Publishers Win Again

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

It's no big deal. If library books dried up, there'd still be plenty of other sources to read from.

Not for those people who have difficulty putting food on the table or clothing their children for school.

I think a moderator is soon going to take an interest in this thread and move it to Religion and Politics.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Not for those people who have difficulty putting food on the table or clothing their children for school.

I think a moderator is soon going to take an interest in this thread and move it to Religion and Politics.

Then pass laws forcing publishers to provide books to libraries at reasonable prices.

What other options are there when publishers keep dropping out?

[Hershel]

Unfortunately, libraries are very likely to go the way of the printed book and the independent bookseller. As for the poor, Romney's attitude will probably prevail - no one will care.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Then pass laws forcing publishers to provide books to libraries at reasonable prices.

What other options are there when publishers keep dropping out?

I'd be in favor of this, actually, but I see no value in saying it so flippantly. If X says something is important and Y says "then pass [a] law", this presupposes that X actually has any method to do so.

And I actually do agree that this should probably just go to R&P section, unfortunately.

[JeremyR]

Originally Posted by Hershel

Unfortunately, libraries are very likely to go the way of the printed book and the independent bookseller. As for the poor, Romney's attitude will probably prevail - no one will care.

But you know, libraries aren't free - they are mostly paid for by property taxes by residents in the area.

Is it fair to take money from the middle class (which is the most important class in the economy) to fund libraries? Especially as much of the money doesn't go to books, but things like computers, video games, movies, etc...

Especially as they are the ones getting squeezed by higher fuel prices, higher food prices, higher utility bills...

It's great to give people free stuff - but to do so you have to take stuff away from other people. There's no such thing as a free lunch...


Beyond that, that's what library patrons also seem to want - the library to buy one e-book and then it being read by dozens (or hundreds ) of people until the end of eternity. Isn't that a little unfair to the author? The 26 rental limit is perfectly fair...authors deserve compensation as well.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

I'd be in favor of this, actually, but I see no value in saying it so flippantly. If X says something is important and Y says "then pass [a] law", this presupposes that X actually has any method to do so.

And I actually do agree that this should probably just go to R&P section, unfortunately.

I'm actually not in favor of any such law.

The point is, with publishers dropping out one-by-one, libraries are in a bind and there isn't a thing they can do about it. Libraries need to deal with the resources they have and more importantly, patrons need to understand what libraries are facing and change their reading habits. So what if best selling authors are no longer available. Read an indie author. There are always other options.

You don't need a library to provide free public internet access. That service can just as easily be handled in a community center if the library is forced to close its doors.

Public schools have libraries. If you can't keep the public library open, then combine the budgets of both government agencies (school districts and library districts) and expand the content at school libraries.

Thinking outside the box will enable libraries to stay healthy and move forward.

[Soldim]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

But you know, libraries aren't free - they are mostly paid for by property taxes by residents in the area.

Is it fair to take money from the middle class (which is the most important class in the economy) to fund libraries?

I'd certainly answer that question with 'Yes', especially the middle class could profit enormously from what libraries offer. I agree with you that the intellectual level of libraries could be upped a bit -- even more the the advantage of those middle classes.

[BeccaPrice]

I'm middle class, and I use the technology at my library all the time. I don't have a scanner, don't need one often enough to own one, but it's nice that the library has one I can use for free. they've got a much better and faster internet connection than we have at our house, where the only internet I can get is metered. they've got a color laser printer. I'm glad that they've spent the money for technology!

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I'm actually not in favor of any such law.

The point is, with publishers dropping out one-by-one, libraries are in a bind and there isn't a thing they can do about it. Libraries need to deal with the resources they have and more importantly, patrons need to understand what libraries are facing and change their reading habits. So what if best selling authors are no longer available. Read an indie author. There are always other options.

You don't need a library to provide free public internet access. That service can just as easily be handled in a community center if the library is forced to close its doors.

Public schools have libraries. If you can't keep the public library open, then combine the budgets of both government agencies (school districts and library districts) and expand the content at school libraries.

Thinking outside the box will enable libraries to stay healthy and move forward.

Nice point but schools aren't exactly going to go for providing access to the school for the general public... quite the contrary these days with increasing security and necessities for protecting the kids... doubt that it is going to happen...

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Nice point but schools aren't exactly going to go for providing access to the school for the general public... quite the contrary these days with increasing security and necessities for protecting the kids... doubt that it is going to happen...

Public access after school hours.

[Jyster]

Most libraries act as community ceners in the US.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Jyster

Most libraries act as community ceners in the US.

That is what some of our local ones are like. There are even Open Mike and musical productions there sometimes. They are building a new one right downtown which is scheduled to open in 2014. One of our local ones has a coffee shop attached to it, right inside like some of the big bookstores.

But the borrowing of paper books is still alive and well in our corner of the world.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by sbroome

One of the main points of libraries is providing internet access to lower income folks. I have no idea why people ignore that fact when saying that the solution to disappearing libraries is online libraries. Do you people simply not spend time in poor areas?

My 86 year old father works part-time in the local library computer area, and tells me that the most common extended use of their internet access is in applying for jobs. He reports that a lot of low-paid jobs now require an on-line application, which he often helps them with. If successful, they then of course start paying the taxes to support dad's modest salary.

sbroome, here's something for those you are addressing, from a suitably green-eyeshade POV:
A Social-Uplift Program That Works

Like the other Queens Library branches, Arverne offers a simple, but crucial, benefit: a quiet place to study. There’s no chaos such as reigns in some of these kids’ schools and homes, but no lockdown supervision, either. As Arverne’s manager, Sharon Anderson, put it, “Here the students aren’t guarded. They’re assisted.” Each afternoon, dozens of children and teens quietly read, do homework, or use the library’s computers, asking for help at their own pace; adults also come in looking for information on the GED or for help in preparing a resumé.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Hershel

Unfortunately, libraries are very likely to go the way of the printed book and the independent bookseller. As for the poor, Romney's attitude will probably prevail - no one will care.

Based on what? Libraries remain extremely popular where I live, and I don't really see that changing.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

But you know, libraries aren't free - they are mostly paid for by property taxes by residents in the area.

Is it fair to take money from the middle class (which is the most important class in the economy) to fund libraries?

Why wouldn't it be fair? The middle class does get to vote, and most voters are, in fact, middle class. (Although "middle class" is kind of vague, encompassing people earning $35,000 per year to those earning $350,000 + per year, with local variation).

Especially as much of the money doesn't go to books, but things like computers, video games, movies, etc...

Doesn't this make it more fair? Since the library is also providing services for those people who may not read, but enjoy movies, video games, using computers, etc.

Especially as they are the ones getting squeezed by higher fuel prices, higher food prices, higher utility bills...

I'm not sure that the middle class are being squeezed by this things more than the poor, particularly.

It's great to give people free stuff - but to do so you have to take stuff away from other people. There's no such thing as a free lunch...

This is true. But that's a decision made by the voters...if they wanted to, they could just eliminate library service (which does vary widely from community to community anyway, so people may already be making this decision in a granular way).