Library News: Citizen Libraries

Ourshelves Lending Library in San Francisco

Small, community run libraries are cropping up all over the map. It's an interesting trend which likely indicates a deep nostalgia for old-fashioned reading rooms which are fast becoming scarce. Co.Exist writes about San Francisco based Ourshelves, "a communal library with selections curated by editors, readers and longtime booksellers, one which adapts each time a member takes out a book or suggests a new title."  Libraries run by governments and other institutions are rapidly evolving into big box entities which are under pressure to provide the latest innovations in everything but print materials. Not to mention the coziness which is lacking in many average libraries. It will be interesting to see what the growth will be in these new Citizen Libraries. I wish them luck, for they are filling a void which is very common now in Libraryland.