Today we received a survey asking us what furnishings would induce us to use the library more often. Because apparently people go to libraries for furnishings.
There were zero questions (and I mean, none, not one) about what books or movies we would like to see at the library. Please don’t assume that books were addressed in other surveys. As I wrote before, our library got rid of books a while ago and is now buying up these stupid furnishings – sofas, armchairs, bean bags, settees – to fill the space from which books were banished.
Contrary to expectations, this didn’t attract more people to the library, so librarians are now trying to figure out how to improve the furnishings. The library is turning into a museum of fussy furniture but the poor buggers aren’t getting it.
Clarissa's Blog 
Is it multiple choice, or can you list “a good collection of books on xyz topic” or specific volumes you’d like to read, as furnishings?
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My university’s library did a big remodel about ten years ago. They added a cafe, made a ton of individual and group study areas for students, and also put some new classroom spaces into the library. Faculty were skeptical, but that part of the library was soon packed with students. I don’t know that students are any more likely to read books, but I think it is useful for the librarians to be able to brag about how many people use the building every day to administrators. But our campus has lots of students living in somewhat crowded dorms and I believe you have said that lots of your students commute to class – I could imagine that this strategy wouldn’t work as well at a commuter heavy school.
For what it’s worth, our library still has plenty of books in the building, but I think they did get rid of a lot of printed journals around the same time because no one goes and gets the printed ones if it’s available online.
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Our public library has a cafe. I’ve never seen anybody in it.
If it comes down to real, actual furnishings, I do like a library with comfy vinyl-upholstered chairs (easy to clean!), and those little study cubicles that signal “please don’t talk to me I’m working”.
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There’s yoyr answer then: bookshelves.
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That’s exactly what I wrote on the survey. :-))))
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lol – My local community college is doing the same thing. There are signs all over the library asking students to fill out a survey about the furnishings, nothing about library materials. It must be a national trend. (I’m in California – taking a Spanish class, as it happens!)
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Interesting. It’s like a memo dropped, and now librarians everywhere are ditching books for furniture. I guess it makes sense since furniture can’t commit speech crimes.
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