Public Library votes

[Alcoholic Actuary]

I'm stunned.

....due to the amount of their materials budget going for video rather than books.

What percentage?

We have perfectly good video rental businesses out there, the library shouldn't be competing in that area.

Competing? Maybe you didn't notice, but Blockbuster was decimated. And it wasn't because of Public Libraries.

I don't know the percentage of the budget that's going to video.

Okay, so when you said that it went up, you didn't mean to insinuate that you had a clue what you were speaking about. Understood.

Most of what look at in the library is the new book shelf--and I've watched it shrink and shrink (it's down to 10% of what it was 10 years ago) while I see lots of new videos.

10% of what it was 10 years ago? Is that a similar like statement you made above?

I haven't tracked down the budget numbers. I have looked at the new book shelf many, many times. The books aren't there.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you flawless conservative logic:

Step 1 - Cut funding to public services (libraries)

Step 2 - Point out that they don't provide as many services as they used to (where'd all the books go?)

Step 3 - Conclude that whatever services they do provide are a waste of taxpayer dollars and end the program (libraries must be wasting all their money on video - we don't need that)

aa

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It's much like the bridges you'll never drive across. Taxes could be much lower if people were expected to build their own bridges if they wanted to get someplace.

I do find it funny that some conservatives see Libraries as bastions of liberal thinking and ideas. In the US, public libraries have been one of the most conservative social forces. I think what those conservative's real objections are to the educated people who patronize libraries.

The educated are viewed with suspicion by our latest generation of conservatives. The educated are always coming up with some statement of fact and logic which makes them look foolish.

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

They are paying for it. Either via state or local sales/income taxes, or property taxes.

The library offers a general welfare benefit to the local community.

 

[Bronzeage]

It's much like the bridges you'll never drive across. Taxes could be much lower if people were expected to build their own bridges if they wanted to get someplace.

I do find it funny that some conservatives see Libraries as bastions of liberal thinking and ideas. In the US, public libraries have been one of the most conservative social forces. I think what those conservative's real objections are to the educated people who patronize libraries.

The educated are viewed with suspicion by our latest generation of conservatives. The educated are always coming up with some statement of fact and logic which makes them look foolish.

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

Most people wouldn't pay for their own lunch if it could be avoided.

I have met people who think someone else should pay for public schools, because they have no school age children. However, they are oblivious to the fact that a cashier just gave them correct change, thanks to a public school education.

When I transitioned from worthless human(working person) to a job creator(business owner), I became more aware of the value of things like schools and libraries. I am long out of school and so are my children, so I could have crawled into that crack in the rock with the rest of the spiders who think the world exists only to serve their immediate needs, but having absorbed some education, I resisted.

If I had to teach my prospective employees enough elementary arithmetic to allow them to make change, I wouldn't have time for much else. Things like schools and libraries make my life nicer and make it possible for me to become one of the exalted class of job creators. I don't begrudge the money that goes to libraries. One of the advantages of a properly exploited education is I can see the benefits which flow back to me, and not just the money that flows from me.

 

[coloradoatheist]

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

They are paying for it. Either via state or local sales/income taxes, or property taxes.

The library offers a general welfare benefit to the local community.

The question is whether or not they should be paying for it. And in their mind, they think the people that use it should pay for it.

 

[dismal]

It's much like the bridges you'll never drive across. Taxes could be much lower if people were expected to build their own bridges if they wanted to get someplace.

I do find it funny that some conservatives see Libraries as bastions of liberal thinking and ideas. In the US, public libraries have been one of the most conservative social forces. I think what those conservative's real objections are to the educated people who patronize libraries.

The educated are viewed with suspicion by our latest generation of conservatives. The educated are always coming up with some statement of fact and logic which makes them look foolish.

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

It seems like it would be cheaper and more convenient if the town just got a Netflix account and let everyone in town know the password.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

They are paying for it. Either via state or local sales/income taxes, or property taxes.

The library offers a general welfare benefit to the local community.

The question is whether or not they should be paying for it. And in their mind, they think the people that use it should pay for it.

You mean that they think that only the people that use it should pay for it. Kind of like The Police, Fire Department, Schools, and the like.

I'm a libertarian girl,
in my libertarian world,
life's fantastic,
cause I don't pay taxes.

- - - Updated - - -

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

It seems like it would be cheaper and more convenient if the town just got a Netflix account and let everyone in town know the password.

That parallel is almost possibly remotely reasonable.

 

[coloradoatheist]

The question is whether or not they should be paying for it. And in their mind, they think the people that use it should pay for it.

You mean that they think that only the people that use it should pay for it. Kind of like The Police, Fire Department, Schools, and the like.

I'm a libertarian girl,
in my libertarian world,
life's fantastic,
cause I don't pay taxes.

- - - Updated - - -

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

It seems like it would be cheaper and more convenient if the town just got a Netflix account and let everyone in town know the password.

That parallel is almost possibly remotely reasonable.

There is definitely a percentage of people who feel that way even about those things

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I haven't tracked down the budget numbers. I have looked at the new book shelf many, many times. The books aren't there.

Well there you have it. The New Book Shelf is the life blood of all libraries. Any chance the new books are out?

It's a pretty good measure of what they are actually buying.

- - - Updated - - -

I think it's strange someone who thinks libraries are a poor use of tax money would spend so much time in one, looking for new books.

I'm not saying they are a waste of money. I'm just saying I'm unhappy with how our libraries have been going recently. I feel like they're getting away from their core mission.

 

[fromderinside]

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

The internet is a wonderful thing. Pew research center December 2013. http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/03/13/summary-of-findings-4/

Thank you. I'm just a research kinda gee.

 

[Bronzeage]

Well there you have it. The New Book Shelf is the life blood of all libraries. Any chance the new books are out?

It's a pretty good measure of what they are actually buying.

- - - Updated - - -

I think it's strange someone who thinks libraries are a poor use of tax money would spend so much time in one, looking for new books.

I'm not saying they are a waste of money. I'm just saying I'm unhappy with how our libraries have been going recently. I feel like they're getting away from their core mission.

Sounds like you ought to find someone to nominate you for a seat on the Library Board. It would be a great opportunity for you to learn all about administration of a modern library and understand its mission in the 21st century.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well there you have it. The New Book Shelf is the life blood of all libraries. Any chance the new books are out?

It's a pretty good measure of what they are actually buying.

Or a declining budget?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

It's a pretty good measure of what they are actually buying.

Or a declining budget?

If they weren't buying anything I would understand. I see the video collection getting bigger and bigger, though.

 

[Rhea]

I would actually be curious about what percentage of people believe we shouldn't have public libraries and what their general rationale for it. How many believe as you said, or how many of them believe that the people who use it should pay for it.

It seems like it would be cheaper and more convenient if the town just got a Netflix account and let everyone in town know the password.

Now what the hell use is a netflix password to a house with a 15GB/mo download limit?
You assume we all have broadband, or even access to it. Why do you assume that?
In our town, you can either drive to the town hall and park outside to download, or drive TO THE LIBRARY and download inside with lights and heat.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Or a declining budget?

If they weren't buying anything I would understand. I see the video collection getting bigger and bigger, though.

So how big is the ebook selection, or can you not see that because it isn't straight in front of you?

 

[Horatio Parker]

I

I'm stunned.

....due to the amount of their materials budget going for video rather than books.

What percentage?

We have perfectly good video rental businesses out there, the library shouldn't be competing in that area.

Competing? Maybe you didn't notice, but Blockbuster was decimated. And it wasn't because of Public Libraries.

I don't know the percentage of the budget that's going to video.

Okay, so when you said that it went up, you didn't mean to insinuate that you had a clue what you were speaking about. Understood.

Most of what look at in the library is the new book shelf--and I've watched it shrink and shrink (it's down to 10% of what it was 10 years ago) while I see lots of new videos.

10% of what it was 10 years ago? Is that a similar like statement you made above?

I haven't tracked down the budget numbers. I have looked at the new book shelf many, many times. The books aren't there.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you flawless conservative logic:

Step 1 - Cut funding to public services (libraries)

Step 2 - Point out that they don't provide as many services as they used to (where'd all the books go?)

Step 3 - Conclude that whatever services they do provide are a waste of taxpayer dollars and end the program (libraries must be wasting all their money on video - we don't need that)

aa

Or a declining budget?

If they weren't buying anything I would understand. I see the video collection getting bigger and bigger, though.

How do you know they're buying videos?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

If they weren't buying anything I would understand. I see the video collection getting bigger and bigger, though.

So how big is the ebook selection, or can you not see that because it isn't straight in front of you?

They have started adding e-books now but when the new book shelf got it's major case of shrink there weren't e-books to lend.

How do you know they're buying videos?

Well, someone could be donating them. I see the video collection getting larger and larger.

 

[Togo]

Well, someone could be donating them. I see the video collection getting larger and larger.

Around my way videos are almost free, since so many people are getting rid of them. They show up in charity shops and the like for 50p or so. (approx. US$0.7) I can imagine the video collection getting bigger because they don't have pay for them, or can get them for peanuts.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So how big is the ebook selection, or can you not see that because it isn't straight in front of you?

They have started adding e-books now but when the new book shelf got it's major case of shrink there weren't e-books to lend.

How do you know they're buying videos?

Well, someone could be donating them. I see the video collection getting larger and larger.

You do realize you aren't supporting your claim all that much here.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Well, someone could be donating them. I see the video collection getting larger and larger.

Around my way videos are almost free, since so many people are getting rid of them. They show up in charity shops and the like for 50p or so. (approx. US$0.7) I can imagine the video collection getting bigger because they don't have pay for them, or can get them for peanuts.

Old stuff, yes. New stuff, no.

 

[Rhea]

Around my way videos are almost free, since so many people are getting rid of them. They show up in charity shops and the like for 50p or so. (approx. US$0.7) I can imagine the video collection getting bigger because they don't have pay for them, or can get them for peanuts.

Old stuff, yes. New stuff, no.

While I like a good book far more than I like a good movie, I'm curious about why you think the library is wrong for providing lending materials in one but not the other.