid verification. Even if it's an audio or video of some loose talk.
Issues of low library usage are indeed relevant but more because the nature of public libraries and their 21st Century role is a vital public issue. Especially as Covid levels are now falling. But also because of a wide range of obvious cultural and technical changes.
The Libraries Consortium page on the Council's website highlights some of these.
https://www.haringey.gov.uk/news/haringey-council-joins-libraries-c...
But plainly there are far deeper issues. Our relationship to books & print media and with screens is changing.Have people come across the work of Maryanne Wolf and her colleagues on the "The Reading Brain in a Digital World'?
I'd also appreciate anyone who can recommend me to some books, articles, podcasts or videos by people who have mapped out the issues of 21st Century local public libraries. And who have some workable proposals.
Especially authors and researchers with a UK or European background. Of course I don't dismiss the U.S. stuff. But I suspect we have some cultural issues here which need attention paid to them.
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It came from a post on a Crouch End Facebook page, saying that the librarians had been told they need to up their book borrowing quotas. Can't find the post any more, so unable to verify. Good to remind people that libraries exist - we are lucky in Haringey to have such an extensive service after so many years of cuts.
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Thanks again Maddy.
Well, maybe the person who posted on a Facebook page will be a little more forthcoming. Or perhaps some librarians will follow through on their public information functions and post something here about the existence of "book borrowing quotas" as such.
It's clear why such statistics can be a broad indication. But just as obviously there's very much more to libraries (and the skills of librarians) than those crude numbers.
I entirely agree with you that we're dead lucky to retain Haringey's network of Libraries. It's a solid foundation to build on. Especially after the era when the Muswell Hill Colonial Administration rid itself of so many Tottenham-based services.
But the world of books, writing and bookselling has changed. Not only because of the internet, but also the overwhelming marketing power of Amazon.
~
Which reminds me of something else. Since I developed cataracts, now to read comfortably I use an Amazon Kindle ereader previously belonging to a friend. Being a book fan I was reluctant even to try it. But I have to admit it's designed extremely well. (Sort of reminds me of when I first bought a Terry's Anglepoise desk lamp and thought: "That's just about perfect!")
Anyway, I'd very much like to have comments from anyone using the latest KOBO the non-Amazon alternative. With my eyesight it seems to promise some really useful improvements.
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