21–30 of 62 posts
I think they have their place, though, depending on the circumstances. In my town, you don't see these in the higher-income neighborhoods at all, you see them in the lower-income neighborhoods where there are no public library branches. They tend to be filled with light recreational reading and children's books. The main problem I've seen with them is that they usually aren't weatherproofed enough, causing books to g…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree. There's no reason why a LFL would affect the public library negatively. Nobody will cut funding for public libraries, because "we have a LFL now".
> In September 2014, the mayor of tiny Vinton, Texas, announced plans to install five Little Free Library book-stops across town—while implementing a $50 fee for access to the El Paso Public Library system to balance state-imposed budget cuts. From the article. I’m with you, I don’t think it’s likely, but the article did so their research and show that there’s precedent for exactly what you’re describing.
Virtue signaling goes both ways. Yes, there's plenty of middle class progressive virtue signaling in having a little free library, but there's also plenty in bashing them as a threat to the public library system. Progressiver-than-thou is a seriously annoying thing. My own gripe against them isn't the virtue signaling, but rather the KonMari problem. People who read tend to treat books as sacred. Throwing books out i…
Virtue signaling goes both ways. Yes, there's plenty of middle class progressive virtue signaling in having a little free library, but there's also plenty in bashing them as a threat to the public library system. Progressiver-than-thou is a seriously annoying thing. My own gripe against them isn't the virtue signaling, but rather the KonMari problem. People who read tend to treat books as sacred. Throwing books out i…
I've finally come around to think that it's okay to throw books into paper collection. It feels wrong, viscerally. You do it hoping nobody is watching you. But that feeling is stupid. It's ecologically okay to recycle paper, and the books you're throwing away aren't one-of-a-kind. You're not depriving anyone of the book, they can lend it from a library or buy it themselves.
Bingo: "'We submit that these data reinforce the notion that [Little Free Libraries] are examples of performative community enhancement, driven more so by the desire to showcase one’s passion for books and education than a genuine desire to help the community in a meaningful way. [ . . . ] [Little Free Libraries] are a highly visible form of self-gratification cleverly disguised as book aid, and the effects of this v…
So what? These sorts of criticisms are irritating. "Such and such is just virtue signalling and therefore bad" makes no sense. Everyone virtue signals all the time. It's just one of those things that human beings do. Accusing others of "just" virtue signalling is itself a signal of ones own virtue (in having deeper, more meaningful motivations).
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> In September 2014, the mayor of tiny Vinton, Texas, announced plans to install five Little Free Library book-stops across town—while implementing a $50 fee for access to the El Paso Public Library system to balance state-imposed budget cuts. From the article. I’m with you, I don’t think it’s likely, but the article did so their research and show that there’s precedent for exactly what you’re describing.
That does not contradict me. See my other reply.
Edit: By “we can debate motives endlessly” I mean that your argument appears to be “the real motive for closing libraries is that no one is using them.” Which may have some basis but at this point is not substantiated, whereas the article did provide at least some evidence.
1) [99% of commodity books are not sacred] -> if it's damaged, through it out / break it down for recycling.
2) if it's of general interest, donate it to the friends of the library bookstore and let them sell it for 25 - 50 cents.
3) if it's too esoteric for [2], pass it along to a used and scholarly bookstore if there is one nearby.
I am not going to spend my time maintaining a piece of miniature architecture to do something that can be done so much better and easier already. (And I'm especially not paying a registration fee to do so.)
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree. There's no reason why a LFL would affect the public library negatively. Nobody will cut funding for public libraries, because "we have a LFL now".
Want to bet? Library budgets are on the front lines, and have been for decades.
Virtue signaling goes both ways. Yes, there's plenty of middle class progressive virtue signaling in having a little free library, but there's also plenty in bashing them as a threat to the public library system. Progressiver-than-thou is a seriously annoying thing. My own gripe against them isn't the virtue signaling, but rather the KonMari problem. People who read tend to treat books as sacred. Throwing books out i…
I've finally come around to think that it's okay to throw books into paper collection. It feels wrong, viscerally. You do it hoping nobody is watching you. But that feeling is stupid. It's ecologically okay to recycle paper, and the books you're throwing away aren't one-of-a-kind. You're not depriving anyone of the book, they can lend it from a library or buy it themselves.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
It probably also puts you on their map.
You don't need a map to find the darn things. Just leave the house every once in a while, walk around the neighborhood.