Who Needs Libraries, Anyway?
www.bostonmagazine.com
Turns out, we all do. In the age of book bans and digital technology, a case for why Bostonians should love libraries more than ever.
  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    23·
    8 months ago

    As the husband of a library administrator, I can and have gone on and on here on Lemmy about all of the services public libraries provide, but I will give three examples from the library of this small city-

    1. 3D printers and laser engravers for anyone to use for free at the main branch.

    2. eBooks, audiobooks and streaming movies for free for anyone with a library card.

    3. They will be opening up a new branch in one of the poorer parts of town that will have a room that you can only use one person at a time based on a sign-up sheet that will contain a washer, a dryer and a shower, all at no cost.

  • dresden@discuss.onlineMEnglish
    13·
    8 months ago

    I find the question interesting that if there were no libraries, could we start them today? Shows the current state of the world. Well, at least the western world. Can’t say much about East, though I guess it would probably be the same.

    • XiELEd@lemmy.world
      2·
      8 months ago

      Well, unfortunately in my country the Philippines, I only have one public library in my city, and it’s woefully incomplete. My university library is better, but I’m not sure if everyone outside the school can use it. In terms of buying books… I’m only aware of one bookstore that doesn’t just fill their bookshelves with Wattpad fiction, lol.

  • query@lemmy.world
    62·
    8 months ago

    I’d say if we were to abolish libraries, we should abolish copyright as well, because they serve the same purpose. Copyright is an artificial barrier, a social contract to promote sharing ideas and creative works. There’s nothing inherent about copyright, it doesn’t exist if we don’t want it to. So why should we want it to?