Library User?
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too bad the books are only transiting.Originally posted by coolger03:good mah... i used to borrow all the newer books from national library and return them at bedok... hahaha
hoping that all the good books will eventually be at bedok.... heheh
you cannot borrow a woodlands book at bedok.
i find this arrangement funny. -
Ah...you have touched the topic which has bother me for quite some time...Originally posted by Rhonda:Not sure. I haven't stepped into any library for donkey months now!
The last time I borrowed books there, I incurred heavy overdue fines 
and got so fed up, I decided not to borrow anymore books.
My fines are still unpaid as we speak...
I mentioned paying the fines 2 days ago...But they were incurred actually about 4 years ago ? The reason for not paying is this:
At the Counter
Me: Hi, I have a fine of about $70. The shiny new machine wont let me pay there.
Lib: Oh you can certainly pay here. Can I have your cashcard please ?
Me: Cashcard ? i don't have one. I see you have a nets machine. Can I pay using nets ?
Lib: Oh No, the nets machines is used only for topping up the cashcard.
Me: Surely if the nets machine was used to pay for the topup, it can be used for payment ?
Lib: No, it cannot.
Me: Oh well...then may I know where I can get a cashcard ?
Lib: I dunno.
Me: oh...then I pay the fines another day...*walks away*
Yes they are still using cashcards. Sigh. -
hehe... Rhonda you know me so wellOriginally posted by Rhonda:Count our blessings - we have libraries here that are housed in beautiful buildings or that are located in shopping malls and thus very accessible. On top of that, the interior decor is usually good, and most importantly, the books are pretty new and in good condition. Of course, we could always do with more titles, especially non-fiction, but we really do have libraries that are pretty much world-class.
(Our in-forum librarian, Ms SydneyLibrarian, might like to comment on this! 
)
Just wondering, with all these attractive amenities, how many of you actually use the library's various facilities and how often do you use their services? Have you borrowed AV materials from them before? What do you like and / or dislike about the current books, facilities and services provided? What would you like to see in the libraries? How could I NOT post my comments in this thread?
Yea I'm really delighted that many overseas librarians have a good impression of our libraries in Singapore! Even Harvard Business Review wrote about what the National Library had transformed itself from a traditional library with loan slips and catalogue cards to a high-tech, state of the art library like we have today! And many libraries are using our library system as a 'benchmark' - something worth following
When I was in Singapore, I used to go to the National Library to borrow books at least once a month I loved the Queenstown library, library@orchard, and library@Esplanade the best! I still remember my last loan was a DVD titled 'A walk to remember'
And yep, coolger03, you can pay for your fines using ezlink card... but only at library@orchard and Jurong library I heard? not sure if other libraries can do so now....
Recently, in a survey done by the local library which I visit (here in Sydney), I suggested that they look into Singapore's National library for new ways of improvement! hehe! -
Oh, that is a pet peeve of mine!!! A few years back, we could pay our fines with cash / Nets and then suddenly, with their spanking revamps, they stopped accepting cash / Nets!!!Originally posted by Ferret:Ah...you have touched the topic which has bother me for quite some time...
I mentioned paying the fines 2 days ago...But they were incurred actually about 4 years ago ? The reason for not paying is this:
At the Counter
Me: Hi, I have a fine of about $70. The shiny new machine wont let me pay there.
Lib: Oh you can certainly pay here. Can I have your cashcard please ?
Me: Cashcard ? i don't have one. I see you have a nets machine. Can I pay using nets ?
Lib: Oh No, the nets machines is used only for topping up the cashcard.
Me: Surely if the nets machine was used to pay for the topup, it can be used for payment ?
Lib: No, it cannot.
Me: Oh well...then may I know where I can get a cashcard ?
Lib: I dunno.
Me: oh...then I pay the fines another day...*walks away*
Yes they are still using cashcards. Sigh.
I remember complaining to SL about it, I even complained to the librarians at the libraries I went to about it, but there was nothing they could do cause the 'higher-up's' wanted it this way. Weird, isn't it? As far as I'm concerned, if someone wants to pay their fines, if it's in cash or Nets, all the better!!! They should be making it easier for someone to pay their fines, not harder.
Maybe, someone in NLB's senior management is a good friend of someone over at the Ministry of Finance who implented the cash card system. 
And... WHOA!!! ... you have incurred a WHALE of a fine, girlfriend!! -
eheheeheheh.... that's the library i frequent when i was just a kid... my aunt used to live just next to the library.. it's like five minutes walk.... haha..... now of cos.... the houses been demolished.... but well.... it's a pretty nice place...Originally posted by Rhonda:The last time I went to the Queenstown Branch Library donkey months ago, I was impressed with the views of a huge field of green grass and the odd tree here and there dotting the landscape! The generous glass windows towards the back of the library offer this view and gives you a 'far from the madding crowd' kind of feeling... siiiiiiiiigh... 
When I went up to the 2nd floor, I saw a Reading Room with several ah peks taking their afternoon nap inside, enjoying the air-con, the comfy couches and the silence. 
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I frequently go online to reserve books and collect them at the library in Jurong Point. Very convenient and worth the $1.55 fee. I dislike searching off the rack for books from the catalogue because sometimes the books aren't there and it gets me very fustrated when books aren't where they're supposed to be :S
The condition of the books don't bother me, although some can be quite tatty I figure books are meant to be read anyway.
The cashcard system takes getting used to, but once you get the hang of it it's not so bad.
Ferret: You can get a cashcard at 7-11
The weird thing about libraries I never understood is the restriction of bringing books into the library to study. Why discourage studying when you have designated study areas?
I think it's unreasonable and needlessly strict.
I'm loving the in-house cafes... as long as the library remains reasonably quiet
Hmm . I should try placing a reservation for an AV next -
I think the library at the esplanade the best lah, got nice scenery and sometimes got ppl pracitising on the piano. I can browse all my fav rock mags there and even FHM! Also can listen to music, don't think the cds are like crap, they got audioslave, coldplay and most of U2's album
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I have yet to visit that library but have heard rave reviews about it! Good thing you wrote about it here... maybe, I shall go there today!Originally posted by The man who was death:I think the library at the esplanade the best lah, got nice scenery and sometimes got ppl pracitising on the piano. I can browse all my fav rock mags there and even FHM! Also can listen to music, don't think the cds are like crap, they got audioslave, coldplay and most of U2's album
Besides nice scenery, a lovely environment and good ambience, and of course, not forgetting the books(!!), there's also a new Makansutra Gluttons place right beside the Esplanade that I'm DYING to dine in!!
Aaaah yes... fooooood... always the added impetus!! -
i wonder about the legality of the cashcard system...
if you have legal tender, aka, cash money, they cannot refuse to accept that..
hmmm... -
i hear can put ur cashcard in then pull out before it make the transaction, the fines will be deducted but the value remains the same in your cashcard
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no.. you only spoil your cashcardOriginally posted by The man who was death:i hear can put ur cashcard in then pull out before it make the transaction, the fines will be deducted but the value remains the same in your cashcard
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hmm everytime i went to the library for books, for my projects, they were seriously outdated.. publised in the 1980s..
they should get more non-fiction books...
seriously. -
They really should!Originally posted by shinta:hmm everytime i went to the library for books, for my projects, they were seriously outdated.. publised in the 1980s..
they should get more non-fiction books...
seriously.
Then again, the educational institutions here have pretty up-to-date libraries, and I know that you can get memberships to some of these libraries. For instance, if I'm looking for nursing texts, then I'd naturally have to take up a subscription with the Nanyang Polytechnic library, which incidentally has a great Health Sciences library. -
reference books are very very expensive.. and are outdated very quickly...
i guess it's not financially feasible for the library to keep getting them? -
I frequent library for books pertaining to my profession cuz it gets updated every 1 -2 years or so so it doesn't make sense for me to purchase them. I think Spore libraries are very good compared to say our northern neighbour cuz whenever I go there there isn't any library maybe it is a small town.
The only complain I have is it's mandatory stand to pay for any services or fines using Cashcard. I wonder why NETs cannot. Some hidden agenda? And for at least my area the books get updated quite fast. Say if I wan some books published in early 1990s they are now no longer available. Although it is always good to have the latest updated books sometimes we wanna borrow old books for some special reasons.
In general, Spore have one of the best library systems I have seen so far. Maybe it fit our gahmen policy to get as many as our citizens educated? Hahhahahaha..... -
same goes for nyp libraryOriginally posted by Rhonda:They really should!
Then again, the educational institutions here have pretty up-to-date libraries, and I know that you can get memberships to some of these libraries. For instance, if I'm looking for nursing texts, then I'd naturally have to take up a subscription with the Nanyang Polytechnic library, which incidentally has a great Health Sciences library. i was from nyp myself -
well, it's 2005 now, they should at least have some books in the 90s, not 80s..Originally posted by the Bear:reference books are very very expensive.. and are outdated very quickly...
i guess it's not financially feasible for the library to keep getting them? -
i pass it almost every day...
one of these days, i'll actually go into the new Jurong East library
the old one was pretty okay...
i want to find a few pages... an old singapore short story.. the old library didn't have it...
maybe the new one will -
You were?!Originally posted by shinta:same goes for nyp library i was from nyp myself Yo, girl!! ^5's! -
i would just sit at the library and read books if i am in the mood for reading.
i realise that if i loan them, i never really make time to read them -
Originally posted by Rhonda:You were?! Yo, girl!! ^5's!
but i dun really enjoyed my time in that sch
got a "man, i really wasted my time" kinda feeling..
well, at least i did make a bunch of real good frenz -
AgreedOriginally posted by Rhonda:Oh, that is a pet peeve of mine!!! A few years back, we could pay our fines with cash / Nets and then suddenly, with their spanking revamps, they stopped accepting cash / Nets!!!
I remember complaining to SL about it, I even complained to the librarians at the libraries I went to about it, but there was nothing they could do cause the 'higher-up's' wanted it this way. Weird, isn't it? As far as I'm concerned, if someone wants to pay their fines, if it's in cash or Nets, all the better!!! They should be making it easier for someone to pay their fines, not harder.
Maybe, someone in NLB's senior management is a good friend of someone over at the Ministry of Finance who implented the cash card system.
And... WHOA!!! ... you have incurred a WHALE of a fine, girlfriend!! -
Regular visitor to the library. Love it. Borrows a wide range of books from comics, to fiction, to hard-core computer stuff like SQL, Java etc, investment, self-improvement, Lonely planet, Health, sports, yoga etc etc....
Also had made book reservation somethings when I heard of a good book and NLB actually has it already! This way, even if the book is not in my nearest library, I can collect it there for just a price of 50 cents. Also had made book extension online when I was abroad and unable to return book in time.
And yes, the payment is the one glaring ineffeciency that I guess everyone notices. I had to top up my cashcard with nets follow by payment with cashcard to make a payment of $6 accumulated over x years, which if I do not pay up prevents me from borrowing further. -
I always go library to borrow books with my sweetheart.
I dont bear to spent $ on books, as i know after reading the book, i have no idea how to deal with them, so i rather borrow. -
Unfortunately, the libraries here do not have the books I love to read because I guess not too many people here would read them.Originally posted by kops21:I always go library to borrow books with my sweetheart.
I dont bear to spent $ on books, as i know after reading the book, i have no idea how to deal with them, so i rather borrow. So, I have no choice but to purchase the books.