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Is Borders the next to go? - Page 4

post #151 of 171
3/27/09 at 12:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bendrix View Post
Not to mention progressive legislators that understand the value of the library. Minnesota is not quite as fortunate in this regard as it once was.
Chicago may have the rep to beat in this regard (not only is Mayor Daley a big fan of libraries, but the American Library Association is headquartered there).

But even with an immensely impressive long-term library funding initiative that's been in effect for more than a decade and has done wonders for infrastructure, they're still cutting tons of positions in the next few years due to the economic climate. Like I mentioned above, taxpayers don't mind seeing their money manifest in new buildings and computer technology, so it's easy to make a case for these big, ballsy plans; however, they have a tougher time understanding that it takes people to run this stuff (including making those nice home deliveries that DARKMITE8 mentioned), so these are often not well-accounted for in the funding for these plans and are the first place you see cuts made.

It's more complicated than this, but basically people like the new and shiny, sometimes to the extent that they don't care how well they work.
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post #152 of 171
3/27/09 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 
Orange County's library system has had books by mail at least since I was in junior high.
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post #153 of 171
3/27/09 at 1:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveB View Post
It's more complicated than this, but basically people like the new and shiny, sometimes to the extent that they don't care how well they work.
Especially when the general population still doesn't understand why librarians would need a master's degree to shelve books.

As a fellow aspiring librarian, I feel the pain of these budget cuts all too well. A two-year hiring freeze here in Hennepin County pretty much mandates a move for me.
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post #154 of 171
3/27/09 at 1:21pm
Yeah, my perfectly capable/healthy/young friend/co-worker uses the delivery service frequently. I live in the Orlando area (with a high senior population), where some of our libraries are in STRIP MALLS (not the nice downtown library, mind you). But the one in the Colonial Promenade next to the $2 theater on 50 comes to mind. Better to use that space for something beneficial I suppose when stores close, but it seems a little... ghetto (definition 1:4)? I haven't been in it yet, so who am I to judge. Could have a great selection.
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post #155 of 171
3/27/09 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DARKMITE8 View Post
But the one in the Colonial Promenade next to the $2 theater on 50 comes to mind. Better to use that space for something I suppose when stores close, but it seems a little... ghetto? I haven't been in it yet, so who am I to judge. Could have a great selection.
The irony? That used to be the location of the Barnes and Noble that's further down the road towards downtown.

And there are a ton of libraries in strip malls around Orlando. It's the type of tenant that can easily move into a large unoccupied space, and placing them next to high-use locations like grocery stores probably helps traffic.

That Colonial Promenade is rapidly dying though. Nearly all the restaurants near it have pretty much shut down, and the other stores don't seem to be doing very well. When the Naval Training Center was still open, that area was absolutely mobbed on weekends. Now, it's a ghost town.
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post #156 of 171
3/27/09 at 1:30pm
Chicago's libraries are beautiful and incredible and breathtaking.
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post #157 of 171
3/27/09 at 1:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
The irony? That used to be the location of the Barnes and Noble that's further down the road towards downtown.
Haha.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
And there are a ton of libraries in strip malls around Orlando. It's the type of tenant that can easily move into a large unoccupied space, and placing them next to high-use locations like grocery stores probably helps traffic.
Surely. I can't imagine having to move all those books though. I'm originally from up North where all the libraries are in old monuments (and have always been there).
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post #158 of 171
3/27/09 at 2:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
The irony? That used to be the location of the Barnes and Noble that's further down the road towards downtown.
I used to work there! So now it's a library branch? Interesting. Better than the old Bookstop space (where I also worked) which became a party supply store.
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post #159 of 171
3/27/09 at 2:12pm
Hey, we need a place to get our fart spray and other lame novelties.
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post #160 of 171
3/27/09 at 2:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
Chicago's libraries are beautiful and incredible and breathtaking.
And soon to be understaffed, I suspect.
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post #161 of 171
3/27/09 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
Orlando simply doesn't have the history to have big, historic-feeling buildings. We were a rest stop on the way to Miami until 1972.
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post #162 of 171
3/27/09 at 5:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
The irony? That used to be the location of the Barnes and Noble that's further down the road towards downtown.

And there are a ton of libraries in strip malls around Orlando. It's the type of tenant that can easily move into a large unoccupied space, and placing them next to high-use locations like grocery stores probably helps traffic.

That Colonial Promenade is rapidly dying though. Nearly all the restaurants near it have pretty much shut down, and the other stores don't seem to be doing very well. When the Naval Training Center was still open, that area was absolutely mobbed on weekends. Now, it's a ghost town.
Every Wednesday after work we used to go to the Fridays there for about three years, and over night they shut down. It doesn't help with all of the highway construction on 50 for about 10 miles in each direction.
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post #163 of 171
3/27/09 at 10:02pm
I buy my books used pretty strictly. I consider it a defeat if I have to break down and buy one new. I usually sell them back (at a loss but oh well). I only collect like, vintage Grove Press or Black Sparrow etc. That said I am a big fan of the library. If they closed where would defectives watch internet porn in public or the homeless wash their balls.
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post #164 of 171
3/30/09 at 5:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobClark View Post
I'm in this camp. We lost all of our indie book stores too.
Fuck the big box.
Yeah, fuck Borders and the thousands of people who will lose their jobs when it closes.
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post #165 of 171
3/30/09 at 6:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4496 aka Joe Sixpack View Post
Yeah, fuck Borders and the thousands of people who will lose their jobs when it closes.
Yeah, fuck the indie bookstores and the thousands of people who will lose their businesses when they close due to Borders and Barnes & Noble opening up multiple stores in multiple areas.
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post #166 of 171
3/30/09 at 7:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4496 aka Joe Sixpack View Post
Yeah, fuck Borders and the thousands of people who will lose their jobs when it closes.
I used to work at Barnes, and honestly, I'm finding myself a little apathetic. You're right, but you gotta wonder going into it what the future is of working in a company where the business model is changing dramatically and you're in good danger of being out-performed before you're even hired.
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post #167 of 171
3/30/09 at 7:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Cordo View Post
Every Wednesday after work we used to go to the Fridays
You're doing it wrong.
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post #168 of 171
3/30/09 at 9:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake View Post
Yeah, fuck the indie bookstores and the thousands of people who will lose their businesses when they close due to Borders and Barnes & Noble opening up multiple stores in multiple areas.
"We have KMart now in New York City. New Yorkers were pissed off when KMart came to came to town. They were outside the store protesting. They didn't even know what to say. 'Down with KMart!..and their merchandise people can afford. Down with KMart...and their 300 gallon drum of laundry detergent. For a $1.99? Whoa! I mean why don't you take your good values to another town. Let's turn that building into a vintage clothing store. The kind that sells used KMart t-shirts for $700.'"

Sorry, was just reminded of this. Doesn't exactly translate, granted.
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post #169 of 171
3/31/09 at 10:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4496 aka Joe Sixpack View Post
Yeah, fuck Borders and the thousands of people who will lose their jobs when it closes.
That's part of my point, genius.
Many big box chains saturate the market knowing full well that a certain percentage of stores will fail. When they do it leaves all the local employees out of work and with nowhere else to go because their town is littered with empty big box stores. Meanwhile the guys in charge barely feel the hit.

Now this is happening on an even larger scale. So again I say- fuck the big box for wiping out local business and leaving others out of work when they inevitably fail.
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post #170 of 171
3/31/09 at 11:02am
I liked browsing/loitering at Borders. It beat the hell out of hanging out at Office Max. For folks in the burbs, it's not like Borders drove out a community of groovy mom-n-pop bookstores.

Not that I'm surprised they're passing on. There wasn't anything you couldn't get cheaper at Amazon. Most of my purchases there were gift cards or a coffee to drink while I listened to CDs. Now that I think about it, this is all my fault. Sorry, Borders.
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post #171 of 171
3/31/09 at 11:10am
Screw Borders. Screw Barnes & Noble. Screw little indie book shops. I'll do all of my shopping at Amazon.com. Thank you very much. Their prices are unbeatable, their selection unequaled. Most importantly, I help out our beloved CHUD.


...can I have some free swag, Nick?
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