The Library

Went to the downtown library today...book sale in full swing until 5 pm...bag sale tomorrow. But here's the thing...I wanted to log on to the internet and mention the book sale while I was there, but THERE IS NOT A SINGLE INTERNET-CAPABLE COMPUTER ON THE FIRST FLOOR...ANYWHERE. All the computers that can access the internet have been moved to the 2nd floor reference section. The attendants at the desk basically said they had no voice in the design of the new library, so I want to know WHO DID? This layout is completely RIDICULOUS.

Talk to Eric and Hallmark.....they were raving on the design. I simply thought a simple use of the old space with more stations for the public would have worked.........the inmates have taken over the asylum.

So I guess free WI-FI and free use of the computers is not enough?. The computers need to be real close to the door?. LOL I never noticed, I have a smart phone and a tablet that hooks up on the Wi-Fi. It is a damn nice place. I really like it.
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Those computers in your photo are in the children's section, Hallmark, and they are not internet accessible. The last time I was at the library, there was a single computer in the lobby of the new building, but it's no longer there. There's also a ton of empty floor space in that area. In the old library, there were several computer stations grouped between the checkout and the main entrance at the back. That way, a patron could search for a particular book in the non-reference sections without having to go upstairs to the reference section where most of the computers were located, look at the bestseller's lists, search by author, etc. In this case, I wanted to access this forum and let everyone know about the book sale, but by that time I had an armload of books and was ready to leave.

Maybe this is still a transitional thing, but it doesn't make any sense to me, and apparently my estimation is shared by the people who work there, because they told me they weren't included in the decision process.

Remember when I was arguing with Seaoat (LOL) about the need for bricks and mortar and real books, not just virtual ones? It was his position that a basic computer lab should constitute the library of the future. What I witnessed is the opposite extreme. This is, after all, the 21st Century. Aside from that, if we were to go the old route, there are also no card catalogs anywhere to be seen.

Since you brought the subject up......how many classrooms don't have computers? Why is internet access required for students? Will the internet access be censored due to content?

It's one thing to read an Erotic Book, it's another thing to watch the film on the internet.

Then again, maybe the Gosnell live birth abortions should be on the MSM broadcasts. Remember, there was another Clinic, doing the same thing. Wonder why PP didn't close it down until the Gosnell Trial?

@ NaNook
I was really hoping you would not find the Adult and Abortion section of the library

Five Million a year down the drain for brick and mortar........as we teach kids to read paper books which are piled up in stacks.......I had to stop at the blacksmith last night......these books are very expensive to purchase, they are very expensive to store, and they are usually outdated in months when dealing with the fast pace of technology. A decade ago I went to every library college, Jr. College, and public to get some technology books for a project.......they were 10 years outdated.....and I swear I found books talking about punch cards......this was the librarian rescue mission and had nothing to do with a modern library.

So what was happening at Stooderville this week? That is a 8,000 dollar a day drain on the city. The CMPA still has not figured out how to pay for the 500,000 loan. I use and enjoy the library............... Tuff Shit if you dont....

One will pay for the park in full in thirty years, and one will have accrued 150 million of misplaced resources with the other..........but it is good you are using one of them. Michael Jackson created his own amusement park.......when you are rich you can spend your money like you want....we are no longer a wealthy nation which can allow nationwide these masoleums.
We need small efficient and online libraries.....with a small section for illustrations and a few books.......instead we will pay utilities, books, and staff for a concept which worked well when we had blacksmiths. If this trend was only restricted to Pensacola it would be manageable, but all over this country these monstrosities have been built and they are cutting back hours, and the public is actually getting less access to content. It is about content, not the package which delivers the same.....not about a cozy place for street people to congregate while we continue this illusion that children cannot learn in their own homes when given the wonderful tools of electronic content.

NaNook wrote:Since you brought the subject up......how many classrooms don't have computers? Why is internet access required for students? Will the internet access be censored due to content?

It's one thing to read an Erotic Book, it's another thing to watch the film on the internet.

Then again, maybe the Gosnell live birth abortions should be on the MSM broadcasts. Remember, there was another Clinic, doing the same thing. Wonder why PP didn't close it down until the Gosnell Trial?

Good God, how can you try to switch subjects to abortion from talking about the public library? Do you know what an obsession is? You should go look it up.

Maybe go look it up online. You'll be hard pressed to find a dictionary in print anywhere anymore.

The reason computers are available to school students is that the world will no longer be using books in print in about 20 years. It's called progress, or evolution. It's probably called progress to you because you probably don't believe in evolution.

@Oats
You are aware that the 5 mil is for the entire system.
I am sure you will find fault with the opulence of this branch of the Library
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These folks have no trouble at all providing a creative environment for their children to study. Damn a Library "Let them use their I pads" Gee-zus
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I guess this is just a waste of Money to some people. The audacity to recycle a old school building.

Think any of the down town crowd knows where "Molino" is? There is much more to Escambia county than bars and Olive oil shops. LOL
L

Kids here in Huntsville are issued their own laptops by the schools.

Ask Hallmark what happen to library hours since they built the Taj Mahal?

My granddaughter spends hours on an Ipad learning her letters and words. She can find any photo of an animal, and the world sits on her lap. I still will read to her the classic fairy tales, and she enjoys them, but she can sit for hours as we explore the world and I explain things......but brick and mortar and books warehoused is a great idea in 1899.....it is pretty silly in 2013. I challenge Hallmark to go pull 10 books in the middle of a stack. You will be lucky to find one of them checked out in the last year. I have done this test all over the country. I once found 10 straight books which had not been checked out in thirty years........the concept is simply costly and outdated.

I hope childrens' books don't ever go away. Sure, everything can now be on a computer screen but there is nothing like reading a story from a real book with a 2 year old in your lap.

The sad part is that if Studer has backed the Library for 5 Mill every one would be jumping out their ass saying how great an Idea it was. And you know damn well that is true.

Here is a deal Mr Oats, Instead of talking with me, go to North Escambia.com and tell these people they really dont need a library and they have just pissed away a lot of time and money..Time better spent canning pears..

Comments from NorthEscambia.com
I commend Ruth Gordon and Lil King for their tireless efforts to make the beautiful Molino Library a reality. They regularly attended the Pensacola Library Board of Trustees meetings to promote plans for a library in Molino and traveled to Tallahassee to lobby their state legislators. Congratulations to Ruth and Lil and their supporters. Enjoy your new library!
Elizabeth Vickers
West Florida Library Board of Trustees
Mike on March 31st, 2013 11:20 am
Very cool! Not the biggest library, or that many books, but I like the computer/online access. Beautiful hardwood flooring.
Jane on March 31st, 2013 6:11 am
I can hardly wait to use the new library! We are already enjoying the new Community Center for Neighborhood Watch meetings, the Historical Society and other meetings! This is such an important part of Molino now!

I hope childrens' books don't ever go away. Sure, everything can now be on a computer screen but there is nothing like reading a story from a real book with a 2 year old in your lap.


I have never had more fun than reading to the grandkids. The use of the IPAD we will explore the world. Their curiosity is unlimited and they crawl up on my lap wanting to go exploring. It is pure joy.

What we have been doing lately is using an etch a sketch which we will take things we have found on the internet, and I will draw them on the etch a sketch....a tree with a bee hive, a squirrel, acorns, a bird's nest, a snake, a racoon, a bear, and an owl. We will use our imaginations and they will guess what I have drawn, and then they try to draw something which I have to guess........that is really difficult, but their hand eye coordination and imagination are simply exploding. I still can read out of my daughter's Childcraft series which has all the classics, but they get excited every time I come over to go on another adventure with papa.

It is about pride, community spirit, Having a nice place to meet and interact with others.

The old library met all those goals, and all the branches were open 25% more than they are currently. The cuts to access is contrary to the goal of access to content, but the Taj Mahal has permanently expanded the budget which denies access. Children are failing as my wife says because by fifth grade some kids are able to teach themselves and grow and others simply fall through the cracks. Limiting access to content is not a formula for success, but I am glad you have personal use of the library which you think justifies this poorly planned and allocated resource. Across this nation people are wising up and focusing on content delivery.....and not making these mistakes, but if it was only Pensacola this would not be a problem.....it is this keeping up with the Jones which has allowed all public entities to build new police stations, courts, schools, and fire stations.........I grew up in a town with one part time officer in the early 60s......the population of the town was about 5k, and since then it has grown to 10k people but they just finished an 8 million dollar police station with almost 40k square feet, and now have 32 full time and part time police officers......and this insanity has been replicated across the country.......and just like you they try to justify the same.

In 1960 the town hall had the library, the fire department, and town administration. They built the new fire station where my old church stood and have added on to it where now it is almost a half city block.....the population simply doubled. The library, just like Pensacola was put in this huge 10k square foot building costing millions, and the town built a huge city hall......yet for 30 years it worked out of one relatively small building less than 3k square feet, but now the buildings are tenfold the size they were but population only doubled. The next little town sees what the Jones are doing and they replicate the insanity....now we need full time people to care for things which were part time.....people used to have factories to go to work, but they are all gone, and all we have are these white elephants and public employment, and you think Studer has anything to do with this insanity......nope....your pride and keeping up with the Jones is the answer, when it should be leadership guiding the public to greater access and better efficiencies.

We cant afford a library because we are poor and just dont have enough money to go around. So we should practice austerity at all costs when it comes to community projects. OK

But we as a whole, are encouraged to buy 7 dollar beers and 10 dollar sandwiches. Because it is good for everyone and helps the poor.

But you say, wait that's my own money, It is my choice.....Yes, it is and I choose to support the Library. You do what you wish. It is my money. I dont think we can not afford to.

We cant afford a library because we are poor

Nope....poor policy choices and no objective criteria on what children need in the community do not equal poor. If a person said they were going to do (x) and after (x) was implemented the access to knowledge would be limited by 25%, what objective observer would not see the problem?

If a person said they were going to do (x) and after (x) was implemented the access to knowledge would be limited by 25%, what objective observer would not see the problem

[b]
Kind of like Stooderville and the Martime park?

Kind of like Stooderville and the Martime park?

Apples and oranges.....the public has access to the waterfront which was a wasteland before the beautiful park. 100% of the cost of this park will be paid by user lease fees as bonds are repaid. Lets say all the naysayers are right and they miss the mark over the next 30 years by 10%.....a couple hundred thousand dollars a year, while at least a million are tied up in the New building with huge expenses and nobody picking up the tab each and every year while the rest of the library assets which we already had cannot be accessed by the public.......you go ahead and try to find cover and try to blame Studer for everything, but the truth is Maritime Park is owned by the public and private payments are paying the bonds.......in one instance you have a huge success, and in the other you have a failure....yet some try to reverse the roles of success and failure.........unless you are a kid in Escambia County needing that library access.......but most kids also like the idea of seeing a ballgame....yep success and failure.....the key is being able to differentiate the two.