Library Funding - General Taxes or Property Tax Levies?

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Phogg

Actually, as costs are ongoing, zero copyrights and patents should exist on a one time fee.

Every copyright or patent should be renewed each year, with a cost based upon what the cost to maintain the copyrights has been the previous year. Exactly like every other government regulated commodity or franchise.

No more freebies for authors, inventors, photographers, musicians, or other freeloaders.

I like the notion of a yearly fee, but not the "freeloaders" comment -- "freeloaders" implies that no work was ever done, which is COMPLETELY wrong in this case.

Shari

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by Phogg

Every copyright or patent should be renewed each year, with a cost based upon what the cost to maintain the copyrights has been the previous year.

Are you thinking of the cost of collecting millions of tiny fees? Or are you thinking about the cost of the dotcom prosecution?

I think the amount the government spends defending book copyrights is basically zero.

[plib]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

So any adult can just walk into a public school and borrow books?
The public school has the same selection of books as a library would?

If an adult walks uninvited into a public school, particularly a primary school, around here he's likely to find the cops fingering his collar within about five minutes.

[Anabana]

School libraries in our area certainly don't compare with the public libraries. Plus, I don't quite get the point - a portion of our property taxes do support schools, so what's the difference?

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

So any adult can just walk into a public school and borrow books?
The public school has the same selection of books as a library would?

Adults having books is not an essential service.

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by wizwor

Adults having books is not an essential service.

Its an essential service in as much as maintaining copyright through the power of governmemt is an essential service. If the former ends, then the latter quite properly will as well. That is the thing with social contracts - both sides get something and when one side ceases to uphold their end the other side ceases as well.

Originally Posted by wizwor

Adults having books is not an essential service.

Sure it is. I routinely visit university libraries in order to access academic materials that are (a) an important part of higher learning and (b) inaccessible to most of the general public.

Public libraries are simply a middle ground between public school libraries and university libraries.

[Soldim]

Originally Posted by Phogg

Actually, as costs are ongoing, zero copyrights and patents should exist on a one time fee.

Every copyright or patent should be renewed each year, with a cost based upon what the cost to maintain the copyrights has been the previous year. Exactly like every other government regulated commodity or franchise.

That's something I fully agree with -- maybe prolonging with five year intervals to reduce bureaucracy, but otherwise a sound idea. I pay property taxes on my physical property for (not always quite welcome) government services, I don't see why that should be different for intellectual property. Paying the state for a state granted monopoly seems very reasonable to me.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by wizwor

Adults having books is not an essential service.

So your argument isn't that public libraries can be replaced by school libraries, but that the service public libraries provide isn't required at all. Perhaps you should have just said that?

[Giggleton]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

So your argument isn't that public libraries can be replaced by school libraries, but that the service public libraries provide isn't required at all. Perhaps you should have just said that?

Awhile back it seemed to me that a lot of public libraries were mimicking the bookstores, with nice flashy displays and coffee carts. But those bookstores seem to be going out of business these days, which leads me to wonder what the libraries are going to do now.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Giggleton

Awhile back it seemed to me that a lot of public libraries were mimicking the bookstores, with nice flashy displays and coffee carts. But those bookstores seem to be going out of business these days, which leads me to wonder what the libraries are going to do now.

I hope more libraries do this; bookstores didn't go out of business because they failed to use the DD or LC classification system.

I've forgotten what this type of shelving was called, but the idea was that you would organize and display books like a bookstore would (although I know that's not precise) instead of putting all of the books alphabetically in the fiction section.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

I hope more libraries do this; bookstores didn't go out of business because they failed to use the DD or LC classification system.

I've forgotten what this type of shelving was called, but the idea was that you would organize and display books like a bookstore would (although I know that's not precise) instead of putting all of the books alphabetically in the fiction section.

I agree. There's no reason why libraries need to be stuffy places. The right design and atmosphere becomes a drawing card to increase footfall, which in turn keeps libraries relevant; especially for funding.

Here's a virtual tour of one of my libraries. It's like, very cool inside; but a super hassle to get to, because it's located downtown.

Seattle Public Library Virtual Tour

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I agree. There's no reason why libraries need to be stuffy places. The right design and atmosphere becomes a drawing card to increase footfall, which in turn keeps libraries relevant; especially for funding.

Here's a virtual tour of one of my libraries. It's like, very cool inside; but a super hassle to get to, because it's located downtown.

Seattle Public Library Virtual Tour

Most libraries I have been to in recent years seem to organize paperbacks somewhat like bookstores. Some do a better job than others, but generally you have racks or shelves for mysteries, thrillers, westerns, science fiction etc.

Would be difficult for a library to display all or most hardcover books or even paperbacks with the cover facing outwards due to the space required, but some do if they are bestsellers with multiple copies likely to be available.

The tour would not come up for me but maybe it will tomorrow

Helen

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Would be difficult for a library to display all or most hardcover books or even paperbacks with the cover facing outwards due to the space required, but some do if they are bestsellers with multiple copies likely to be available.

The tour would not come up for me but maybe it will tomorrow

Helen

Bestsellers lend themselves well to outward facing displays and are always a good draw.

If it does come up for you, it's a bit long at 19+ minutes.