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I work out the Columbia University libraries, although I'm not a student. For $500/year you can become a Friend of the Libraries and have access to all the lib
by dhyasama 16y ago
I work out the Columbia University libraries, although I'm not a student. For $500/year you can become a Friend of the Libraries and have access to all the libraries. It's a bargain if you consider how much you would spend at a coffee shop. Also, like the article says, fewer distractions and much more space.
- Tycho 16y agoGosh... I guess i'm pretty lucky to live near my former Uni which only charges £40 yearly for former students. There's also a nice local council one nearby with free wifi, free membership for taxpayers. Another advantage is all the money you can save on heating bills. Starbucks is outrageously expensive though - some cafés are much cheaper, and nicer.
- dhyasama 16y agoI grew up in Maine and went to UMaine. The library there is open to the public. I'm in New York now and due to city budget cuts most public library branches don't open until 11AM which doesn't work for my schedule. Columbia is within walking distance of my apartment and $42/month is a screaming bargain since I'm so much more productive there than at a cafe.
- wildmXranat 16y agoYes, this is a great idea. I paid a much smaller fee of $60 to have access to Mississauga libraries as an out of the city resident. My biggest question is : does the fee include access to library wifi, but at $500, it's still rather steep.
- dhyasama 16y agoIt does include wifi as well as reading privileges, but not lending.
- blackguardx 16y agoI'm surprised they offer such a service. The Columbia U. library is notorious for being stingy with access. As a prospective grad student visiting the campus, they told me that I could have a once-time free pass and that if I ever wanted to get in again at some point during the rest of my life, I would have to become a student. They even refused admittance to a friend of mine who was philosophy PhD student at U Penn. She was surprised because it is pretty normal to go to other campus libraries to do research for dissertations.
- lukeschlather 16y ago>The Columbia U. library is notorious for being stingy with access. $500/year is generous? It would probably be cheaper to formally enroll and take no classes.
- gwern 16y agoI suspect you need at least one class to be formally enrolled, and that would apparently be a minimum cost of $950: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/University_Tuition_And_Fees/tuition-fees-10-11.html http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/University_Tuition_And_F...
- icefox 16y agoSo your saying as a bonus to the library your first class is only $450! :D
- lukeschlather 16y agoI've been formally enrolled in the continuing education program at Wittenberg university for something like a year, with no cost. I'm sure Columbia is a little more strict (Wittenberg after all lets anyone into their library) but I'd imagine if you were determined you could gain access to the library for less than $500/year, though that still doesn't make any price generous so much as a price that Columbia has chosen. Generous would be giving free access.
- stuff4ben 16y agoDuke's "Friends of the Libraries" is only $50 a year or $100 if you want access to the medical, business, law, and divinity libraries as well. I might actually consider working from there a couple times a week.
- joshuaheard 16y agoI always go to the local university library when I want to get something done. I have no problem getting in or parking. Plenty of space to work. It's quiet and no distractions. I work on my laptop without internet access, then upload everything when I get home. I never thought to inquire about wifi at the library.