What is it with libraries?

So where, I used to live, the two libraries in the city got a grant to update. The city got rid of most of the books, designed the libraries so they didn't hold the stacks very well, and made it more of a Starbucks with more books and computers.

The one that was closest to my house was designated a "home work station" meaning somewhere kids could go after school to do homework. If you could get them to walk there. From my home, it was 2 miles one way. Kids would get dropped off at the High school, junior high and elementary schools by their parents which would be even closer than the library.

So after I moved to Ypsi, I figured the Library would be better. I got a chance to go check it out this weekend. I've driven past it several times on the way to a friend's house. It doesn't look like a library, or at least what I think one should look like. It looked more like a new age church. Strike one against it.

I went in, again lots of open space, the stacks are crammed together, and more I want to be a coffee house with books feel. The stacks are so close together that you can't walk down the aisle if someone is already in that row. They did have more books, than Dearborn Heights. If you could find them. I looked up several books, they said they were on the shelf but nothing was found in that area. And I mean area, since whoever stacks the books, only tries to get the system half right. As long as the first 3 and the first dot number (005.8) line up, the book is put away. Sometimes they didn't even get that right. Some books would be 2 units away from the .8 book, because they saw a .8 book there already.

A lot of the books I was looking for, Little Brother, Your Money or Your Life, Head First Algebra, or a few others whose names escape me right now. The online catalog says that they have The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness, which I wasn't looking for at the time, but will go back and check tonight on the way home.

The customer service was less than stellar. The first person I dealt with, behind the counter, was semi-nice. However you could tell she was getting irritated because she kept doing the same thing. Signing people up for library cards, you could tell she would rather be doing something else.

The lady at the information desk was just flat out rude. I was waiting patiently for someone to help me. Not making a nuisance of myself, just standing there. One lady was helping someone else. The rude one was on the phone. She put the person on hold, turned to me and snarled "What do you want?". I asked my question and when on my way. The person behind me got a snarled "what do you need?".

It was rather sad.

However when I got the card. Your initial limit is 3 items. Audio and Video have a 2 week loan, books a 3 week loan. After you bring back your first 3 items, you can get 100 items at a time. Now only if they had the books I'm interested in.