4 ms·

Don't forget that printed books also have license fees included in their price. The printer also has the data there and could just print extra copies and sell t

Don't forget that printed books also have license fees included in their price. The printer also has the data there and could just print extra copies and sell them at cost+profit but they're not allowed to because copyright. I don't think a latest bestseller should be in a library in the first place. Maybe a couple of years later when the hype has died down if it's still a good book, they can have it for the few people who want it for what it is rather than being trendy. But I never expect libraries to have anything new and fashionable. Movies and music too are always old or obscure, at least where I am. It's funny that these artificial licensing constraints for software seem much more natural and acceptable. Especially software where the complete thing is distributed for free but you have to buy a license to activate it. It's even more in-you-face with network licenses where every computer in an organization can have and use a copy but you have to wait for somebody else to finish using theirs before you can use it on your computer. Oh, and then maintenance fees, and lapsed maintenance fee fees, and different prices depending on whether you buy a network or node-locked license.

fsckboy 2y ago
once libraries exist, they want to perpetuate their existence (or jobs, at least) so they chase the popular in search of more library "views" which justifies their existence. I'm not anti library, but this is why they do stuff like lend out power tools.
- EnigmaFlare 2y ago
  Kind of but they're meeting a need even if it's a bit of an inefficient way to do it. I don't think most library visitors are there for books anymore, at least not where I go. It's adults using the web, kids playing videogames, parents entertaining their kids with the toys, local bored people chatting to the librarians, club meetings, moving screenings, etc. One librarian told me they're really now a "community center" rather than a library and that they don't have that old-fashioned rule of being quiet in the library.
- esrauch 2y ago
  You make it sound nefarious for them to loan power tools somehow, while it seems like it's just an identified community need niche that they can service that no other organization will, the same as offering free tax advice or ESL classes or anything else.
  - fsckboy 2y ago
    people criticize "rent seeking" all the time, but the avg person is a rent seeker. Everybody wants stable income/job security, including (especially?) librarians. I'm not calling it particularly nefarious, rather I'm pointing out its nefarity is in keeping with ordinary human nature.
  - briandear 2y ago
    [flagged]
    - LoFiSamurai 2y ago
      This is overly reductionist and cynical regarding what libraries provide for communities. You should visit a library sometime — it might surprise you.
    - michael1999 2y ago
      You lost me at roads. You seem to like free stuff just fine.
    - amarcheschi 2y ago
      This is one of the most unhinged take I've ever read on libraries. Respectfully, it looks like you have never understood what libraries really are. At least here, in Italy, a library organizes events such as photography shows, local artists exhibits, and sometimes hosts voluntary activities (people here might know things such as corderdojo ecc...) The discoverability of new books is excellent, librarians routinely make a selection of books on some topics, it may be a generic one "history", specific one "important people in history" which are way better than any other system that tries to recommend me books Last, but not least, libraries are on of the few remaining places "for the people, by the people". You're not expected to pay anything, you can walk in any, take a book, read it, sit down and relax. It's also a place where a lot of students can go to study in silence, I can't think of many other places which offer a similar quietitude. It would be a disservice to reduce libraries to "places where you can read Taylor swift books" (not that there's anything wrong with reading Taylor swift or Spare), losing libraries would mean loosing one of the remaining "third places" we have in our always more disconnect society
everforward 2y ago
I find it reasonable to stock the latest best sellers. They’re almost inherently culturally important because of their popularity. It’s important to provide a means for people to participate in that culture, even if they can’t afford the book. I’m also generally happy when people read long-form content outside of school. I’ve certainly been guilty of not reading anything longer than a news article for long stretches.

fsckboy 2y ago

once libraries exist, they want to perpetuate their existence (or jobs, at least) so they chase the popular in search of more library "views" which justifies their existence. I'm not anti library, but this is why they do stuff like lend out power tools.

EnigmaFlare 2y ago
Kind of but they're meeting a need even if it's a bit of an inefficient way to do it. I don't think most library visitors are there for books anymore, at least not where I go. It's adults using the web, kids playing videogames, parents entertaining their kids with the toys, local bored people chatting to the librarians, club meetings, moving screenings, etc. One librarian told me they're really now a "community center" rather than a library and that they don't have that old-fashioned rule of being quiet in the library.
esrauch 2y ago
You make it sound nefarious for them to loan power tools somehow, while it seems like it's just an identified community need niche that they can service that no other organization will, the same as offering free tax advice or ESL classes or anything else.
- fsckboy 2y ago
  people criticize "rent seeking" all the time, but the avg person is a rent seeker. Everybody wants stable income/job security, including (especially?) librarians. I'm not calling it particularly nefarious, rather I'm pointing out its nefarity is in keeping with ordinary human nature.
- briandear 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - LoFiSamurai 2y ago
    This is overly reductionist and cynical regarding what libraries provide for communities. You should visit a library sometime — it might surprise you.
  - michael1999 2y ago
    You lost me at roads. You seem to like free stuff just fine.
  - amarcheschi 2y ago
    This is one of the most unhinged take I've ever read on libraries. Respectfully, it looks like you have never understood what libraries really are. At least here, in Italy, a library organizes events such as photography shows, local artists exhibits, and sometimes hosts voluntary activities (people here might know things such as corderdojo ecc...) The discoverability of new books is excellent, librarians routinely make a selection of books on some topics, it may be a generic one "history", specific one "important people in history" which are way better than any other system that tries to recommend me books Last, but not least, libraries are on of the few remaining places "for the people, by the people". You're not expected to pay anything, you can walk in any, take a book, read it, sit down and relax. It's also a place where a lot of students can go to study in silence, I can't think of many other places which offer a similar quietitude. It would be a disservice to reduce libraries to "places where you can read Taylor swift books" (not that there's anything wrong with reading Taylor swift or Spare), losing libraries would mean loosing one of the remaining "third places" we have in our always more disconnect society

everforward 2y ago

I find it reasonable to stock the latest best sellers. They’re almost inherently culturally important because of their popularity. It’s important to provide a means for people to participate in that culture, even if they can’t afford the book. I’m also generally happy when people read long-form content outside of school. I’ve certainly been guilty of not reading anything longer than a news article for long stretches.