Readings 11/06

Long Overdue by Public Agenda

It was surprising to see that libraries have so much potential support. People would actually prefer taxes being raised than having services or hours cut, or charging for services. One key to libraries is that they are free, making them strongholds for democracy. And like other forms of social services like food stamps or unemployment, anyone can use libraries, not simply those with a low income. Another interesting thing is that libraries are trusted and respected much more than other institutions. No one ever talks about the corruption of librarians, as opposed to police forces and governing officials. Moreover libraries are seen to use the funds they receive well. Libraries seem to be healthy institutions that will not be lost anytime soon. It is necessary for librarians though to become strongly involved in their communities and become leaders, as well as market the library and its services to the potential users out there.

The Differences Between Real and Digital Libraries by Thomas Mann

This article was written before the Google Book project came out, and Mann may have some different ideas now. Are copyright laws going to continue to exist for ever and in the same form as today? But even so other good points are made in this article. A library is a place where people can go get away from this fast paced world. A library without walls would mean that people who do not have a computer would be left out in the cold. Another point that I have realized but have never articulated is that I hate reading lengthy text on a computer screen. With books you can take them anywhere, sit in any position that makes you comfortable, and there is no eyestrain involved. It is hard to picture digital text replacing books as the preferred way of reading. When I have to read articles I always print them because I like the hard copy to refer to; I like writing in the margins and making notes of things to think about. The experience of reading would lose a lot if I did it on a computer.