Usually, everyone praises the Los Angeles Public Library for it's resources for the people, both on and off line. I am usually one of those fans.Today, though, I wonder.
I wonder who updates their resource pages and where the library Department ever came up with this list of "local resources".
First, it's organized in no particular order. Second, for the government information page, it links to sources that I would think may be questionable in terms of credibility AND it misses major ones. For instance under "Independent Colleges and Universities," it lists a spattering of the major private schools listing some that are outside the City limits (but not all), then, it fails to mention colleges in the City like Mount Saint Mary's College, which actually has two campuses in the City (Doheny and Brentwood).
Probably one of the worst sections is the one on "Local Media." I don't mind that blogs and websites are not listed, but they've missed major local papers like The Daily Breeze, The Sentinel, the Sun community papers in the Valley, and the L.A. Independent, among (a lot of) others.
Don't even get me started on the incomplete list of "LA Places" (shouldn't there be an emphasis on the City which funds this site?) section. From Histories to Restaurants to Neighborhoods - this section is quite lacking.
Ok. Enough criticism. I do love my public library - our City's got one of the best. But, since they are the gathering point and likely authoritative source for information, this page needs to be revamped or eliminated. Non-City Nerds may miss major portions of Los Angeles life if they go to the library to be a source of information on "local resources" - something this institution should do very well.
2 comments:
Maybe they are short-staffed in that area.
I love the library, but it has it's problems. It's too bad they can't deal more effectively with the parking situation. I understand why they have to limit the hours you park for the library, but $36.50 for five hours of parking?
There also seems to be a reluctance on the part of the staff to quiet rude patrons who talk on their cell phones in the stacks.
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