Public libraries. Does anyone borrow CDs from them?

[pastoralguy]

I've not visited our music library in Edinburgh for some time so I was delighted to see their stock of classical CDs was up to date with some recent releases available. I was also delighted to borrow some, for me, esoteric stuff such as Cage, Stockhausen and Boulez which was interesting and didn't require outlay of large amounts of cash!


Today, I borrowed Jenny Pike's Czech album which is gorgeous. I also borrowed the Nelson's DSCH 10 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. My finger has hovered over Amazon's 'Buy it now' button a few times, restrained only by the thought of the mortgage, council tax and having to eat and keep warm.

I'd forgotten what a great resource it is.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I used to borrow CDs from Burnley Library regularly, until they shut down their Music department on the top floor, and reduced the stock on public show downstairs (I was told that there was plenty more in the "cellars", and details were available from the online catalogue - but that takes away all the serendipitous fun (I may as well do Spotify). My local library used to (and may still) have CDs to loan, but I got through all the ones that interested me years ago - and the hire price was doubled some time ago, so I haven't bothered.

Leeds Central Library has a good CD collection, but with the combined cost of hiring these weekly added to the rail fare to get to Leeds, it works out cheaper to buy them from Amazon.

[alycidon]

I have borrowed CDs from both Inverness library, and also my local village library. But more than that, I am happy to pay £1.00 for discs when they have been taken out of circulation. I've picked up one or two nice ones like that.

[pastoralguy]

Having started this thread yesterday I was amazed to go to my local library to find the racks contains the CDs of all genres had been removed to be replaced by... Comic Books! I asked the librarian about this and was told that 'no-one borrows CDs now'.

I made the point that Bach, Beethoven, George Lloyd* and Bowie had been replaced by 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Thor'. He was sympathetic and, I think, tacitly agreed with me.

Should I complain to the Council about this? Does this mean that all cd purchasing will either cease or be dramatically reduced? Or, has the world simply moved on?



(* I didn't mention George Lloyd in my conversation but it's been some time since I mentioned him in a post!)

[alycidon]

That's awful! The libraries carry too much rubbish these days, IMHO.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That's awful! The libraries carry too much rubbish these days, IMHO.

Well, at least pasty's Library has made a step in the right direction by replacing George Lloyd with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

[Lat-Literal]

I borrowed a lot of CDs from Sutton library throughout the 1990s. There is not a large library near to where I live now.

[Dave2002]

Having started this thread yesterday I was amazed to go to my local library to find the racks contains the CDs of all genres had been removed to be replaced by... Comic Books! I asked the librarian about this and was told that 'no-one borrows CDs now'.

I made the point that Bach, Beethoven, George Lloyd* and Bowie had been replaced by 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Thor'. He was sympathetic and, I think, tacitly agreed with me.

Should I complain to the Council about this? Does this mean that all cd purchasing will either cease or be dramatically reduced? Or, has the world simply moved on?



(* I didn't mention George Lloyd in my conversation but it's been some time since I mentioned him in a post!)

I have also benefitted from libraries disposing of CDs at almost giveaway prices. I noticed a trend a few years ago though to gradually remove CDs, certainly classical CDs, and replace the material on the shelves with ephemeral media, such as DVDs of films, most of which will be remaindered in a few years or at least decades. What chance do Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssoh, and even more recent composers such as Stravinsky and Britten have against Terminator 4 etc?

Cultural vandalism, huh!

In Bucks, where I used to live, I also noted that there was a gradual centralisation, with CDs being taken out of supposedly smaller (less important) libraries, and concentrated in one or two centres. One such centre was at Amersham, but I'd not be surprised if it's only the Aylesbury library which has CDs now.

I now live in Surrey, and I suspect that it's only Guildford and Kingston libraries which have any sizeable CD collections. I don't think the small branches have those any more.

[pastoralguy]

Well, at least pasty's Library has made a step in the right direction by replacing George Lloyd with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Ouch!

His Renaissance is coming! Just wait until I win the lottery and persuade Sir Simon and the Berlin Phil. to record a cycle of his symphonies! (Mind you, at the rate it's going, it may have to be Sir Simon and the LSO).

[khiiutvhjui]

Guildford has none, the whole Surrey CD collection is now at Dorking.

Having said that it is substantial there, must be 5000 plus discs

http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/people-and-community/libraries/surrey-performing-arts-library

[Dave2002]

Guildford has none, the whole Surrey CD collection is now at Dorking.

Having said that it is substantial there, must be 5000 plus discs
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/people-an...g-arts-library

How long before there's only one collection for the whole of the South of England, and perhaps a smaller one for the areas above the line from the Mersey to the Humber?

Dorking seems an odd place to put a collection, but it might be useful to know anyway.

[Pulcinella]

How long before there's only one collection for the whole of the South of England, and perhaps a smaller one for the areas above the line from the Mersey to the Humber?

Dorking seems an odd place to put a collection, but it might be useful to know anyway.

The RVW archive is at Dorking, I think; you can combine your visit with a trip round the winery, too!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ouch!

[vinteuil]

Dorking seems an odd place to put a collection...

... o, they have odd things in Dorking !

The Dorking Thigh

About to marry and invest
Their lives in safety and routine
Stanley and June required a nest
And came down on the 4.15.

The agent drove them to the Posh Estate
And showed them several habitations.
None did. The afternoon got late
With questions, doubts, and explanations.

Then day grew dim and Stan fatigued
And disappointment raised its head,
But June declared herself intrigued
To know where that last turning led.

It led to a Tudor snuggery styled
‘Ye Kumfi Nooklet’ on the gate.
‘A gem of a home,’ the salesman smiled,
‘My pet place on the whole estate;

‘It’s not quite finished, but you’ll see
Good taste itself.’ They went inside.
‘This little place is built to be
A husband’s joy, a housewife’s pride.’

They saw the white convenient sink,
The modernistic chimneypiece,
June gasped for joy, Stan gave a wink
To say, ‘Well, here our quest can cease.’

The salesman purred (he’d managed well)
And June undid a cupboard door.
‘For linen,’ she beamed. And out there fell
A nameless Something on the floor.

‘Something the workmen left, I expect,’
The agent said, as it fell at his feet,
Nor knew that his chance of a sale was wrecked.
‘Good heavens, it must be a joint of meat!’

Ah yes, it was meat, it was meat all right,
A joint those three will never forget̶
For they stood alone in the Surrey night
With the severed thigh of a plump brunette . . .

* * *

Early and late, early and late,
Traffic was jammed round the Posh Estate,
And the papers were full of the Dorking Thigh
And who, and when, and where, and why.

A trouser button was found in the mud
(Who made it? Who wore it? Who lost it? Who knows?)
But no one found a trace of blood
Or her body or face, or the spoiler of those.

He’s acting a play in the common air
On which no curtain can ever come down.
Though ‘Ye Kumfi Nooklet’ was shifted elsewhere
June made Stan take a flat in town.


William Plomer (1903-73)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... the whole Surrey CD collection is now at Dorking.

A similar fate befell the scores that used to be held in Bradford Central Library - they were "donated" to Wakefield (so, still "available to the public", but useless for me, alas). When I asked what had happened to them, I was told off for being selfish.

(Welcome to the Forum, by the way, khiiutvhjui - but do you mind if I just call you "khi"? )