Free Library of Philadelphia

[haertig]

Originally Posted by issybird

You’re not paying the taxes nor living in the area that would entitle you to the card, but you’re using the resources just the same.

Libraries here actually encourage that. I am a member of ten different libraries now. I live in only one jurisdiction, and pay county taxes only for that jurisdiction. But all my library cards are legit. The libraries advertise, "If you live in our state, then you can get our library card!" These are not state libraries, they are county libraries (I'll bet they all receive state money however). You do have to travel to each library and present proof of state residency - a drivers license will do - before they'll give you a permanent card. Typically you can register online and have temporary access for about one month before having to show up in person.

This is all legitimate. Libraries advertise and encourage this. It seems they are wanting to get patrons from out-of-county, despite no direct tax revenues from those people. If I find myself driving about the state and end up in some remote county from my home, if I have time, I try to stop at their library and obtain a card (if it's a big county with at least one major city). Most of these cards are redundant. But every now and then I will find that eBook I'm wanting to read at one of these remote libraries and not at my own library. Around here, there is no such thing as an "interlibrary loan of an eBook" like there is for physical books. You have to be a member of the specific library that has the eBook to be able to check it out.

[JSWolf]

I too have library cards from places in MA I don't pay taxes. These library cards are legit.

[issybird]

C’mon, of course those cards are legit. Your home library is offering access to them and it’s a reciprocal deal. Sheesh.

Again, I’m talking about the cards to which you have no right whatsoever, but piggyback onto a friend’s or relative’s out of area card. I really thought I made that clear.

And sometimes people hang onto cards after they’ve moved. Just saying. Sometimes you can, but it doesn’t mean you should.

Sigh. There’s a lot of gray when it comes to digital media and people who apply their own sense of morality to the situation, and I’m not excluding myself. Some won’t strip DRM, period, because they’re party to a license agreement. Some give themselves a much broader latitude. Some strip DRM from library books for device-shifting purposes and I won’t go beyond that. Some shop “abroad.” Some shop abroad, but won’t shop public domain abroad and to others it’s the same thing. I could go on. I don’t even think our rules here are rigorously consistent.

I’m not the internet police and of course almost everyone does things from time to time that even by their own standards wouldn’t pass close scrutiny. I just wish two things: that people would be honest with themselves to the best of their ability and that they wouldn’t discuss dodgy things on the board.

Off my soapbox!

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by haertig

Libraries here actually encourage that. I am a member of ten different libraries now. I live in only one jurisdiction, and pay county taxes only for that jurisdiction. But all my library cards are legit. The libraries advertise, "If you live in our state, then you can get our library card!" These are not state libraries, they are county libraries (I'll bet they all receive state money however). You do have to travel to each library and present proof of state residency - a drivers license will do - before they'll give you a permanent card. Typically you can register online and have temporary access for about one month before having to show up in person.

This is all legitimate. Libraries advertise and encourage this. It seems they are wanting to get patrons from out-of-county, despite no direct tax revenues from those people. If I find myself driving about the state and end up in some remote county from my home, if I have time, I try to stop at their library and obtain a card (if it's a big county with at least one major city). Most of these cards are redundant. But every now and then I will find that eBook I'm wanting to read at one of these remote libraries and not at my own library. Around here, there is no such thing as an "interlibrary loan of an eBook" like there is for physical books. You have to be a member of the specific library that has the eBook to be able to check it out.

Do you have to renew the cards? If so do you have to go the the library to renew?

[John F]

Originally Posted by issybird

C’mon, of course those cards are legit. Your home library is offering access to them and it’s a reciprocal deal. Sheesh.

Again, I’m talking about the cards to which you have no right whatsoever, but piggyback onto a friend’s or relative’s out of area card. I really thought I made that clear.

...

Since many had to ask what you meant, maybe it isn't as prevelent as you think?

From what I hear, it is relatively easy to get pirated ebooks on the internet, so why go through the hassle of library access?

[4691mls]

I've seen plenty of mentions over the years on Mobileread of people getting legitimate cards from nearby counties, or from places like Philadelphia that allowed out-of-town people to get cards for a fee. I don't recall anybody talking about using a non-local library card that belonged to a friend or relative. I hope that's not a common occurrence.

I wonder what the issues were that would cause a library like Philadelphia to stop issuing cards to non-locals. It seems like if it were about funding they could raise the fee for the paid cards.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by John F

Since many had to ask what you meant, maybe it isn't as prevelent as you think?

I see two who asked which I don’t think is “many.” Maybe I missed some. Also, I’ve seen references to the practice on this board. Perhaps it isn’t prevalent which is imprecise but I’m quite sure it’s done.

From what I hear, it is relatively easy to get pirated ebooks on the internet, so why go through the hassle of library access?

Because people don’t want to visit pirate sites and download files? Because using a borrowed card at a library still seems more legitimate than obtaining bootleg books? Guesses, obviously.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

Do you have to renew the cards? If so do you have to go the the library to renew?

I have never had to renew a library card in my life. But I suppose that depends on the specific library. One card, happens to be my most local library (2 miles from my house), did give me a new card once. After many decades, to add some kind of new technology. The librarian said mine was the oldest card she had run into (the card was older than she was!), so she said "We have to be sure to use your same account number on this new card, as an honor to its longevity!" So that wasn't really a renewal, my old card still worked, just not with some new automated checkout machine they had installed in the library.

[JSWolf]

issybird, do you remember Waldenbooks? They used to have book clubs you joined. You got a card and you used the card for discounts depending on how much you spent. I has the SF/Fantasy book club card and it was fun with staff trying to figure out what to do after the book clubs were stopped but the cards still valid.

[John F]

Originally Posted by issybird

I see two who asked which I don’t think is “many.” Maybe I missed some. ...

Oops, sorry about that.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by issybird

C’mon, of course those cards are legit. Your home library is offering access to them and it’s a reciprocal deal. Sheesh.

Nobody was questioning whether you personally thought the cards were legit or not.

Basically, in previous posts you asserted "Using a library card from an area where you don't live or pay taxes to equals abuse". You didn't say that in one sentence, but you did say "library cards are abused" in one post, and when asked how someone abuses a library card you replied "by using a card from an area you don't live in or pay taxes to" in a followup post (these are paraphrased text snippets, not your exact words). 1 + 1 = 2 ... you were giving us your definition of "abuse".

We countered your assertion of abuse by responding, "We don't think it's abuse, because our libraries advertise, encourage, and support doing exactly that."

Don't take things so personally. We were just responding to what you said, because we disagree with the aspersions you were casting.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by haertig

Nobody was questioning whether you personally thought the cards were legit or not.

Basically, in previous posts you asserted "Using a library card from an area where you don't live or pay taxes to equals abuse". You didn't say that in one sentence, but you did say "library cards are abused" in one post, and when asked how someone abuses a library card you replied "by using a card from an area you don't live in or pay taxes to" in a followup post (these are paraphrased text snippets, not your exact words). 1 + 1 = 2 ... you were giving us your definition of "abuse".

We countered your assertion of abuse by responding, "We don't think it's abuse, because our libraries advertise, encourage, and support doing exactly that."

Don't take things so personally. We were just responding to what you said, because we disagree with the aspersions you were casting.

There’s really no point. Think what you will.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

issybird, do you remember Waldenbooks? They used to have book clubs you joined. You got a card and you used the card for discounts depending on how much you spent. I has the SF/Fantasy book club card and it was fun with staff trying to figure out what to do after the book clubs were stopped but the cards still valid.

Waldenbooks, of course. They kind of lost their way especially after they were bought by KMart. It was too bad; the options dwindled. I wasn’t a SFF fan (you knew that); mysteries were my thing.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

Waldenbooks, of course. They kind of lost their way especially after they were bought by KMart. It was too bad; the options dwindled. I wasn’t a SFF fan (you knew that); mysteries were my thing.

Waldenbooks did have a Mystery Club where you also get a card.

I ended up laminating my card so it didn't get damaged.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Waldenbooks did have a Mystery Club where you also get a card.

Yes, they did; that’s what I meant. That was my club of choice.