Chicagoist: The Library's New Clothes

Spook

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:50:43 -0600

One of the reasons why Le Spook selected a out of the way secluded ghetto condo in the last refuge low end reaches of the wild bad lands of Logan Square, as opposed to a every thing granite top stainless steal with diamonded incrusted floors condo, was because your Spook wanted space to start his own F*cking library! Good or bad, once you read a book then that book is part of you, so why release it? But I still love Libraries especially two in New York and one in New Orleans. But does any one else fee that The Harold Washington Library lacks a “soul”? Don’t get me wrong, I loved our first Book Reading Democratically Progressive Mayor, and one of the few good things this current “mayor” has done was to name a Library after Mayor Washington. We all know that a library beats, having a housing project named in your “honor”. But besides for the cool outside including the green gargoyles that look so cool at night in the light, the place is just soulless and the harsh lights remind one of a prison. I tried to go there a couple of times with my lap top to feel inspired, but that place just sucks.

MM

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:40:46 -0600

The redesigned library site is so much easier to use. Being able to renew and place holds online were the two features I'd been wishing for, and I'm kind of embarrassed at how happy I am that I can now do those things. The search works a lot beter than before, too.

Mike

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:52:51 -0600

You can renew online, Leah -- go into your MyCPL page and for checked-out books, there's a little "renew" link next to it. I'm rather psyched about finally being able to place holds online. I wrote a few Greasemonkey scripts to make it easier to check the library's catalog and place a hold from an Amazon page. I'm diggin' it. :)

leahthelibrarian

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:13:39 -0600

I'm so pleased you wrote about this. The CPL site has been in need of a make-over for a very long time. It's great to see that they were listening to everyone's complaints and have come up with a site that is actually usable! Still no online renewing though :( I was bummed about that. But baby steps are better than no steps at all!

leahthelibrarian

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:13:21 -0600