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Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

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Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#171

Post by dhimes »

dhimes wrote: post #137
alexophile wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was under the impression that the only way to use "broad" non-pejoratively is in reference to the actual breadth of something. That being said, sometimes it's safer to study abroad from afar.

Yes, you can't say it any more... It actually fell out of favor long ago, but originally it wasn't considered all that bad of a term IIRC (I was pretty young).

For some reason I can't reply to alexophile and steveklabnik here, so I'll just leave this:

alexophile: you may be correct about this- I'm too young to remember. But I heard it used by people who had no other signs of misogyny that I ever noticed, which is why I had that impression. Carlin was one of those people to the best of my knowledge.

steveklabnik: But there are terms that you "can't use" now that were never perjorative. The scientific name for the race to which African-Americans belong is "Negro." Sometime in the '60s (I think) the leaders of this ethnic group took offense at the term. So, you can't say that somebody who used the term in, say, the '50s, was necessarily using it perjoratively (although you could make the argument that somebody using it non-scientifically in the '80s may have been).

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#173

Post by ionfish »

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 great place to find some legit quiet time is in departmental libraries."

This has been my experience too. My current favourite is the Earth Sciences library. It's in one of the older buildings in my university, so the whole place has a much more humane feel than the concrete box of the main library. There's also more space to stretch out, and it's not as busy.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#174

Post by regomodo »

waqf wrote: post #37
siculars wrote: post #7

++. I don't know why more people don't do this. The library is a great place to work - for free - and it comes with built in offline distractions for when you need to step away from a problem. I used to spend a lot of time at Columbia University's Butler library. Libraries are also a great place to get internet access. I spent a lot of time in local libraries while traveling around New Zealand.

The main branch of the public library in Christchurch explicitly offers free wifi even when it's closed ... that's hard to beat (if you can find anywhere to sit).

It's capped to ~few hundred meg. At least when I was there for ~2 months a couple years back. It's really easy to get around though.

About the "if you can find anywhere to sit". I've never been in a library that was so full. I found that upstairs in the glassed off area to be the best. Got a lot done there.

NZ really does have some great libraries. Whangerei, Wellington and Christchurch being examples.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#176

Post by bandushrew »

mberning wrote: post #30
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…

I came here to post this very thing. When I was working downtown I decided to go to the library during my lunch break. To my surprise there was almost nobody in the library actually reading. However, there were people on every single computer workstation. Glancing over the screens I could see a variety of pornographic images, facebook and myspace pages, and youtube. The library is a great resource, but I was complete…

could we skip the shocked outrage part of the discussion?

Tax dollars go on random, pointless crap pretty much most of the time, and to be honest if I had to choose between, say, paying for the govt to invade Iraq or paying for someone without a computer to view pornography or visit facebook, I would choose the latter without hesitation.

Its a shame you dont approve of how others utilise their available resources, but maybe you could discuss the issue without faux-outrage. Its a boring and (these days) over used means of communication.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#177

Post by mberning »

steveklabnik wrote: post #169
silentbicycle wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That matches my experience. Those positions are not contradictory, though. It's about preventing a hostile environment for people who want to use the library, and keeping anybody from monopolizing public resources.

It's true. There's a difference between acknowledging that and getting righteous about 'my tax dollars going to some poor people looking at porn,' that's all I'm saying.

Since when does watching where your money goes make you righteous? Has nothing to do whether I think they are right or wrong for looking at porn. I don't give a shit if people look at porn, or do drugs, or work as a prostitute. What drives me nuts is that this unsanctioned use drives more and more cost every year. If all the people viewing porn at the library were kicked out how many workstations would be rendered unnecessary? Probably a significant number. Those funds that would have been spent on those workstation could be put to use somewhere else, such as local police, fire, sanitation, etc. A rather better use of money in my book. Sorry if that comes off as being 'righteous'.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#178

Post by chc »

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…

It surprises me that's possible. I can't get Clear in San Diego, but they have reception in the desert to the east? That's a really strange growth plan.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#179

Post by mberning »

silentbicycle wrote: post #143
mberning wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is completely and utterly asinine. Not only does this inappropriate use cause a hostile environment for people that legitimately want to use the library, but it lowers the number of available workstations for legitimate use. Just imagine your grandmother or little sister going down to the library to do some research and being uncomfortable in this environment. Think they are going to go back? No, of course they…

When I worked for a public library system (for, not at; I was a library employee), a fair amount of my time was spent watching the public internet stations. Mostly, helping people use the internet, keeping track of who was out of time, etc., but occasionally that meant kicking out people we caught looking at porn. It's not like it's encouranged . Be realistic. It's usually grounds for banning, and I doubt my library…

Who said it was encouraged? Every library is different. I'm sure if you go to one out in the burbs it is a lot different than in in the inner city, like I was visiting.

Re: Ditch Starbucks and work at the library

#180

Post by lukeschlather »

gwern wrote: post #90
lukeschlather wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Columbia U. library is notorious for being stingy with access. $500/year is generous? It would probably be cheaper to formally enroll and take no classes.

I suspect you need at least one class to be formally enrolled, and that would apparently be a minimum cost of $950: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/University_Tuition_And_F...

I've been formally enrolled in the continuing education program at Wittenberg university for something like a year, with no cost.

I'm sure Columbia is a little more strict (Wittenberg after all lets anyone into their library) but I'd imagine if you were determined you could gain access to the library for less than $500/year, though that still doesn't make any price generous so much as a price that Columbia has chosen. Generous would be giving free access.

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