Chicago Public Libraries decrease hours in 2010

Harold Washington Library roof

This decision is strange, considering the current economic hardships Americans are facing. I am more likely to check out an audio book at a library before purchasing it, and every blue moon I'll read a magazine at a library. But it's the books that I really need to get to (specifically reference books) that make me flock to a library. And many times I use them for news assignments, especially if there's a historical background. Yes, we have Google and Yahoo search engines, but sometimes I need a more credible source, and I can get those at the library.

So while it's not like the library is closing altogether, what's the problem? My issue is that I have worked many late nights and just about sped to the library before it closed at 9 p.m. When you work full time and drive back and forth to work, it's extremely difficult to read a book within the three-week period that a library loan person is given, and now hours are cut too. And even as a freelancer, I'm hightailing it to interviews, driving to events and trying to finish up last-minute articles, so I still don't have the time I'd like to visit libraries, not just to check out books but more importantly for reference titles. With the library hour cut, that makes time even tighter, and this also cuts down time for those who don't own computers and use the library for Internet purposes. It's annoying enough to have to visit a library that has a list of people who want to use the Internet, but now you're competing for more time too. And Chicago Public Libraries won't let you reserve a spot on their Internet-ready computers from home, unlike checking out a book, so you may as well get comfortable. I had 13 viruses on my laptop last month and had to go without a computer for four days. What a pain it was to have to wait to use the library computers, but now the time slots are even tighter. What's next? Cutting down the amount of time an Internet user can use CPL computers?

With people cutting back on spending, they tend to spend more time browsing library bookshelves instead of bookstores, renting films at libraries versus paying money for high rental fees (remember Hollywood Video closed 500 locations and the University of Chicago bought the Hyde Park branch?) and checking out magazines in the library versus buying them, especially older versions. I don't recall ever buying an archived magazine when I could go to the library to see if I could check the article out for free.

I'm hoping this change in 2010 is temporary, and if/when the economy changes, so will the hours. We're at a point where Chicago Public Schools aren't even teaching long division or handwriting because it's not on a standardized test. Kids need to be able to be as close to books as possible and for as long a time as they possibly can, plus this is a safe place to avoid hanging out on the streets getting into trouble. We definitely have enough trouble going on around CPS schools.