Small stones are an observed moment, written down. My small stones were initially inspired by the River of Stones project each January, which sees hundreds of people observing a moment or experience in their day and writing it down for the month. They can then be shared on blogs, Facebook, Twitter or just written in a notebook, on a pebble, the loo roll... To find out more about the flow of this simple movement to bring more presence and awareness into our lives, check out the following link: http://www.writingourwayhome.com/p/small-stones.html
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Borrowing books...on borrowed time?
Turned away from the counter to the new machines which have replaced someone's work. To scan barcodes and collect receipts so that I can borrow and bring back books without having to once speak or look at a single person. Anger, grief, for the soul of the library which is dying. This screen with a cartoon face (user-friendly) mocking our humanity (not yet digitised). I savour the weight of the books in my bag, wondering how long before they and this building are sold out to the highest bidder, more pages of a community torn out.
You are so right, Fran. I was always V glad I ran teeny weeny Thaxted library sans any computers! My customers needed far more than a book or three........... Please, keep on 'ranting' XXXx ps And I could too, IF we had those auto check-outs at Portree Co-op, such as I saw on the tele the other night (another justifiable rant by a good bloke!) Reckon P & I will go hungry whenever we next come south?!
Yes, libraries are about so much more than the books. And I've been seeing a lot more of the auto-checkouts in shops around here too. Sigh! At least we still get a lovely personal greeting from our postie, who now knows us enough to ring his bell when he passes us in the street! No doubt plans are being hatched as I write, to get us collecting our post from automated collection machines in Tesco's or something... Thanks for your comments Sara xxxx
Oh! I hate those new library machines! I used to love chatting to the librarian about the books we'd chosen and have her recommend others we might like. I loved how she always asked Hannah about the books she brought back and told her about the books she liked................so sad to have to auto check-out now!
You are so right, Fran.
ReplyDeleteI was always V glad I ran teeny weeny Thaxted library sans any computers! My customers needed far more than a book or three...........
Please, keep on 'ranting' XXXx
ps And I could too, IF we had those auto check-outs at Portree Co-op, such as I saw on the tele the other night (another justifiable rant by a good bloke!) Reckon P & I will go hungry whenever we next come south?!
Yes, libraries are about so much more than the books. And I've been seeing a lot more of the auto-checkouts in shops around here too. Sigh! At least we still get a lovely personal greeting from our postie, who now knows us enough to ring his bell when he passes us in the street! No doubt plans are being hatched as I write, to get us collecting our post from automated collection machines in Tesco's or something... Thanks for your comments Sara xxxx
ReplyDeleteOh! I hate those new library machines! I used to love chatting to the librarian about the books we'd chosen and have her recommend others we might like. I loved how she always asked Hannah about the books she brought back and told her about the books she liked................so sad to have to auto check-out now!
ReplyDelete