Public libraries. Does anyone borrow CDs from them?

[Roslynmuse]

.Curses, Ros, I'm a minute late. Two minds with but a single thought. I think I was slightly more decorous!

[mangerton]

In the interests of improving culture in the army, it was announced that there was to be a lecture on "Keats".

The troops were assembled, and the sergeant gave the introduction. "Right! It has come to our notice that some of you 'orrible lot don't know what a keat is!"

[vinteuil]

First retired general: "I say, what do you reckon about Kipling"
Second retired general: "Never kippled, old boy".

... ectually, I think Donald McGill got there first -

http://saucyseasidepostcards.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DC1409-Kipling-copy1.jpg

[ ... didn't pabmusic (?) use this very picture here not that long ago?)

[Roslynmuse]

In the interests of improving culture in the army, it was announced that there was to be a lecture on "Keats".

The troops were assembled, and the sergeant gave the introduction. "Right! It has come to our notice that some of you 'orrible lot don't know what a keat is!"

The version I heard came at the end of the Musical Appreciation Class and the vote of thanks was along the lines of "Thank you so much for a most interesting talk. I'm delighted that we all have a much better idea of what Brahms are now..."

[Roslynmuse]

Back on topic...

When I was growing up I used the local public library for music books and scores every week from being about 10 to when I went to University. I started borrowing LPs when I was about 13 (this was around 1977). My local library was on the Wirral and had a fantastic selection. In the early 80s there was always new stock coming in - both scores and LPs - and there were quite frequent sales of old stock too. Around this time I started borrowing from the even more impressive selection of scores in Liverpool Central Library.
This was all, I think, as critical a part of my musical education as Radio 3 was.

Fast forward to just a few years ago. I was ordering some scores from a secondhand music dealer and when the parcel arrived I discovered that some were 'withdrawn from stock' from Liverpool - including some I had borrowed myself many years before. I subsequently discovered that the whole music section had been dismantled. Similarly, the music library I had used on the Wirral was a shadow of its former self. I wrote to Wirral Borough Council to find out what had happened to the stock and received a non-reply (just a waffly email stating that their library stock was unrivalled etc etc ...) and no reference to my specific question, particularly in relation to all the new scores that were purchased in the early 80s and would presumably still be in excellent condition.

I shouldn't be surprised though - the library in the music department of my alma mater is now also broken up and inaccessible to the current music students; and the physical space that was the library is (or was last time I visited - I think the whole department building is currently being gutted) a 'common room'. Several decades worth of PhD theses had been thrown together into an unlocked cabinet for anyone to rifle through. So, if our great seats of learning treat libraries like this, why should we expect better from local cash-strapped councils?

[Dave2002]

... ah, but I know the way to Turnham Green

I lived there once! A well known joke.

I've never Godalmed, BTW.

[richardfinegold]

I do. My current Public Libraries have reasonable collections that don't significantly expand upon mine so I haven't bothered recently

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... ah, but I know the way to Turnham Green

What about Oldham?

[Dave2002]

Re Dorking, I didn't realise that the collection was housed on the Denbies estate. That is worth a visit, and the facility does sound good. I'll check it out when the weather improves.

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

The person who set up Denbies, Mr Adrian White CBE, has been a bit of a visionary, and having this resource on the land would seem to be very positive and community oriented thing to do.

[vinteuil]

What about Oldham?

... we shd ask Caliban - he's used to Nottingham. Me, I'd far rather Rotherham.

[Dave2002]

What about Oldham?

Dare I even mention the Spanish Armada - and Lord Howard?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Back on topic...

Spoilsport!

Apologies for the ribaldry - but my own experience is nearly identical with your own: an education given extra fuel from what was offered from local public libraries - and a near despair at how these have been so cruelly neglected in the past ten years or so. I am so grateful that Leeds has kept as much of its Central Library as they can intact. I hope that, for teenagers and young adults today, the Internet provides the sort of introductions and eye-opening offerings that Libraries provided for us - the potential is there, I hope it is realized.

[vinteuil]

Dare I even mention the Spanish Armada - and Lord Howard?

... you mean the fact that he was both Effingham and Nottingham at the same time?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Howard,_1st_Earl_of_Nottingham

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... you mean the fact that he was both Effingham and Nottingham at the same time?

Which is anatomically impressive!

[pastoralguy]

I can't believe I started a thread extolling the virtues of our library system in Edinburgh yesterday to find, today, the aspect I was so excited about is being dismantled! And to be replaced by bloody comics!!