Ditch Starbucks and work at the library • Hacker News Board

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#71

Post by Roritharr » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 5:47 PM UTC

rbanffy wrote: post #25

alexophile wrote: post #6

In my (biased, but well-founded) experience, it comes down to a question of whether I'd rather be distracted by a cute girl or an old man getting reprimanded for looking at dirty pictures. [bg: I really like libraries - worked at one in the suburbs in high school and have since moved to the city, which exaggerated the weird bits] One thing that's worth noting: if you're on a college campus, a great place to find some…

A couple years back, I decided to pay a visit to the campus library during the FISL (international free-software forum) that happens every year in Porto Alegre, Brazil on the PUC (pontifical catholic university) campus. I needed to grab some articles from CACM and their library has full access to the ACM online library, as well as decent wireless, something no tech event quite manages to have. Porto Alegre is notorio…

Sounds like a good place to go study abroad...

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#72

Post by code_duck » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 5:48 PM UTC

SwellJoe wrote: post #39

I have a 3G/4G modem with unlimited use (from Clear), and no longer consider WiFi availability as an important part of the decision making process of where to work. I'm currently camped in the desert in Southern California, 35 miles from the nearest "big" city (Brawley, which is not very big, but it does have a Walmart). But, I never have been able to work in coffee shops. I can't think long enough with all the distr…

In the past I have lived or died by Starbucks and Caribou - driving around Omaha or some random town in Colorado trying to find public internet access. Now that I have a phone with national internet access, truly mobile internet is going to completely change how I work when I travel.

The rest stops with wifi have been fun finds in the past. There's one 50 miles west of Omaha for instance with decent wireless internet - I got a lot of odd looks sitting at a picnic table with my Macbook doing emails for two hours. Now, I can do that anywhere!

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#73

Post by VolatileVoid » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 5:50 PM UTC

RickHull wrote: post #40

alexophile wrote: post #6

In my (biased, but well-founded) experience, it comes down to a question of whether I'd rather be distracted by a cute girl or an old man getting reprimanded for looking at dirty pictures. [bg: I really like libraries - worked at one in the suburbs in high school and have since moved to the city, which exaggerated the weird bits] One thing that's worth noting: if you're on a college campus, a great place to find some…

> In my (biased, but well-founded) experience, it comes down to a question of whether I'd rather be distracted by a cute girl or an old man getting reprimanded for looking at dirty pictures. Ha! Reminds me of my Brooklyn Public Library experience. The building looks fantastic on the outside, but on the inside it is a dreary, institutional wasteland. I had to pick my inspiration up off the floor when I walked in. http…

Try the new Battery Park City NYPL. Spacious, quiet, and while not awe-inspiring outside or in, it's certainly not dreary.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#74

Post by ramchip » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 5:55 PM UTC

Roritharr wrote: post #71

rbanffy wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A couple years back, I decided to pay a visit to the campus library during the FISL (international free-software forum) that happens every year in Porto Alegre, Brazil on the PUC (pontifical catholic university) campus. I needed to grab some articles from CACM and their library has full access to the ACM online library, as well as decent wireless, something no tech event quite manages to have. Porto Alegre is notorio…

Sounds like a good place to go study abroad...

You'll have to refrain these thoughts. It's a catholic campus ;)

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#75

Post by melipone » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 5:59 PM UTC

snippyhollow wrote: post #61

edw519 wrote: post #29

Maybe we're lucky in Pittsburgh, but we have the best of both worlds at the main branch of the Carnegie Library. You can take a tour of where I work 2 or 3 days per week: http://www.clpgh.org/locations/main/tours/virtualtour/ It's fantastic. It was built by Andrew Carnegie in 1895 and most of it is original. I get inspiration from the 20 foot ceilings and hand made ornamentation everywhere you look. They simply don't…

I used to work (a few years ago) at Sainte-Geneviève library (in Paris), and it was as you said: inspirational. You simply "had to" work once there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblioth%C3%A8que_Sainte-Genevi...

Yes, I remember it well. It's next to the Pantheon. I remember getting those ancient, priceless books that couldn't be found anywhere else.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#76

Post by bluekite2000 » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 6:02 PM UTC

alexophile wrote: post #6

In my (biased, but well-founded) experience, it comes down to a question of whether I'd rather be distracted by a cute girl or an old man getting reprimanded for looking at dirty pictures. [bg: I really like libraries - worked at one in the suburbs in high school and have since moved to the city, which exaggerated the weird bits] One thing that's worth noting: if you're on a college campus, a great place to find some…

"it comes down to a question of whether I'd rather be distracted by a cute girl or an old man getting reprimanded for looking at dirty pictures" : exactly my experience in SF public library vs a cafe in Mission.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#77

Post by krosaen » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 6:03 PM UTC

we conduct our monthly usability studies at the library in two adjacent study rooms. quiet and no bullshit internet, skype screen sharing is no problem :)

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#78

Post by pkchen » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 6:03 PM UTC

pavel_lishin wrote: post #10

Starbucks still charges for WiFi? I thought they did away with that. In any case, I always got around it by pretending to be an iPhone. :)

It's free at all Starbucks now. Makes for a much laggier experience though, since everyone is up on that bandwidth

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#79

Post by cmontgomeryb » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 6:07 PM UTC

bricestacey wrote: post #44

Many academic libraries are open to the public and have better accommodations. I live in Boston so it's academic library heaven.

I still go to my University library. It was a fantastic place to work when I was there, and has only gotten better. There's a nice atmosphere - people are generally working, but having a laugh and enjoying being together too. There's no music but my own headphones, and the WiFi is free. I'm surrounded by books on any subject I may need through the day.

My local library however, is drab, too quiet and I feel out of place with my lap top working there. Like I'm being watched for doing something odd. I get more distractions as the noise level is less consistent.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#80

Post by u48998 » Tue, Feb 08, 2011, 6:09 PM UTC

anthonycerra wrote: post #5

Working in a library is second to none, but the advantage Starbucks has over the library is the late closing. University library hours are one thing, but regular ol' public libraries close too early.

Not only they open late and closed early, they are not a good alternative for consistent work particularly if you require your phones to be on. However, libraries are generally better and spacious than coffee shops. mcDonalds is another alternative if you find chairs that are not hard.