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(I wrote this). I'm not saying that libraries should be abolished, just that they should be expanded. My point is that the world has changed, and it would be

by blhack 16y ago

(I wrote this). I'm not saying that libraries should be abolished, just that they should be expanded. My point is that the world has changed, and it would be great if the libraries caught up. Absolutely don't get rid of books, that's not what I'm saying at all. To me, libraries represent an academic resource for the community. I would just love to see them be an even greater resource than they are now. I think the idea is fantastic, and I think that history agrees, I just want to see that fantastic idea expanded a little more.

qjz 16y ago
So what would I like to see happen? Get rid of the dead trees, but don't stop there. It sounds like you want to get rid of books ("dead trees"), but maybe you got a little overexcited. I just went to the library today, to return and check out some books. It's a nice break from the time I spend behind a computer, and e-books don't interest me that much. But while I was there, a group of toddlers were engaged in a singalong, and several people were browsing the web on library computers. Now, some libraries are better than others (for some strange reason, our local library only has one terminal dedicated to searching the catalog, so you have to wait if someone else is using it and you can't simply use one of the web PCs without signing up for a session, plus there's no wifi), but the trend is definitely toward improving the library as a community resource. The bigger problem is the lack of funding and other resources. If you want to help your library develop along these lines, volunteer, donate, vote and/or simply ask accordingly.
- blhack 16y ago
  You make a good point. It was mistaken to say "get rid of the dead trees", what I meant was "get rid of the idea that the main focus of your establishment should be dead trees."
  - Herring 16y ago
    >mistaken Eh. Maybe books are not quite dead yet, but they do have a terminal disease. We all can see it, I don't know why we tiptoe around it.
    - easp 16y ago
      Books still have many things going for them. Once they are produced, the only infrastructure they require is literacy and something to keep them dry. Once you have a book, you can do almost anything you want with it, including give it or sell it to someone else, who will have the same rights you had. Copyright does apply to books, of course, but with books, the concept of fair use is well ensconced, and not encumbered by EULAs and "click-wrap" terms of use. So yes, books may well be terminal, but if they die, we risk loosing something more than just a stack of dead tree we can hold in our hands.
      - Herring 16y ago
        I can't see that you disagreed with me, & I don't disagree with you either. Something's always lost in these 'revolutions', but we always gain more than we lose. That's why we're switching mediums in the first place.
theBobMcCormick 16y ago
O.k. I didn't get that, thought you were saying books were obsolete. Given your clarification then, I do agree with you then, although in fairness, I'd have to say I think most libraries have been trying to embrace the digital age for quite a while.
pontifier 16y ago
Instead of lamenting that your library isn't a Hackerspace, you should rejoice that you have a Hackerspace in your area...http://www.heatsynclabs.org/ http://www.heatsynclabs.org/ Joining my local Hackerspace (http://www.thetransistor.com http://www.thetransistor.com) has been one of the most enjoyable things I have done.
- blhack 16y ago
  I go to heatsync all the time, I love that place. The only reason I go there, however, and one of the only reasons I even know it exists is because of my exposure to technology. Getting more stuff out there and in the hands of kids (and here is the important part: telling them that they can use it however they want to) is what I would love to see. One very important thing that happened to me during my schooling was an amazing teacher that I had for an off-campus computer course that I took. I'm sure that this could have gotten her in a lot of trouble (which is a problem, in my eyes) but when she would leave after class, she would leave the computer lab unlocked for us. This meant that my friend Aaron and I could stay there as late as we wanted working on side projects and seeing what we could make our linux machines do. It was so important for me because it wasn't a class, there was no point to it, it was just 50 very nice workstations and a sortof agreement that if I didn't permanently damage anything, I could use it for whatever it was that I wanted. Now, how does this relate to my wanting to "rethink libraries"? Well, first of all, I want this type of resource (meaning resources to learn with) available to more than just children, but also I want this type of resource to be available with the understanding that you aren't going to get in trouble if you use it for something other than what is in the book. Think about novels: nobody tells you what they mean, or what you're supposed to think of them. That is why the library model (as opposed to the lit class model) works so well. You can go there on your own time, read whatever you want, and think whatever you want about it. I think that offering people the same experience for more than just books is beneficial. What I do not understand is that people seem to be against this sort of thing. Why? I'm not saying to do away with books at all (although I did say "ditch the dead trees", which was a bit over-zealous), I'm saying to rethink libraries so that they include more tools for learning.
  - 16y ago

by blhack 16y ago

qjz 16y ago

So what would I like to see happen? Get rid of the dead trees, but don't stop there. It sounds like you want to get rid of books ("dead trees"), but maybe you got a little overexcited. I just went to the library today, to return and check out some books. It's a nice break from the time I spend behind a computer, and e-books don't interest me that much. But while I was there, a group of toddlers were engaged in a singalong, and several people were browsing the web on library computers. Now, some libraries are better than others (for some strange reason, our local library only has one terminal dedicated to searching the catalog, so you have to wait if someone else is using it and you can't simply use one of the web PCs without signing up for a session, plus there's no wifi), but the trend is definitely toward improving the library as a community resource. The bigger problem is the lack of funding and other resources. If you want to help your library develop along these lines, volunteer, donate, vote and/or simply ask accordingly.

blhack 16y ago
You make a good point. It was mistaken to say "get rid of the dead trees", what I meant was "get rid of the idea that the main focus of your establishment should be dead trees."
- Herring 16y ago
  >mistaken Eh. Maybe books are not quite dead yet, but they do have a terminal disease. We all can see it, I don't know why we tiptoe around it.
  - easp 16y ago
    Books still have many things going for them. Once they are produced, the only infrastructure they require is literacy and something to keep them dry. Once you have a book, you can do almost anything you want with it, including give it or sell it to someone else, who will have the same rights you had. Copyright does apply to books, of course, but with books, the concept of fair use is well ensconced, and not encumbered by EULAs and "click-wrap" terms of use. So yes, books may well be terminal, but if they die, we risk loosing something more than just a stack of dead tree we can hold in our hands.
    - Herring 16y ago
      I can't see that you disagreed with me, & I don't disagree with you either. Something's always lost in these 'revolutions', but we always gain more than we lose. That's why we're switching mediums in the first place.

theBobMcCormick 16y ago

O.k. I didn't get that, thought you were saying books were obsolete. Given your clarification then, I do agree with you then, although in fairness, I'd have to say I think most libraries have been trying to embrace the digital age for quite a while.

pontifier 16y ago

Instead of lamenting that your library isn't a Hackerspace, you should rejoice that you have a Hackerspace in your area...http://www.heatsynclabs.org/ http://www.heatsynclabs.org/ Joining my local Hackerspace (http://www.thetransistor.com http://www.thetransistor.com) has been one of the most enjoyable things I have done.

blhack 16y ago
I go to heatsync all the time, I love that place. The only reason I go there, however, and one of the only reasons I even know it exists is because of my exposure to technology. Getting more stuff out there and in the hands of kids (and here is the important part: telling them that they can use it however they want to) is what I would love to see. One very important thing that happened to me during my schooling was an amazing teacher that I had for an off-campus computer course that I took. I'm sure that this could have gotten her in a lot of trouble (which is a problem, in my eyes) but when she would leave after class, she would leave the computer lab unlocked for us. This meant that my friend Aaron and I could stay there as late as we wanted working on side projects and seeing what we could make our linux machines do. It was so important for me because it wasn't a class, there was no point to it, it was just 50 very nice workstations and a sortof agreement that if I didn't permanently damage anything, I could use it for whatever it was that I wanted. Now, how does this relate to my wanting to "rethink libraries"? Well, first of all, I want this type of resource (meaning resources to learn with) available to more than just children, but also I want this type of resource to be available with the understanding that you aren't going to get in trouble if you use it for something other than what is in the book. Think about novels: nobody tells you what they mean, or what you're supposed to think of them. That is why the library model (as opposed to the lit class model) works so well. You can go there on your own time, read whatever you want, and think whatever you want about it. I think that offering people the same experience for more than just books is beneficial. What I do not understand is that people seem to be against this sort of thing. Why? I'm not saying to do away with books at all (although I did say "ditch the dead trees", which was a bit over-zealous), I'm saying to rethink libraries so that they include more tools for learning.
- 16y ago