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CathinCoffeland
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| Posted: May 20 2009 at 3:02pm | IP Logged
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I wan't sure where to put this but Im curious about your library systems.
Dh is looking for work. He is in his last semester in his MLIS and right now is working for free at the local Library as an intern but would like to get paid obviously 
We see job openings but it is hard to really know about a system/area without having seen it first hand so im making a list of places where people really like or hate their library systems so we can compare a bit.
So if anyone can share what is great or awful about your Library and your area that could help us a lot.
Thanks you so much!
Maggie
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http://craftyincoffeeland.blogspot.com/
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mom2mpr
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We loved our library system in Charlottesville, VA. Come to think of it, we loved everything about living there. Great place to raise kids and beautiful mountains. But I digress, because I am still homesick.
Rumor had it that it was the library system in the US with the largest circulation. Which led to the comments that the residents there are readers, and well educated, etc. I can vouch that the books were worn and well used in the children's section.
We did Sonlight(mostly through the library) through this system and they were very helpful getting our books from other branches, ILL, etc. They even asked me to place a request to buy the little, cheaper books as the cost(to them, not me) for ILL sometimes was more than a book!!
They loved homeschoolers and their summer reading programs, I thought, were awesome!
They have online holds, renewals, etc.
In case you need it here is the website:
http://jmrl.org/
Where we live now, the library is OK. I can't really complain but I don't have accolades. I should say it is nice to be able to get Catholic titles at times. Those religious books were the one's I had to buy while in VA.
Good luck in your quest.
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Mary G
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| Posted: May 20 2009 at 4:34pm | IP Logged
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I have to say the Denver system is amazing ... and surprisingly, had very Catholic books/movies/tapes to borrow ....
Prince Wm (here in VA) is ok but not anything out of the ordinary ... altho I LOVE our local folks here at the Potomac branch ....
SC (Greenville/Simpsonville) and NC (Raleigh/Triangle area) weren't really good or really bad ... just ok ...
My MIL worked in DeKalb County (Atlanta, GA) and had a pretty good system down there.
Problem I've seen thru my years of "living" in libraries is the heavy liberal emphasis in most systems ...
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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SaraP
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I love, love, LOVE our library system (Harford County, MD) because they have a great online request system and drive-though window! So I can request books from home, get a phone call or an email when they are available and then pick them up on the way to or from somewhere else without having to get everyone out of the car. 
They also have a good online statewide ILL system and I have been able to find 90% of the titles we need without having to go beyond the ILL system. In a few cases, though, I have had the librarians help me (over the phone) to request books from libraries in other states and even that has been easy.
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Sarah M
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| Posted: May 20 2009 at 6:55pm | IP Logged
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sending you a pm. 
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CandaceC
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I have no idea where you are...we are in a small town in East TN, but we use the Knox Co. library system and it is wonderful!!
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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JSchaaf
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I second the Denver library. It's great! The Fort Collins library (Poudre River Library District) is good as well.
I did not like the library system in San Antonio. They never seemed to have the books I wanted and none of the staff at any of the branches were very friendly.
Jennifer
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kathleenmom
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I was a Reference Librarian for Charlotte Public in NC many years ago . I quit when I was going on Maternity Leave with my eldest who is now 11. It was voted Best Library of the year by the ALA atleast once. Very nice system and not bad to work for...atleast 10 years ago. I don't know how you feel about size of city. Charlotte is GROWING!
God bless and good luck,
Kathleen
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MaryM
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Well a lot of us are going to say ours is best ..., so I'll add another vote for Denver. People who know me here, know how frequently I rave about our system. It's not perfect, but it is really good. It is one of the reasons I can't move away from here. 
SaraP wrote:
| ...and drive-though window! So I can request books from home, get a phone call or an email when they are available and then pick them up on the way to or from somewhere else without having to get everyone out of the car. |
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OK - that is something I would love to have - what a great service
Back to Denver - Denver's library is consitently in the top 10 for public libraries it's size in the annual Hennen's American Public Library Rating . We were number one for several years in a row around 2000-2003. So though we've slipped we are still highly ranked each year. If you look at the Hennen's rankings, Ohio looks like it has the largest number of libraries making the top 10 list. We (Colorado) have 4 in the top listings (a couple at the 500.000+ and 2 at the 100,000–249,999 city population level).
Like Sara P. our online state ILL system (Prospector) is awesome. It is rare that I can't find what I need through the Denver or state system.
Are there specific questions about library qualities you want info about?
And Colorado is a GREAT place to live (and be a Catholic homeschool family).
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Mary M. in Denver
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guitarnan
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One other thought - look for a county and state in good fiscal condition. Our library system, which is quite good, just took a big budget cut and now most of our branches will be closed on Sundays. You don't want to move to some other place and find out that the local and state budgets are so messed up that your dh's new job will be at risk.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Loren
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I have to say that I really appreciated the system in Rapid City, SD. We had access to Catholic titles in our library. We could check all the school and public libraries in the entire state for free ILL. The website was easy to use. The children's librarians actually allowed children to be children. And the coffee shop in the main section had some delicious treats.
The military system has got some wonderful people, but I don't really like their website. They do offer us free ILL and no late fees. I just don't like having to write up a request every time I want a book they don't have--and they don't have a lot of what I want to read.
Here in Wichita Falls, TX, the library is OK. I feel the need to keep tighter rein on my kids, but that's probably a good thing. The folks who run the used book store in the library seem friendlier than the librarians, though they are helpful when I ask.
Of course, what you're getting from us is a patron's view. We don't know so much about the inner workings or the working environment of the libraries we're singing the praises of.
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lapazfarm
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Best library system I have ever been blessed to have been able to use was the Alachua County library system in Gainesville, FL. My goodness, it was like heaven. No late fees, no limits, free ILL, great kids programs, and SO MANY excellent books and other media. I was so spoiled there and have ever after compared every library system to it and they always come up lacking in comparison.
And the Gainesville area is a fabulous place to live as well.Lots of happy memories of that area.
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us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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wifemommy
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NE Ohio Has a great library Systems Cuyahoga Co and Cleveland Public. My favorite library is Wickliffe, Oh and they were number 2. I often drove past several other libraries to go there. Annie
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anitamarie
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We had a really great library system in St. Charles, MO. It was a City-County library sytem. It was amazing. A wonderful generous woman gave an endowment to the library system years ago, so it has a larger budget than taxes alone and fantastic collection. Where we live now, okay. We're still in the same area, but not same library system. The St. Louis area is a great place to raise kids and very affordable. St. Charles County has one of the largest homeschooling communities in the country, as well. It's also a very Catholic area.
God Bless,
Anita
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Barbara C.
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I really love our library system (Fountaindale) in Will County, IL. When we first moved to this town about 3 years ago, the only thing it had going for it was the drive-thru pick-up window. About 2 years ago, they added ILL so I can get most things that I want. They're breaking ground a new building in the next year. It helps too that the library is within walking distance.
The library we had in Darien, IL was really nice, too, although it runs on a different ILL system. The Naperville library is on that rating list, but I know that they won't do ILL for anything other than books. They don't want to have to share their videos, so they won't allow their patrons to request them from other libraries.
Kentucky has the worst libraries. When I was just out of college, the Bowling Green library was only open two or three days a week. The Louisville system I grew up in seemed great at the time, but they aren't open very much either. My mom said that they won't accept any book donations and very rarely buy new books. And the taxpayers recently voted down giving it any more money. Last time I checked they only did ILL between their own four or five branches. It's probably not a surprise that Kentucky tends to rate so low on educational surveys. 
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Barbara
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Lauri B
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My daughter worked in a library here in Pennsylvania for three years. The general talk amongst the librarians was that PA does not fund libraries as well as other states - particularly Ohio. There are many library schools here, so an over abundance of librarians. Combine that with the poor state funding, and I would suggest PA might not be the best place to look!
Best wishes!
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Please help-who has the best Library?
