Recent Misconceptions about Public Libraries and Their Services–Debunked

Most people seem to love the library! And that’s wonderful! Sometimes, however, information on the internet can be misleading, incomplete, or inaccurate. Below are a few misconceptions about libraries and the work they do–debunked!

Library vending machines do not need librarians.

Book Riot recently featured an article discussing the rise of automated library vending machines in response to the pandemic. The article notes that these vending machines are attractive to libraries with small budgets because they cost less than building and staffing librarians. It ends by darkly hinting that the rise of these machines could mean future libraries without librarians.

However, people should be aware that library vending machines still need librarians to stock them, and to pick up any returned items. Adding library vending machines probably means adding to staff’s work load by requiring them to drive around the local area maintaining these machines. It’s a discussion that should be had, as we consider job creep, and how library staff are routinely asked to take on more tasks without more pay.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library must not be all that great because it asks for community partners to pay for books.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination is known fondly in the U.S. for mailing free books to children under the age of five. What many people do not realize is that Dolly herself is not personally funding every single book. Rather, the organization asks for community partners to pay for the cost of the books (often these community partners include public libraries). The organization then handles administrative matters. Sometimes, when people learn this, they feel betrayed and try to suggest that the program is some sort of scam. But what the Imagination Library does is all very clearly explained on their website:

The Imagination Library provides the infrastructure of the core program including managing the secure central database for the Book Order System and coordinating book selections and wholesale purchasing. It also incurs the cost of the program’s administrative expenses and coordinates the monthly mailings.

Imagination Library

That is, the Imagination Library does most of the heavy lifting by having experts decide on age-appropriate books. They also handle tasks such as managing the information databases, and buying, packaging, and mailing out books. The community partner(s) just have to pay for the books and send along the names and addresses of registered children.

That’s not to say that the cost of the program is not an issue. I spoke to someone who knows someone who helped set up an Imagination Library partnership, and she said that it took awhile because the Imagination Library wanted several years’ worth of payment up front. All together, that’s a lot of money! However, per book, it’s not. The Imagination Library likely cuts down on the cost per book by purchasing wholesale (see above) from their dedicated publishing partners.

So, in the end, if a person can find enough local organizations willing to raise funds for the Imagination Library, it’s a win. The community gets cheap books mailed to them and all they have to do is find the money and let the Imagination Library do the rest.

So, really, this misconception is a double one. First, people should know that if their local library partners with the Imagination Library, the public library is probably footing part of the bill and should receive some credit for that. Two, people should know that the public library footing part of the bill is not part of some nefarious plot. The Imagination Library is very transparent about what services they provide and what community partners are expected to provide, and that information is all available on their website.

What misconceptions about the public library have you seen?

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