Local libraries far from being obsolete

Dear Heloise: As a librarian, I am furious at the comments madeabout local libraries in a recent column. Libraries are NOT mustywarehouses for books, and they are NOT stagnant. They are evolvingentities responding to the ever-changing informational needs of thecommunity. I was floored by the comments about doing research onlineand using the large bookstores. The Internet and large bookstorechains with their coffee shops are two of the major factorsinfluencing changes in library service -- we must compete forpatronage.

Some readers pine for the time when they were the only ones inthe library. How long do you think taxpayers will support aninstitution that serves so few? Libraries are available for all. Ifthey didn't keep pace with the changing community, they would go theway of the dinosaur.

These readers do not understand the true purpose of the library;they are nostalgic for an earlier time. Do they want to go back toblack-and-white TV or telegrams? Why should they expect a dynamic,service-oriented institution to remain the same?

--Bobbi, via e-mail

Bobbi, thank you for writing. I hope my readers learned aboutanother view.

--Heloise

Dear Heloise: When we get new phone books, I go through the oldone and take out the section that includes important phone numbers,a city map and street information. I keep this in the glovecompartment of my car. I can't tell you how many times this has comein handy for me and for friends.

--Vivian in Mississippi

Dear Heloise: To minimize accounting errors, I tuck debit-card,ATM and deposit receipts underneath my checkbook in my combo wallet/checkbook. If I don't have time to record the transactionimmediately, I can always go through the receipts every time I paysome bills and update my check register.

--Janet Horne, Salisbury, Md.

Dear Heloise: Too often, I get magnet ads or cards from companiesI don't frequent, while having regular paper business cards that Ineed to refer to more frequently.

I peel off the plastic covering on the face of the magnetizedcards and glue the plain paper cards to the magnetic sheets. Then Ican put them on my refrigerator or other places, and it costs menothing.

--Bobbi, Keizer, Ore.

Dear Heloise: I use a 4-by-6-inch sticky note to write my grocerylist on. I can also stick a few coupons to the back of it, andeverything is right at my fingertips for a trip to the store.

--Scott in Fullerton, Calif.

Dear Heloise: Here is a funny story about leaf-blower cleaning. Iwas using it to clean under my washer and dryer (in a narrowhallway). Out came a dust storm that looked like a tornado! I couldnot run fast enough.

--Sonia Myers, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 210-435-6473 or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letterpersonally but will use the best hints received in my column.

[copyright] King Features Syndicate Inc.