5 ms·

Why are there still libraries?

11 points by adulau 16y ago

noonespecial 16y ago
Libraries are a master-stroke of egalitarianism. They're paid for mostly by the rich, benefit the poor most of all, and when used as intended can't help but better the individuals who use them. They are about as free from corruption as any government program ever has been, are not strongly influenced by commercial interests, and seem to have almost supernaturally resisted the huge, ridiculous, parasitic bureaucracies that have latched on to other similar government programs. They're worth having around just to be able to step back once in a while and say "Son of a sheepdog! It is possible!"
entangld 16y ago
I'm kind of ashamed that people even have to ask this question. I live a block from my library. Parents take dozens of books home to read to their kids. They don't have to buy them. It would be VERY expensive to buy hundreds of kids books per year. A well informed society benefits everyone. If you already pay for internet, have a computer, have a college degree, buy books on amazon, live in a big city around well-educated individuals, you might not need a library, but you didn't get any of that for free. It cost a lot of money to get you to that point. Not everyone has that. The costs of self-educating without a library would be very high for someone without means. If you just factor cost of computer, internet fees and time it would to search for and acquire low cost/free materials (books are cheaper to carry, require no electricity) it's easy to see that it's not a close comparison. Our problem is that many people can't visualize the benefits of a library until they are in economic turmoil (library use increased during the recession). We don't need fewer libraries, we need more people reading.
- JoeAltmaier 16y ago
  I find it too expensive(!) to use a library. Getting there, getting back, paying late fees (almost every time). Then, getting library books confused with my own (I have thousands). No, much cheaper and less stress to just buy the dang things. And another thing. I can't believe its not cheaper to just buy people books, than to build a large edifice, staff it with dozens of people, heat it and maintain it. Just sell it, and put up a website: kids books free.
  - entangld 16y ago
    You can renew books at most libraries online and avoid late fees. It's cheaper to buy a book than to borrow a free one? Most individuals with money find it more convenient to spend money (e.g. - cooking, transportation, etc...). One building can serve many thousands over a year. Borrowing scales better than buying.
    - JoeAltmaier 16y ago
      Look at the stats on your local library. Maybe they used to serve the public, now they serve a loyal following of library nuts. Look at the stats on your police station, or fire station, or post office (oops - maybe not so good). They pay their way. Carnegie had it right, in the 1910's. But the world has changed, and the library model is (fast becoming) obsolete.
      - deleted 16y ago
        [deleted]
      - JoeAltmaier 16y ago
        And here's some stats on Alaska public libraries: http://library.state.ak.us/dev/plstats/plstats.html#annual_spreadsheets http://library.state.ak.us/dev/plstats/plstats.html#annual_s... What does it show? That Internet access accounts for 1/3 of visits. Do you think that is going up, or going down? Let's cut to the chase: replace the library with public access Internet stations, and stop pretending. Ok, look at it this way. Does your kid go down to the library to research a school report? Or just Google it? Do they even know how to use the index to periodicals? Why?
    - JoeAltmaier 16y ago
      Yes, for an ADD family, its Far cheaper to buy them than "borrow" them. And then ... you own them! And can loan them out yourself! And re-read them. And talk about them, and go find quotes in them... I went to my library to read science fiction, years ago. A few months after I started, the collection started shrinking? The library was having "book sales"! Selling off their collection! To buy more videos, and romance novels, and popular literature. I gave up.

11 points by adulau 16y ago

Libraries are a master-stroke of egalitarianism. They're paid for mostly by the rich, benefit the poor most of all, and when used as intended can't help but better the individuals who use them. They are about as free from corruption as any government program ever has been, are not strongly influenced by commercial interests, and seem to have almost supernaturally resisted the huge, ridiculous, parasitic bureaucracies that have latched on to other similar government programs. They're worth having around just to be able to step back once in a while and say "Son of a sheepdog! It is possible!"

entangld 16y ago

I'm kind of ashamed that people even have to ask this question. I live a block from my library. Parents take dozens of books home to read to their kids. They don't have to buy them. It would be VERY expensive to buy hundreds of kids books per year. A well informed society benefits everyone. If you already pay for internet, have a computer, have a college degree, buy books on amazon, live in a big city around well-educated individuals, you might not need a library, but you didn't get any of that for free. It cost a lot of money to get you to that point. Not everyone has that. The costs of self-educating without a library would be very high for someone without means. If you just factor cost of computer, internet fees and time it would to search for and acquire low cost/free materials (books are cheaper to carry, require no electricity) it's easy to see that it's not a close comparison. Our problem is that many people can't visualize the benefits of a library until they are in economic turmoil (library use increased during the recession). We don't need fewer libraries, we need more people reading.

JoeAltmaier 16y ago
I find it too expensive(!) to use a library. Getting there, getting back, paying late fees (almost every time). Then, getting library books confused with my own (I have thousands). No, much cheaper and less stress to just buy the dang things. And another thing. I can't believe its not cheaper to just buy people books, than to build a large edifice, staff it with dozens of people, heat it and maintain it. Just sell it, and put up a website: kids books free.
- entangld 16y ago
  You can renew books at most libraries online and avoid late fees. It's cheaper to buy a book than to borrow a free one? Most individuals with money find it more convenient to spend money (e.g. - cooking, transportation, etc...). One building can serve many thousands over a year. Borrowing scales better than buying.
  - JoeAltmaier 16y ago
    Look at the stats on your local library. Maybe they used to serve the public, now they serve a loyal following of library nuts. Look at the stats on your police station, or fire station, or post office (oops - maybe not so good). They pay their way. Carnegie had it right, in the 1910's. But the world has changed, and the library model is (fast becoming) obsolete.
    - deleted 16y ago
      [deleted]
    - JoeAltmaier 16y ago
      And here's some stats on Alaska public libraries: http://library.state.ak.us/dev/plstats/plstats.html#annual_spreadsheets http://library.state.ak.us/dev/plstats/plstats.html#annual_s... What does it show? That Internet access accounts for 1/3 of visits. Do you think that is going up, or going down? Let's cut to the chase: replace the library with public access Internet stations, and stop pretending. Ok, look at it this way. Does your kid go down to the library to research a school report? Or just Google it? Do they even know how to use the index to periodicals? Why?
  - JoeAltmaier 16y ago
    Yes, for an ADD family, its Far cheaper to buy them than "borrow" them. And then ... you own them! And can loan them out yourself! And re-read them. And talk about them, and go find quotes in them... I went to my library to read science fiction, years ago. A few months after I started, the collection started shrinking? The library was having "book sales"! Selling off their collection! To buy more videos, and romance novels, and popular literature. I gave up.