BR Metro councilman shocked many people still go to the library

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"That's about 250 per day. I don't know that city hall has that many visitors,"

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because people have just as much of a reason to visit city hall as they do the library

I've found that people that no longer have a use for public libraries assume that few people have use for them. It's not the case.

I worked at that downtown library while in college. Many people who visit during the day (at least when I worked there)were homeless fwiw. It's a safe place for them to be during the day that is temperature controlled and gives them something to do(many of them would just sit and read all day). As long as they were not being disruptive...we always let them stay.

I'm shocked that many can read.

in delgado land

douchebag nightclubs yes
libraries no

homeless people want to use the internet too

I don't think he was shocked that people go to the library, he was shocked that it would cost $15,000 per month to house the library temporarily while the new one is being built.

First of all, downtown doesn't need a new library with the Carver branch so close and so recently renovated.

Secondly, if you're going to renovate the library downtown, the design they have is ridiculous and wasteful.

Third, if you're going to use the ridiculous and wasteful design, there's no need to keep the library open while you remodel it.

Finally, if you're going to rent space to keep the library open while it's being remodeled, space an be had downtown for a hell of a lot cheaper than $15,000/month!

Let's do the math:
$15,000/month = $500/day
250 people/day means it costs the library system $2/day/person just in rent. For an organization like a library, that's insanity. That's not even accounting for overhead to staff it and run it, that's just rent.

Renting a space for $15,000 per month to temporarily house the library is a massive waste of resources. It's unnecessary, and even if it was, it can be done much cheaper.

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I've found that people that no longer have a use for public libraries assume that few people have use for them. It's not the case.

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the library was my DVD torrent factory before torrents were cool

the nashville library is awesome; you can 'rent' eBooks and they have a 3d printer you can use.

people still think libraries are stuffy affairs with card catalogs on 3x5 yellow paper.

Well what I haven't seen brought in the couple articles that I have read about this lately is the continued growth of the downtown population. The library's use will continue to grow as more people move downtown. Especially since they appear to be doing this one right.

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Many people who visit during the day (at least when I worked there)were homeless

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Agreed. I was called to be in a jury pool a few years ago and just about the only people in the library were homeless beggars and the jury pools who were sent there to wait it out until they were called for a trial.

I sat near the book check out desk for three hours reading a book I brought with me and during that entire time I saw exactly two people check out a book.