Why have libraries when books on sale are cheap, accessible?

The Star - South Chicago ^ | April 24, 2005 | Michael J. Bowers

[LegendHasIt]

HMM...

Libraries are one of the very few things that I never minded paying taxes for.

I reckon I've read at least a quarter million dollars worth of books in my life (not counting some of the really rare books and manuscripts worth thousands of dollars each that I've had the privelege to read in libraries special collections).

Some of the many technical and/or limited demand books cost hundreds of dollars, and I'd have never been able to read most of them if I had to purchase them to do so.

And personally, I think that most books these days are WAY overpriced: 20-40 years ago I used to purchase an average of at least a hundred books a year (and thrice as many magazines). Now days, I buy MAYBE one book and 2 or 3 magazines a month on average. I just can't afford to buy like I used to. Book cost increases have FAR exceeded inflation.

While I can kind of see the author's point, I think he and those that agree are very short-sighted.

Most people are ignorant enough as it is. If everyone had to purchase every book they (may) ever read, they would be "even more ignorant". (Now, if we could just get rid of all the leftist librarians, who prefer their libraries filled with leftist type books...... but that's a whole different topic.)

[HitmanLV]

Works for me - anybody who argues against libraries has rocks in the head, I say!

[I_dmc]

Of course, there are such things known as Free Libraries, which are donor supported.

[A. Pole]

This is a stupid article. If I had bought every book I've read in my life, I'd need a house the size of Dallas just to put them in. Of course, I wouldn't be able to afford that house, because I would have spent all of my money on books.

Watch out - they will call you a socialist!

[redgolum]

For her job (preschool director) my wife checks out 20 some books a week. A libary is a great reasource for her!

I love it because I can browse old out of print books. You can't do that at B&N.

[A. Pole]

There is no constitutional justification for the government to steal taxpayers' money and use it to pay for libraries.

Hey, there is no "constitutional justification" for building the roads or mainaining the firemen stations.

The true freemarket solution is to have PRIVATE firemen teams who will negotiate the price during the fire like Marcus Crassue did (the freemarketeer who helped to overthrow the Roman Republic).

[DumpsterDiver]

If you're going to defend protecting the taxpayer against rape by the government, it has to apply to every non-constitutional expenditure....not just the ones you don't use.

I'm not following what you're saying. What is the connection between local/state taxes for libraries and the U.S. Constitution? Wouldn't this be a decision for the states to make?

[A. Pole]

I often go to the Cerritos Library. It is beautiful; having a giant aquarium, childrens section, and other areas that resemble some rich persons private library. It's all good until you consider that its paid for with taxpayer dollars.......it's far beyond what is necessary. It is another monument built for bureaucrats on the backs of the taxpayer.

I see nothing wrong if the general public (incuding the poor people) can use library which is beautiful and has "areas that resemble some rich persons private library".

Better to have beautiful libraries than beautiful banks and shopping malls.

[fight_truth_decay]

I did visit my hometown library one or two days a week, as a child. I would walk across the small cement bridge spanning a ever-flowing river that could swell during NE hurricanes; but still this stately structure would remain high and dry and accessible. The youth section was in the basement and I would take home 4-5 books a week. That library still stands today no worse for wear and has escaped its transformation into a tattoo parlor.

Now the library near me is a place of political bias..films put out by the Peace activists and other socialist agenda-sized materials. Upon moving to this community years ago, I had donated many books of recent publication to the affiliated bookstore of said library and was quickly told: "you know you are not getting paid for these don't you?". Thank you would very much would have sufficed.

The antiwar/activist groups have found a "free" stage for their socialist rhetoric. Upcoming is the celebration of Earth Day for children and adults with focus on (with library web links):
Appalachian Mountain Club http://www.outdoors.org
Natural Resources Defense Council http://www.igc.apc.org/nrdc/

Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.org
Massachusetts Audubon Society http://www.massaudubon.org
League of Conservation Voters http://www.lcv.org Write your elected officials
Plant Trees, Stop Bush!
Become an LCV Volunteer

Union of Concerned Scientists http://www.ucsusa.org/ 4/7/05 "Top physicists urge halt to missile defense funding"

The library today is not like the library I like to remember.

[fight_truth_decay]

I love it because I can browse old out of print books. You can't do that at B&N.

I find Amazon has the out of date books I seek and often autographed and "fine" quality (used)of authors I like to collect.

However, even the library I wrote more harshly on above does save the reader the purchase price of a book. It has computer facilities and/or 50 computer ports, an architecturally "peaceful" design-Frank Lloyd Wright,jazz and musical guests, 25,000 volumes for adults, young adults and children including books, videos, DVDs, audiobooks, CDs, large print books, magazines and newspapers.

I just think that those that have lectured there have turned me sour on the whole library experience. But then that is my own personal hang-up.

[FreedomCalls]

They have table of contents and excerpts for most books

Not for "most" books, just for "some" books, and that's not even a "large number" of books -- very few in fact.

Amazon always shows a list of books similar to the one you're looking at.

Only on a similar subject. They will not offer unrelated material, which is where serendipity comes in.

[cyborg]

Books aren't cheap.

[MortMan]

"Try before you buy." When searching the stacks at the local lending library (a near alliteration), you will see a number of books on a subject, instead of immediately zeroing in on one author or one facet of a complex subject.

[HamiltonJay]

Whoever wrote this article obviously doesn't read much... flipping idiot.

[Puddleglum]

Agreed. I loved going to the library--especially during the summer.

Me too. And as another poster said, they used to be open 6 days a week, now ours is only open 3 or 4 or something, at odd hours. But you know what? Every second they are open, the free computer stations are swamped with people surfing the net, typing up stuff, etc. I sometimes think they should charge patrons by the minute to use the "free" computer stations in order to fund more extensive hours, purchase more books, and so on.

[mollynme]

Have you tried ABE book sellers ? They represent thousands of booksellers all over the world and have 15790 listings for Heinlein and 2811 for E.E. "Doc" Smith. I have found books there that I haven't been able to find anywhere else such as an ancient "Homeopathic Vade Mecum" for my med school graduate neice.

[BlackRazor]

There is no constitutional justification for the government to steal taxpayers' money and use it to pay for libraries.

If you're going to defend protecting the taxpayer against rape by the government, it has to apply to every non-constitutional expenditure

Are federal tax dollars used for public libraries? If not, there's no consitutional issue here.

[aimhigh]

I'm amazed to see all the socialists on this topic. Libraries are a socialist. I read all the time, but my library is controled by liberals, which influences books purchased. Why should my tax dollars be paying for liberals who want to read about Hillary's village?

[BlackRazor]

Have you tried ABE book sellers ? They represent thousands of booksellers all over the world

And ABE is only one such company. There are others as well, such as Alibris. You can run a book search through www.addall.com, and it will cull titles from numerous online book-selling companies, ABE and Alibris included (and many more).

[HamiltonJay]

Let me see.. Libraries are socialist? Education is socialist? I think it would be a shock to one of the most successful CAPITALISTS of all time that the library system he created is now believed to be socialist.

I walk into my local libraries (many of which I am fortunate enough to know Carnegie himself BUILT) and see not only Leftist but Right Wing books as well. The Downtown Business Library (which I visit nearly weekly) is full of Capitalist tomes. Forbes Magazine, the WSJ... hardly socialist.

Access to knowledge is KEY to having a strong nation. We cannot be a free nation if we do not have an educated and informed population. Libraries are wealth's of knowlege freely available to all that bother to get off their lazy butts and access.

They are probably among the greatest achievements societies have... Knowlege is not kept among the elite and the monks, from the people, but accessible to all the people. Yes no doubt some of the literary works kept there are drivel, but beside Hillary you will find Hannity and more importantly HOMER.

Society is more than just a bunch of folks living next to one another it is an interwoven community. We are greater and will achieve greater as a society when knowlege is available to all. This isn't socialism, this is reality.

It would be beyond shameful if a county or city or state turned its back on public libraries for its citizens. Citizens should demand it.. access to knowlege and information for all is what allows this nation to grow and prosper.

I find those who gripe about libraries generally are folks who have not bothered to attempt to gain much knowlege themselves.