Mar, Tulsa (8/25/2009 7:25:46 PM)

I too am proud of the Tulsa City-County Library. With that being said, the downtown central library looks very outdated. Also, I wish the parking was better.

As for the recent problems with the library system, I think it is more due to certain personnel higher ups than the whole library system. Hopefully things can be straightened up once the new CEO is hired.

Welcome to Tulsa, Brad Thomas. :-)

Harold Brookens 1, Tulsa (8/26/2009 7:12:39 PM)

Most of the library's collection is not accessible to the public. You have to place a request that may take up to 5 days to come in. That's if the items isn't checked out.

It would be nice if the library system would shelve it's desire for a new central library and develop plans to digitize it's entire collection so that it would be available online.

owen, Tulsa (8/26/2009 6:40:44 PM)

Brad, don't be disheartened by the negative comments. If you read posts on most subjects you will find the negative folks (often the same people). I love our libraries and have never met an unfriendly employee. I think it's great that Hardesty is so kid friendly, but since I have no little ones, I utilize Helmerich. That's another great advantage of TCCL--choices.

Carrie, Tulsa (8/25/2009 6:50:47 PM)

"Notice where the activity is: The BRANCHES."

Again, another lie from you. Where do you get your information?

Central has the second most items checked out.

Webmeister, Tulsa (8/25/2009 12:49:04 PM)

Demand for library services in the city-county libraries would be expected to rise in a declining economy.

Notice where the activity is: The BRANCHES.

Notice too that shortly after the selection of a future Tulsa City-County Library Executive Director, that the artificial "buzz" created by that new personality's selection, will used to try to sell the voters on:

A new GRAND CENTRAL Library.

Manhattan Construction is already "studying" its feasibility.....

Any possible ideas on their expected conclusions??

Right.

Webmeister, Tulsa (8/25/2009 2:04:16 PM)

Jimmy13:

Were you aware that the Central Library, when constructed, had the infrastructure built-in to add TWO additional floors to the building?

For some reason, the Library Commission, the Library Executive Director, and a certain local construction company have not been active in reminding us of this capacity for expansion: UP.

Webmeister, Tulsa (8/26/2009 8:03:37 AM)

annalee: There is ample parking downtown adjacent to the Central Library, because of all the vacant spaces left from the move of City Hall to One Technology Center in 2007.

More than ample.

Carrie: Downtown should always have the most books checked-out; it's the largest circulating library in the City-County System. Even when routed for pickup at a branch.

DelawareSooner, Newark, DE (8/26/2009 2:31:17 PM)

Webmeister, technically, all libraries in any system are branches, and the central library is only ment to be the biggest of them. Much like the trunk of a tree is still, technically, a branch.
Saying the most activity is taking place at the branches is like saying that most people drive their cars on the street. While true, it isn't a major revelation. Not outside of the CAVE.
Indeed, shame on the library system for promoting literacy and community activities! Just another tax dollar sinkhole!

T5000, (8/26/2009 11:52:12 AM)

Webmeister is the founding member of CAVE:

Citizens Against Virtually Everything

bradthomas, (8/25/2009 5:43:23 PM)

The past few months have been incredibly difficult for our library system as a whole. In addition, it has been difficult for individuals as well - not only for those who were subjected to sometimes painful scrutiny and personal attacks on this site - but also for most of the TCCL staff who have been largely silent throughout this issue.

While many within the community have voiced their objections and criticized the Tulsa City-County Library System , I would hope that there are just as many (if not more) out there who will continue to support the library as we all work hard to serve our community to the best of our abilities.

As someone who packed his family up and moved here from out of state in order to work for TCCL, I can tell you - without a doubt- that Tulsa County has one of the best library systems in the nation. However, that is NOT the only reason why I came here to work for TCCL. I came to Tulsa largely because of the overwhelming community support for the library system - and it is often difficult for me to read the negative comments that have been posted lately regarding TCCL.

The employees of TCCL are undoubtably some of the most outstanding professionals I have ever had the pleasure to work alongside. And when I refer to "professionals," I am talking about not only the librarians, but also the delivery drivers, the clerks, the managers and shelvers, the catalogers, the maintenance men, th staff inthe literacy and volunteer offices,the "IT guys," the employees in collection development, the associates, and everyone else involved in the day to day process of providing the best possible service to the community that we love.

Special kudos, of course, to my own department, who I have the privilege of working with and learning from each and every day.

I read the comments on each story and am disheartened, yes. But I also strive to take away something from each negative comment - so that I might provide better service to our community in the future.

I am confident that the commission will make the right decision regarding our future leader for TCCL, and look forward to many more years as an employee of all of you.

Brad Thomas
Outreach Services Manager
TCCL

(my comments are entirely my own, and do not necessarily represent the views of TCCL in any way)

Courtland, (8/26/2009 5:06:34 PM)

I originally posted this on an older article, but since the issue keeps being raised by some, I will repost it here:

Things that are wrong with the current central library:

1. Over 1/3 of Central Library's collection is shelved in the basement, on "collapsible" shelving. The public cannot browse these books but must find them in the catalog and ask a staff member to go find them down in the bowels of the library.

2. The electrical system for the Central library was designed before 1965 and did not take into account (how could it), the modern demands of the IT departement and the systems servers which did not exist then. Needless to say the current electrical system is seriously overtaxed and well overdue for replacement, despite updates and upgrades to the system over the years.

3. The Building is too small for its needed purpose. Many people do not realize that ALL those wonderful services that they enjoy at other branches and on the southside, such as interlibrary loans and inner-system delivery are routed through the central library (which is sort of why it is called Central...) Central is also the home of the IT departement which manages all the computers for the whole system, all 25 libraries. And the executive offices. And all cataloging and processing of all new materials. And ordering of all materials. And Outreach services. And Central has the largest physical collection of any of the libraries by far. To properly house everything, and give the public proper access to the collection the central library would need to be 4 stories taller than it is (yes, it could have 2 floors, added, no it wouldn't be nearly enough). And it already has multiple basements that are crammed to the gills that the public has no access too.

4. Codes have changed. The central library, being a public building and not office space, would be required by current codes to turn over the total volume of air in its public spaces much more rapidly than was the norm when it was built. Contrary to what some people think we have actually learned alot in the last 44 years about buildings, as a result codes have changed. because of the way central was built (and no, this is not criticism), any new ductwork would have to be put in the interstitial space between floors. What this would effectively do is drop the ceiling in ALL public spaces in the library to 7 feet. let me say that again: the ceilings in every public space in the library, would drop to 7 feet. There are 2 big problems with this: 1. the libraries current shelving exceeds this height already. Of course this also means that Central will need more floor space to make up for the lost height on its existing shelves. but central literally HAS NO MORE floor space. 2. Light. Much of the light in the central library is natural light that comes through those nice tall windows. But if you drop the ceilings to 7 feet and run all the shelves right up to meet it the public areas or central won't just be maze-like, they will become like a cave.

5. On top of all this the total cost to actually do these remodels would be very close to the cost of a new building. But of course even after these new and extensive remodels Central would STILL be sub-optimal for the role it needs to fill. The building itself could still see lots of use, as office space for example (the air-turn-over requirements are nowhere near as high).

This is, or course, by no means an exhaustive list, but simple a few of the more major issues involved.

Courtland, (8/26/2009 8:15:59 PM)

""It would be nice if the library system would shelve it's desire for a new central library and develop plans to digitize it's entire collection so that it would be available online.""

And apparently you sir are completely unaware of a little thing called "copyright". EVEN IF the library system WANTED to get copyright holders to agree to such an absurd plan, the financial outlay would be ASTRONOMICALLY Prohibitive. And of course it would only benefit those users who have high-speed internet in their own homes.

There is a reason that digital copies of books cost money EVERY TIME you download them. Given that the library system has had 5 millions items checked out so far this year, there is simply no way that such an idea would ever be even close to financially viable; it would be the worst return on investment that I can think of. Its a terrible idea.

Pinky, Tulsa (8/25/2009 6:56:20 PM)

Brad, thanks for your insight and voice for the tireless workers at Tulsa's libraries. We are truly blessed in Tulsa to have so many wonderful workers who do their best to bring the libraries' offerings to the public - and many generous patrons who support the development of these facilities. Keep your chin up and pray that TCCL system will untangle whatever mess the internal workings are experiencing, and the library system will be the better for it. A little sunshine on the problem is probably not a bad thing. Glad to have ya here sir! regards, Pinky

jimmy13, Tulsa (8/25/2009 1:41:10 PM)

The downtown library is a nice, functional facility and it attracts a large number of downtown drifters as well as regular folks. Build more suburban libraries near families and continue to spend some money to upgrade the sound central library.

uklynbereg, (8/25/2009 7:56:50 PM)

Webmeister, you may be on to something. This positive story about Hardesty, which has no discernable news value, seems to have little other explanation. Instead of the branches, the focus should be on a new director. Let's stop this "CEO" nonsense. Even the head of the Library of Congress is not called a CEO. Let's also hope that the new CEO is not anyone from the current administration.

annalee, Tulsa (8/25/2009 9:48:36 PM)

My branch is Schusterman...just wanna give them a shout-out and say how much I appreciate them. They are always friendly and I love chatting them up about books.

And YES, the parking at Central is scary. I so hope we can get a new Central...Tulsa deserves it.

Brad Thomas, glad you are on board!

FromTheHeart, (8/25/2009 12:17:37 PM)

Hardesty is great...friendly and helpful staff!