Live data from Hacker News

A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

zmescience.com

51–60 of 112 posts

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#51
post #8
post #6

Recently, we were at a resort in Switzerland. Arguably one of the safest countries on earth. But: as we exited the swimming pool house, our umbrella was gone. I said „what an irony, the first time we have something stolen is in Switzerland“. Two hours later, the umbrella was again where we had left it: someone must have borrowed it to protect themselves/their children from heavy rain. We understood why there were no…

Thefts at train stations and bike thefts are very common in Switzerland. Japan is by far much safer than any European country.

Japan is quite safe, but has an organized crime problem.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#52
post #39

I just don’t understand the line, “To date, all the books have been returned.” Are they still expecting tomorrow that some of these books will no longer have been returned?

Books get different return-by dates based on their popularity in Sweden, so some have to be returned in a e.g. week, some in a month. So perhaps they just meant that none of the return deadlines have been missed so far?

Did they even say when this event occurred?

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#53
Makes sense, the date was a holiday, everyone would be going out.

People who'd go to a library during such a time are less likely to want to cause trouble. Not to mention the value of a books aren't very high. You could find a free copy of every library book online.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#54
I recently moved with my family to an appartment in the city. My wife and I have three children under the age of ten. One big benefit that we did not see in advance is that the public library is now in walking distance to our new home. It already has become a habit to go there with the kids and join the regular reading time.

The reading time is performed by a volunteer who usually reads out one book to the attending children. Often this is even done in two languages.

The kids meet their friends there and enjoy the stories read. We parents enjoy the silence and opportunity to stroll through all the bookshelves.

A public library really is a special place. Its atmosphere is hard to describe.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#55
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thefts at train stations and bike thefts are very common in Switzerland. Japan is by far much safer than any European country.

There's a saying that as soon as you leave your bike at a train station, it belongs to the public.

I usually joke, when someone has their bike stolen, that they have just gained membership in the local, involuntary bikesharing community, and thus can help themselves to a another bike from the bike parking.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#56

If you leave your wallet on the ground in a park in SF, the chances you’ll get it back are probably pretty high. If you leave it in your locked car, your car will probably get broken into. Thieves are strategic. They’re not looking around in parks for lost wallets, nor are they going to libraries hoping they can lift a bunch of unattended books.

I don't want to give them any ideas, but some books are expensive/of high value/rare/etc.

The trick is knowing which ones, and how to find a buyer.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#57
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We once visited the MAMCO museum, in Geneva, all on our own, opening every door, manually turning on the lights in every room we entered, etc. I think we stayed over an hour without meeting any staff or triggering any alarm.

It sounds a bit ambiguous, have you in the end triggered the alarm and had to run from the staff or have you made it out with your ill gotten gains?

The largest art robbery that never was.

In all seriousness, we just made our visit and left, like the people in the article. At some point we even backtracked to the entrance to check for opening hours. No one. No alarm. Only the two of us and a very nice contemporary art collection.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#58
Here in South Africa we had the 2021 July riots when our ex-president was arrested and supposed to go to jail.

During the riots groups targeted malls and various outlets, basically looting everything in sight except of course for the bookstores which mostly remained untouched.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#59
post #6

Recently, we were at a resort in Switzerland. Arguably one of the safest countries on earth. But: as we exited the swimming pool house, our umbrella was gone. I said „what an irony, the first time we have something stolen is in Switzerland“. Two hours later, the umbrella was again where we had left it: someone must have borrowed it to protect themselves/their children from heavy rain. We understood why there were no…

[flagged]

A quarter of Swiss population is foreign-born. Not quite like NYC, but very high in international comparisons.

Re: A door at a Swedish library was accidentally left open

#60
post #5

It's not unusual for local libraries in Denmark to be accessible to outside office hours using a library card. Usually, not at night -- but why close a local library in the evening. Just require library cards and add video surveillance. (you milage may vary)

Just what we need, another place with video surveillance to make it even more normalized. Orwell missed only by about thirty years.

Everyone has their sensibilities.

Of all the surveillance methods, this one is nowhere near as intrusive as some others. The recordings will likely be overwritten/erased within weeks, if not sooner. Few operators of such cameras store the resulting video for extended periods of time.

On the other hand, Google probably knows your crush from 2005 and your diagnosis from 2009. This long term surveillance is what really messes with me.

Post reply on HN