To provide access to all the people of Cambridge and to insure that we manage our resources well, Library 21 is gathering information from as many groups as possible about what the people want.
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Book-signings
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Meeting room in Central Square is good and is only one in neighborhood
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Computer terminals- need additional link to Main library in Central square
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Meeting spaces get people in the door
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Parking permits and other services bring people in
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Community gathering place
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Teleconferencing
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Communications center
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Video hookups to other cities
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Library as a place for participation in government
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Future needs for knowledge important use of library
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Safe local neighborhood place for kids
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Enrichment activities
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Small business support
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Conference centers
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Lectures for kids
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Authors speak to kids
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Cable hook-up for programs so you don’t have to go to a bar; could use earphones
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Community sharing for resources
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Author signings important
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On-line internet connects to main branch only; should also in central sq.
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Popular fiction in a wider range
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Word processing
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Computer processing
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Books on tape
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CDs
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Borrow rather than buy
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Bookmobile bring it back
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Computers and education needed
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Branches are the preferred delivery spot
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Sentiment for dispersing wealth of information throughout the city
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Sentiment for dispersing knowledge throughout the city
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Computer terminals can be used as cable television
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Terminals - lots needed
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Hardware lots needed
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Low cost space for computers needed
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Training of computers needed
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Catalog terminal- second one needed in Central Sq. branch
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Videos to pick up
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Magazines for reading
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Wait list too long for new popular work
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Stacks used
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Circulation is an issue
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CD borrowing not well established in inter-library loan system
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Magazines in closed stack
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Newspapers in closed stacks
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Opera music and scores should be together
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Telephone books, international ones
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Newspapers better from more languages
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Summer reading club
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Volunteer participation and contributions facilitated
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Youth centers be viewed as library site
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Health centers be viewed as library site
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Public housing be viewed as library site
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Schools be viewed as library site
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Health centers be viewed as computer sites
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Public housing be viewed as computer sites
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Schools be viewed as computer sites
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Youth center be viewed as computer sites
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Size fosters intimacy
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Saturday in summer library should be open
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Main access only in fair weather because she is a biker
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Seats could be more comfortable
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Isolated location of Main branch not near T or busses
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Winter location of main especially hard to reach
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Latch key children not in regular after school use of library
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Free programs are important
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International cooperation
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Attract non-users through kids
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Design is important for non-users
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Boring environment for library now doesn’t attract non-users
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Summer hours needed more in branches
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No big buildings, give up on big buildings
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Uses of library close to where the people live
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Branches should have maximum services
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Kids, close to home
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Cooperation with other organizations
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$15 million used for staff development instead of building buildings
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No bricks or mortar except to provide disabled access
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Staff and equipment in the library are most important
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Weave library with non-profits and businesses
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Give up main branch idea
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Exciting shift in thinking about libraries
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Kids of the future will be the smartest and most comfortable in the 21st century if the library has prepared them adequately
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Put library where the use is the lowest. Thatís where people need it the most
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Operations dollars - not bricks and mortar
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Staff needed to run programs
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Instruct users with dollars for staff not bricks and mortar
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Allocate resources to neediest neighborhoods. e.g. Area 4
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Bookmobile- bring it back
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Sentiment for dispersing access throughout the city
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How do kids think? This is the open door to using knowledge
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Depository for free or loaner books to attract non-users