The Ghostbusters will save the library.

Apparently I've been out of the public library loop in a big way. But I spent the better part of this morning getting right back in it after hearing a story on NPR about the planned renovations of the New York City Public Library's "flagship" 5th Avenue branch. You know the one I'm talking about. Bryant Park. Lions. The face of NYCPL.

Before we get to the topic at hand, let us remember a scene that haunted my childhood:

Whew. Now that that's out of the way, the short and sweet version: the library is shipping an undisclosed number of books from its seven stories of stacks (somewhere between 1 and 2 million) to some locale in north Jersey to make way for the operations of two other well-used NYCPL locations, a mid-Manhattan branch and the Science, Industry, and Business Library. These other 2 well-used branches will close and their services will relocate to 5th Avenue. Read more here.

Let the public outcry ensue.

I don't know enough about it to have strong feelings one way or another. Maybe the reasons for the reconfiguration are questionable? On the other hand, I once worked a circulation desk at a library with off site stacks. And they always delivered ordered material promptly and efficiently. As in, they never made a mistake. Ever. No exaggeration. It is a great thing for that particular library. Maybe this new system could be great for this branch?