It is needlessly provocative and shamelessly antagonistic behavior to pit books against technology. No one should ever do this. They are both sources of information. They are entirely different species, never meant to compete with each other. None of which explains the delicious thrill some of us feel when we hear that book reading in the Public Library system of Cincinnati and Hamilton County skyrocketed 12.5 percent last year while audio-visual circulation climbed a "mere" 5.7 percent.No insult to DVDs, CDs, Twitter, Flutter, Flipper, Dipper or Gumby. It's just great news to learn that books, whose death is periodically predicted, are no longer on the endangered list - at least not here. Last year 15.6 million items were checked out of the 41 libraries in the Hamilton County system. The Main Library downtown is the single busiest library in the nation despite serving the 34th largest market. People may have stashed their credit cards in a drawer, but 250,000 Hamilton County adults, teenagers and kids flashed their library "plastic" last year.
In lean times and fat times alike, the public library is the one place where it's always OK to overindulge. The economy is no doubt a factor in the library's banner year. Not only did the borrow-rather-than-buy principle find new appeal, but people flocked to reference materials and programs that helped with job searches, resume writing and interview skills. Still, there is more to the library's appeal than economics. Much of it has to do with how a library makes you feel.
Sanctuary might be an overly serious word, but a library projects an unmistakable sense of civility and calm. Young and old come together peaceably here, rich and poor, readers of mysteries and lovers of ancient philosophy. A library is a bastion of non-judgementalism and one of society's great equalizers.
This atmosphere is in no way accidental. Librarians are almost eerily aware of what goes on inside your head. They know your tastes better than you do, being trained to cut through your vague references to plot or author and put their hands on what you need.
So they know, for example, about that independent streak that makes you want to handle your library business yourself. When 12 libraries put in self-checkouts last year, usage soared. There's something oddly empowering about knowing how to unlock DVD cases all by yourself.
Equally appealing is the library's unusual status as an intensely private public space. It's the one place you can move in the presence of others without saying a word and not be thought rude. The library "dance" is the epitome of socialized behavior, strangers gracefully giving way to one another as they peruse books and DVDs. Yes, cell phones ring and children sometimes use their playground voices, but library users still rank among the most civilized creatures on earth.
That is not to paint too Victorian a picture. The library's Web site had 87 million hits last year, making it the far busiest "branch" in the family. Patrons download audio books onto their MP3 players and reserve books at 3 a.m. from the privacy of their home computers. This week, the library's summer reading program kicks off for children, teens and - this year - adults. There are prizes to be won, plus you get smarter. Nice way to spend a summer.
Sanctuary might be an overly serious word, but a library projects an unmistakable sense of civility and calm. Young and old come together peaceably here, rich and poor, readers of mysteries and lovers of ancient philosophy. A library is a bastion of non-judgementalism and one of society's great equalizers.
This atmosphere is in no way accidental. Librarians are almost eerily aware of what goes on inside your head. They know your tastes better than you do, being trained to cut through your vague references to plot or author and put their hands on what you need.
So they know, for example, about that independent streak that makes you want to handle your library business yourself. When 12 libraries put in self-checkouts last year, usage soared. There's something oddly empowering about knowing how to unlock DVD cases all by yourself.
Equally appealing is the library's unusual status as an intensely private public space. It's the one place you can move in the presence of others without saying a word and not be thought rude. The library "dance" is the epitome of socialized behavior, strangers gracefully giving way to one another as they peruse books and DVDs. Yes, cell phones ring and children sometimes use their playground voices, but library users still rank among the most civilized creatures on earth.
That is not to paint too Victorian a picture. The library's Web site had 87 million hits last year, making it the far busiest "branch" in the family. Patrons download audio books onto their MP3 players and reserve books at 3 a.m. from the privacy of their home computers. This week, the library's summer reading program kicks off for children, teens and - this year - adults. There are prizes to be won, plus you get smarter. Nice way to spend a summer.
Next fall, Hamilton Countians may be asked to support a library levy. The state has cut $10 million from the local system, and its reserves are being eaten through.
It wouldn't hurt a bit, as we enjoy their bounty this summer, to think about what public libraries are worth to us, and how to keep them strong. Bad economy or good, it's never wise to let such a gem slip through our fingers.
It wouldn't hurt a bit, as we enjoy their bounty this summer, to think about what public libraries are worth to us, and how to keep them strong. Bad economy or good, it's never wise to let such a gem slip through our fingers.
Krista Ramsey is a member of the Enquirer Editorial Board; kramsey@enquirer.com.
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