1. They hardly ever have any of the books I need for homeschooling. These are the best of the best books. When they don't have them, they can't get them for me!
2. If I want to hold a book, they charge me $1 each book! That doesn't sound like much, but when you're homeschooling and you go through library books like I do, it REALLY adds up!
3. You have to live in Arcadia and prove residence to get a library card.
4. They don't have a drive through drop off anymore. You must park in order to return books.
Reasons why I love Pasadena public library...
1. They almost always have the books I need for homeschooling. Living books, beautiful old books that have stood the test of time.
2. If they don't have it, they will get it for me....for free! And they will email me when it has arrived. AND they will hold them for me at the front desk so I don't have to go searching for it with all three kids.
3. You don't have to live in Pasadena to get a library card.
4. The building is absolutely amazing. They don't make buildings like it. Ali and Sammie thought it was a temple!
5. I do everything on-line. I look the books up and request them. They email me when they are ready for me to be picked up. They email me when they are due and I renew them on-line.
6. They have a drive through drop off. I don't need to park.
Only 1 reason I don't like Pasadena public library
1. The entrance has 7 stairs. This is not good for a mommy who has to keep/trap Josiah in a stroller otherwise there is no way I would be able to lug all the books out and make it to the car in one piece! Although, this has made Ali and Sammie very willing to help. They help life the stroller every time we go up and down! That has been very nice.
2. Here is #2 - it's much farther than Arcadia, but Josiah has speech in Pasadena twice a week now and it's right next to the library! So, you can delete #2!
Thanks for reading this. I feel much better about my library experience now.
Now, that was a very helpful rant (if I lived in area, I'd totally take heed!)
ReplyDelete=)
Ok, I'm feeling your pain... I love my Buena Vista Library in Burbank, but the selection is pretty limited and we have the same $1 hold thing. Ggrrrr.... I'm so going to have to look into tacking on library pick up / drop offs on Sunday after church when I'm in town. Good Rant! :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting... Have you tried Monrovia Library? I think you can do most things online and you don't have to live in Monrovia to get a card. They also have drive by drop-off. Not sure if they would have the books you need though. Not sure about holds either.
ReplyDeletei REMEMBER that about the arcadia library! thought it was totally outrageous. ESP. since i imagine they must have more money than pasadena!
ReplyDeletei am loving our library system here myself. i think at the moment, i have 74 items checked out! LOVE the online hold system--saves SOOOOOOO much time!!
the pasadena library would also help pasadena teachers with whatever they needed. they were always so helpful! even the small branches. yay for pasadena! makes me proud to have been a pasadena resident and employee.
ReplyDeletearcadia is a pretty strange library. in moving around, i've found maybe only 2 types of libraries - county-run (a la temple city or laguna) and city-run libraries (a la arcadia or mission viejo). every other library in california only requires proof of california residency, and i think that's because libraries receive some funding from the state. so maybe arcadia doesn't take that funding or takes less - i don't see how they could otherwise deny access to non-arcadia residents. stingy. though i'm pretty certain that pasadena has far higher tax revenue than arcadia would - just think of all the businesses in pasadena (old town, lake ave, arroyo pkwy), and the city is so much bigger. oh you know, now i'm remembering - haha, i wasn't an arcadia resident, but since i went to arcadia schools, i was also able to get a card. :) still very restrictive though!
ReplyDeleteand yeah, i don't understand the hold charge either - haven't experienced it up here, but i think if they have to charge, charge someone for not picking up the hold and keeping it out of circulation for other people. or find another way to raise money, like the coffee cart at our los altos library.
but agreed on pasadena being the prettiest - i think berkeley might be a distant second in terms of having some older charm, but nowhere near the woodwork detailing.
i would also list that arcadia's font is dreadful - i think that every time i drive past it, but it is a slight improvement over the plastic sign they had before (which i remember the school board deploring as well). i don't think i'm using "deplore" correctly, teacher.