|
I agree with ATDrake above. My primary exposure to many books which today I love and purchase, has been with the library. My children become aware of many authors (and even introduce me to ones they think I may like) via the library.
It is a long established institution and I don't think wanting library loaning to continue, only now under the format of e-books, is any sense of entitlement that we should all just "get free stuff", any more than my reading of a dtb for a few weeks (then returning it) is.
My love of books was born and nurtured at the library, and my knowledge of what I love and choose to buy and own permanently is because of the library. Eventually owning a book becomes more desirable and convenient than repeated borrowing and I make room to buy things I like when the funds come up.
And I most certainly don't take for granted the availablity of public domain literature and long favored literature for free. Especially given that mere months before I discovered PG and MR I actually bought Jane Eyre and a few other public domain books with my birthday money, because I loved them and wanted to own them.
|