You should try Mountain View or Los Altos' libraries. They are sooooo much nicer than Palo Altos. I think the whole PA library situation is one of the biggest failures of our city gov.

For the great reputation that PA has overall, it has neglected its libraries. When I first visited the libraries I was surprised. I had expected more for PA. Both Main and Mitchell are at best lack-luster. I usually use the Los Altos library on San Antonio. That library is significantly nicer. I'd recommend that PA residents visit the Los Altos library & compare, and then work together to improve the PA system.

FPAR

One of the problems with the PA library system is that there is not enough money to fund 5 libraries--you would think that a city like PA would be able to get along with a single large library like Mountain View.
After all, how big is Palo ALto that it needs 5 libraries.
However any attempts to close any branches leads to yelling and screaming from a vocal minority and the vilification of the director of the PA library system (we all know what happened to Paula Simpson).
This is another example of a failure of leadership by the City Council--they refuse to groiw a backbone and make difficult decisions regarding our antiquated library system. But considering their track record with Alma Plaza, The Hyatt, the utility department scandal (and the list goes on and on) it is not surprising that nothing will be done on this issue either.

Have we been going to the same libraries? I've certainly used the reference section in the main library numerous times.

I think it's pretty clear that you came to the library with a bias against it, ref your comments about Borders and replacing books with computers. Some of us know what libraries are really about.

I guess the gut the library system and branches and replace all those nasty books with electronics folks thought the town square would be a place to start a thread like this.

Really, you guys obviously are rolling in money and don't care about real libraries. Why don't you stay home, surrounded by your electronics and leave the libraries to people who really care about them. You've already ruined most of the rest of the town.

Since libraries are about books, that is what I would like to see there. My email was down last week and I went to the library to check it. I had to wait 90 minutes to get to an internet computer, if I wanted to use it for more than 15 mins. Since I only needed to check email, I managed to get to a terminal straight away, shown how to use it by a very helpful librarian and be out in 10 mins. I just couldn't understand who uses the internet at the library in their lunch hours, since students, who I expected to use the internet there were in school. However, there is obviously a need and I am glad it is being used.


However, back to books. I recently was recommended an author new to me and rushed over to the library to get the books. I had to put a hold on the books (which I did not mind if this is a popular author gaining in popularity), but the only books the library had was the first in the series (published mid 90s) and the later books in the series. Not wanting to jump into a series in the middle, it was suggested to me by the librarian to put in a request for the library to purchase these books and they would mail me when the books were in. I had to put in a request for each book separately and each request was denied due to "insufficient funds to purchase books published over 10 years ago" or some such nonsence and each request was mailed to me separately with individual postage. Firstly, a popular series where books are being put on hold by people who want to read the series would obviously to me to make sense to get the books in the earlier series available and secondly wasting money on mailing me separately with the denial, all annoyed me. What the library hierarchy is doing is not listening to what the patrons want. The librarians all agree with me that they should get the early series books in and were very helpful in telling me which other libraries in Santa Clara had copies, but actually making these books available to me to read would have been the ideal. Who makes these decisions and how money is spent and wasted should certainly be considered.

Actually, Jane, I do really care about libraries - that's why I was so disappointed.

I won't try to make suggestions since I just get flamed (though there are a lot of ways of dealing with access to reference books without taking up valuable floor space). What I will say is that I want libraries to be a place that can help instill a love of reading, learning & sense of community. Unfortunately the main Palo Alto fails abysmally at all these. And your fix to this, Jane, is to tell people "Why don't you stay home" and not use them...(?)

r.

p.s. Beevis, thanks, I'll try the Mountain View library - even their website looks refreshing.

Jane, we do care about "real" libraries, that is why we find what they call in PA, a library, disappointing.

Los Altos and Mountain View and Redwood City and Cupertino and Santa Clara (need I go on?) all have WONDERFUL public libraries! Please check them out! Palo Alto could have had several nice ones by now if some residents hadn't had the requirement of going too far and requiring so many small branches here - it really is unworkable/unsustainable and I think time is showing me to be correct on this.

I tend to agree that Palo Alto library budget is stretched too far over its many branches-- but you guys are all forgetting that a HUGE survey was done, of a significant majority of Palo Alto residents, that overwhelmingly said "KEEP the branches"-- so the Library Commission has acceded to the citizenry and so has the City Council. And Paula Simpson was villified by many for even suggesting a change to a single central library (actually the historic Children's Library was going to be kept, too).
So complaining about it now doesn't seem to help-- where were you all when the survey and all that fuss was going on?
Instead of just complaining and going to other cities' libraries, why not do something about it? Maybe a petition? A counter-survey? Think of something productive to make the change you want happen...

Sometimes "Huge Surveys" aren't the way to get things done unfortunately. If you ask, most people will say they want their city library near where THEY live. If you ask, people want their governments to spend money on programs THEY use. That's where real leadership comes in and makes the hard decisions. And the silent majority needs to wake up and back up leaders who make tough decisions - like the need/logic of going to a central library

If you are in favor of an upgraded and expanded Mitchell Park Library, now is the time to let the City Council know this is important to you.

In December, the Library Advisory Commission (LAC) will present its final report to the Palo Alto City Council, who will then make a decision on this important issue.

A petition has been launched to demonstrate community support for expanding the Mitchell Park Library. To sign the petition, go to:

Web Link

Read about the new "Teen Zone" added to the Main Library at this site: Web Link

Maybe a tad late for this thread, but having a readily available city budget online with, in addition, abstracts, and simplifying visuals such as pie charts, bar charts, graphs, etc. would help us all better understand what is reasonable and what requires community participation/donations outside the city budget.

What is the library budget and where do the funds come from?
What are the duties of the Library Commission and how effective is it?
Tell us about Friends of the Library in specifics.
How many salaried positions, volunteers, internships, how many hours, are involved? What do benefits and pensions cost?
Are these accounted for separately as library costs or lumped into city costs?

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