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The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

vox.com

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Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#191

Post by moate »

Archivists. Nobody is talking about archivists. Many public libraries has physical archives that can't be digitized (clothes, memorabilia, etc) that needs to be preserved and taken care of. They serve to supplement and support museums and universities with these materials.

Every anti-library piece that comes out generally boils down to "I don't use a library, and have little to no idea what services many of them provide outside of books. Therefor, someone who's better at books could take their place, and the free market is better than the state being in charge of this sort of stuff!" Not everything can, or should, be run like a business.

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#192

Post by moate »

zouhair wrote: post #187
geebee wrote: post #12

I'm largely in agreement with this Vox piece, but I think there's much more to say in defense of libraries as well. I have a friend who found a red envelope with some money in it in a book that he'd checked out of the library. He figured it belonged to whoever had checked the book out earlier, so he went into the branch and mentioned it. They said that they could find out the last person to read the book, but no more…

Oh well, we live in a world where people willingly and happily give all their privacy to a private entity just for the privilege to take a cab. So the future is grim.

Never mind that there's an app that combines social media and...a payment service.

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#194

Post by ryandrake »

ianai wrote: post #150
ironjunkie wrote: post #50

I think there is a growing sentiment of disdain of Silicon Valley and tech in general. And I can see why, and it is getting more and more justified. As this article states, that arrogance to think that everything should/can be "disrupted". Usually the argument for disruption is always around another version of "making the world a better place", while it is very clear that the main motivation is to make a couple tech…

Ime, the “disrupted” products I’ve purchased were way over priced and fragile or worthless. Not just from amazon either. Oh and of course they come with daily spam.

Don’t forget they also phone home with too much data about you and try to second guess you. I’m about ready to throw away my “smart” thermostat and replace it with a model from the 1980s with a dial that stays where I set it and no unnecessary internet connectivity.

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#195

Post by ironjunkie »

jrs95 wrote: post #107
ironjunkie wrote: post #50

I think there is a growing sentiment of disdain of Silicon Valley and tech in general. And I can see why, and it is getting more and more justified. As this article states, that arrogance to think that everything should/can be "disrupted". Usually the argument for disruption is always around another version of "making the world a better place", while it is very clear that the main motivation is to make a couple tech…

There’s sort of an assumption that the status quo is some how morally superior though. And you have to keep in mind that journalists are a part of that status quo. We have one group of elites and their spokespeople bitching about the newcomer. Personally I’d take the tech douche over the academic or the bureaucrat.

There is a lot of value in introducing new valid useful ideas. This is what Silicon Valley did 20 years ago.

Now, the way a lot of people see it is as a set of elite smug overly-paid tech bros arrogantly trying to change every single unneeded part of life by "disrupting it". Which usually translates into yet another stupid useless app on your smartphone to order pizza.

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#196

Post by jdminhbg »

ikeyany wrote: post #165
dionidium wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The bubble of tech workers is only equaled by the bubble of anti-tech activists. Most people don't have a stronger opinion about what you do than you do about whatever random thing they do.

I'm sure bankers believe the same thing about themselves.

Except there's survey data about this, and tech companies are the most respected and banks are the least: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/wells-fargo-...

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#197

Post by squozzer »

I will argue in favor of preserving "libraries" but let's first point out some flaws in author's reasoning.

>But libraries are not just a place to find books — they’re one of the few places that provide a number of free services to the American public.

Tax-payer funded != free.

>Some two-thirds of our regular patrons fall into one of three categories: homeless, struggling with addiction, or recovering from addiction.

Homeless shelter / addict sanctuary != library.

>Libraries are irreplaceable. Either discuss providing more funding for the invaluable work we do, or leave them alone.

I find the author's position a little binary or maybe unimaginative. What might help everyone - including taxpayers - is to re-think the community center model.

If the library building is primarily a convenient refuge for addicts and indigents, then we should optimize for that. Fewer books, more bathrooms.

If we still want to have publicly-accessible book repositories, could we combine them with other forms of community services, such as recreation?

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#198

Post by s73v3r_ »

CaptSpify wrote: post #173
s73v3r_ wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, with regards to software, films, music, etc, lots of people work on those. Those people need to feed their families.

Are you arguing that authors/editors/etc don't need to feed their families? Our economic system is fundamentally broken, in that we need to give creators more financial support. Throwing our books into our current Intellectual Property mess isn't going to fix that, just like it hasn't really fixed that for other media for the past 20 years. We need to bring non-library media closer towards the library model, rather t…

"Are you arguing that authors/editors/etc don't need to feed their families?"

Not in any sense of the word. I'm rebuking the post's idea that those things shouldn't be focused on making money.

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#199

Post by jerkstate »

s73v3r_ wrote: post #180
jerkstate wrote: post #6

When I was a young child, the library was a place for me to go to sit on a beanbag and read childrens books for hours while my mom studied for her masters degree. Now 2/3 of library patrons are homeless or struggling with addiction, and some parents may not wish to leave their children unattended in such an environment. I don't think Amazon has the answers but I see a natural tension between welcoming vagrants and ma…

"Now 2/3 of library patrons are homeless or struggling with addiction," Citation needed.

It's from the article:

> Some two-thirds of my patrons are homeless or struggling with addiction

Re: The last thing libraries need is Silicon Valley “disruption.”

#200

Post by PretzelFisch »

ironjunkie wrote: post #50

I think there is a growing sentiment of disdain of Silicon Valley and tech in general. And I can see why, and it is getting more and more justified. As this article states, that arrogance to think that everything should/can be "disrupted". Usually the argument for disruption is always around another version of "making the world a better place", while it is very clear that the main motivation is to make a couple tech…

This isn't an SV thing, This is the political mindset of those that oppose government services.
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