Newport Beach, CA, Considers Bookless Library

Newport Beach has a plan on the drawing table to move the Balboa Branch of their public library to 'spanking new' 2,200-square foot quarters in the proposed Marina Park project. (http://today.msnbe.msn.com, March 30, 2011.) Part of the plan includes several alternatives for this relocation. One alternative is to eliminate most or all of the books and turn that library into "a kind of community center - a place where citizens could gather, chat. . .and surf the web."

There are several interesting/horrific concepts involved in this alternative. First of all, Newport Beach is 'faced with crushing budget problems" and this could be a part of their solution - remove all books. It seems odd to me that they want to spend money on building a "spanking new" library facility in a new location but are willing to remove the books to save money. That seems a little odd. "Look! We have a new building! And we save a portion of the cost by eliminating the books!" What a political statement.

Of course, there will be computers and maybe Ebooks and a nice place to sit by the fire and play with your laptop; but if Newport Beach library users in that area want a book, they will have to request it at an electronic ordering station, then wait for someone to deliver it to them from another branch. If someone comes in who doesn't have the funds to own an Ereader or, heaven forbid, expects a library to have books, they will be disappointed and disenfranchised.

Libraries try to meet the needs of all their patrons. This includes the technological and traditional services. As one person commented on this article, "As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation". I hope they are wrong. The concept of libraries as social and electronic centers only is disturbing, to say the least.