The State of the Library

[Zor95]

So there's been a lot of discussion about the library scattered all around the server and forums. I'd like to condense it to one thread, bring you guys up to date with what's happening, and collect some feedback.

I am now part of the library staff. My original intention was to just assist the current staff with rewarding players for submitting books, but it looks like I may need to at least temporarily take charge. I managed the library on previous worlds, but I no longer have Guardian powers to pop around and collect or return books so it's going to be slower than you may remember.

Before I get started I need to know what you all, the players of Loka, think about the library right now. I know that getting books shelved is an issue, but is there anything else that you don't like about the library? What can I do to get you to visit more often?

Also, as already mentioned, I would like to start providing a reward for submitting books to the library. This reward would probably be an amount of currency, though if you have a better idea let me know. If you like the idea of a cash reward how much do you think is reasonable for each submitted book?

Keep in mind that the book must be of good quality. No X-rated books, grammar and spelling must be readable, and no single page books. If your book does not meet these standards I will make a copy of it in case it gets lost, give the original back to you, and then you may submit it again after revisions.

My goal is to make all necessary changes and additions by the time the server updates to 1.8 so get posting.

tl;dr Discuss what you want changed about the library besides quicker shelving.

 

[Cryptite]

I'm also happy to assist with any plugin features required to make being Library Staff easier. Even if it's something as dead simple as pressing a button that warps staff-only players down to the book depot room and back. This is extremely trivial, but I can do more if necessary.

 

[Ronshaud]

Well, the library is great. I visit every time I'm on the server. We do need quicker shelvings. My idea for the library is to have people write, maybe RP books about themselves, just so we can probably get to know them better. Also, the reward... If you ask me, a reward would be cool and all, but I wouldn't really care if we got one or not. I just like writing books so my friends can read them. I would really like to see more books from the Librarians. I've been asking Artagan to write more but he has been busy.(As he says)

 

[Lazuli73]

My biggest issue with the library is the shelving times, but I digress. My second biggest issue is the organization. It's like the librarian just put shelved book where ever he felt, like he through it at a wall and hoped it stuck. I would like to see some better organization, like in a real library. Fiction books all in one section, RP all in one group, instructional books and so on. Get what I am throwing at you?

 

[Ronshaud]

My biggest issue with the library is the shelving times, but I digress. My second biggest issue is the organization. It's like the librarian just put shelved book where ever he felt, like he through it at a wall and hoped it stuck. I would like to see some better organization, like in a real library. Fiction books all in one section, RP all in one group, instructional books and so on. Get what I am throwing at you?

I agree with Laz

 

[Cryptite]

I agree with Laz

 

[MasterAegon]

Indeed. Organization is a big deal. I haven't been back to it after the first time because I had no idea the first thing to look at. Any sort of 'card catalog' would be nice. Something to separate different genres or classifications of books.

I'm seeing eye to eye with Zor on books needing to be properly written. If it looks like it is a 4chan reject thread, I'll just as soon toss the copy back into the submission chest so it doesn't take up inventory. If books had a larger restriction to quality for submission as well as a functional purpose, I'd be in there every day. Right now, I don't feel any need to know what's written in any of the books.

 

[Lazuli73]

Also I am not sure how I feel about the whole reward for books things. I mean it would be nice, but is it necessary? The only real reason behind the rewards were to get more submissions to the library, but that is a two way street. The two way street being yea more people are submitting books (and from what I hear have some really good content) but they need to shelved in order to be officially apart of the library. Writers in real life get rewards for their writing, look at J.K Rowling's (I think that's her name... never read the Harry Potter books) so I don't see why Lokans can't.

The whole content thing was brought up too, and in order for your book to be taken seriously it needs to look decent, grammar anyways. One could argue content over grammar, spelling can be fixed, but bad writing can't. Some of my first books were just done in books and quills, and as most of you know I am not the best speller. Now I write a draft on a word document, but simple grammar mistakes still sneak their way in. Its not that my books have terrible content, from those who read them they are brilliant, I am just pissy poor at editing.

I like how now there is being a certain standard held for book submissions, well, there should be.

 

[Cryptite]

Rewards for books have the potential to make people sacrifice quality for quantity.

 

[Lazuli73]

Rewards for books have the potential to make people sacrifice quality for quantity.

He has a way to sum up the biggest posts so nicely.

 

[Zor95]

Rewards for books have the potential to make people sacrifice quality for quantity.

Can't be any quality if there is no quantity though. Perhaps the long shelving times have been putting people off from writing, but in the couple months since the library was last updated only 7 new books have been submitted. Maybe we could offer a reward for a limited time to get things going?

 

[hyhu]

Can we have an adult literature section? That would bring in a lot of people.
Edit: I just realized I wouldn't have access to it, in that case, can we round up ages?

 

[Cryptite]

Can't be any quality if there is no quantity though. Perhaps the long shelving times have been putting people off from writing, but in the couple months since the library was last updated only 7 new books have been submitted. Maybe we could offer a reward for a limited time to get things going?

We have quite a lot of books down in the depot actually; I think the whole thing just needs a once over and a bit of a reshelving.

 

[Zor95]

I went through the book deposit chest and all but 7 were just thrown in from the library. Briefly scanned the other chests and didn't see anything new. But yeah if people aren't happy with the current organization it would be best to dump everything into chests and reshelve.

 

[Leasaur]

If we delve into the Lore forums, some players have written in short stories or accounts of events. Why not transcribe them into library books, if you want stuff with quality + quantity?

 

[Lazuli73]

I was wondering if we could put book series in the same book shelves. For example crypts chronicles series, it takes up 5 individual bookshelves. Is it possible with some coding wizzardry to put book series like chronicles in one shelf to save space for other books with only one story to tell?

 

[Cryptite]

I was wondering if we could put book series in the same book shelves. For example crypts chronicles series, it takes up 5 individual bookshelves. Is it possible with some coding wizzardry to put book series like chronicles in one shelf to save space for other books with only one story to tell?

That was always a plan. The idea was that first we should fill up the library and make it look busy. Then, when we needed more room, we could consolidate Chronicles down to 1 shelf when needed.

 

[Kobeyador]

lol random idea but what if the books were linked to the forums through the library. I.E. when you submit a book to the library it links to a category in the forums or have a special part in the forums for people to post in that would automatically post a book in the library.

 

[MasterAegon]

I wish there was something more user friendly on MC. At this juncture I'd rather see posts on the forums for a library than in-game because of how little each page can hold in those.

I do enjoy the idea of a library and having so much server information and stories in-game, but it feels like such a pain to read it in those books -_-

 

[Kobeyador]

If we could sync it up with the forums, people would be able to choose how they read/submit the stories from/to the library. This would also let us keep track of how many individuals have *READ* the material and reward the author of the books on views/reads. If the author loses quality and just starts posting bad material then they loose credibility and people will stop reading there stuff on there own.

Or we can set it up where you can donate funds/items to the author. make it realistic to the real world. Post a book and sell it in the library.