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Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

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Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#211

Post by stcredzero »

graphitezepp wrote: post #15

I would much rather billionaire types take on large issues that governments don't want to touch, like space flight or specific diseases in foreign countries, than something already in service like libraries. Maybe I just have a bias due to having a library just up the street from where I live currently, but I have never not had access to an adequate library in my life time, and only see room for marginal diminishing…

It should be acknowledged that public libraries are now defacto places of social work. This actually makes eminent sense, in a way. It should be acknowledged, so that the proper resources and funding can be delivered where it is needed and will do much good.

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#212

Post by specialist »

graphitezepp wrote: post #15

I would much rather billionaire types take on large issues that governments don't want to touch, like space flight or specific diseases in foreign countries, than something already in service like libraries. Maybe I just have a bias due to having a library just up the street from where I live currently, but I have never not had access to an adequate library in my life time, and only see room for marginal diminishing…

FFS. Libraries?!

How about they pay their damn taxes.

I don't want "charity". No, I want these deadbeats to start pulling their own weight. Then we'll buy our own damned libraries.

https://www.l2inc.com/daily-insights/winners-and-losers/tech...

"For economies to thrive, companies need to hand over a quarter of their profits.

But the Four Horsemen – Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook — pay far less than the average US corporate tax rate.

Loser: future generations, who will have to pay off the debt racked up by politicians unwilling to tax the most profitable companies in the world."

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#213

Post by tertius »

cratermoon wrote: post #158
tertius wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about reducing their size, removing redundant jobs, reducing regulation that does harm, cutting costs...

You mean like we've been doing since the Reagan administration? How's that been working for citizens?

> You mean like we've been doing since the Reagan administration?

In what measurable way?

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#214

Post by specialist »

WalterBright wrote: post #208
cratermoon wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mean like we've been doing since the Reagan administration? How's that been working for citizens?

Do you really believe that there are less regulations, is smaller government, fewer government jobs, etc., today than in the 80's?

Rhetoric vs reality. And yet people keep falling for it.

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#215

Post by KGIII »

WalterBright wrote: post #206
KGIII wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The best thing you can do is ask your librarian. Libraries are often poorly funded, very much so in rural areas. They are often partially funded with donations. Somebody was willing to step up and rehab a local library. Had they not done so, it would have been forced to close. It is staffed entirely by volunteers. The town can barely afford to budget the heat. Fortunately, the same person now donates regularly and th…

Around here, the library buildings are new, large, modern, and spacious. Those buildings were expensive to construct. They lack books, though. The shelves are low, widely spaced, and don't occupy much of the floor space. http://www.buildingwork.design/projects/kenmore-library/ I've long since given up even looking for books there. I just go buy them. Contrast this with Half Price Books: http://www.waymarking.com/gall…

I still have a lovely, fairly local, shop. It is called Twice Sold Tales. It's a lovely place. I miss bookstores.

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#216

Post by mehrzad »

tomschlick wrote: post #132
mehrzad wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find your comment very off-putting. First of all, Bezos asked for advice on philanthropy. Second, most wealth generated by the property owning class (including Bezos) is through extracting the surplus value of their employees. Those billions were made through force (by the state monopoly of violence through police defending the so-called "right to property") as his employees never had a fair shot in getting a reaso…

> as his employees never had a fair shot in getting a reasonable share of profits They get paid an hourly wage or salary. Thats their share of the profits. Why are employees magically entitled to profits other than what they agreed to work for?

Because they never had a chance to own the means of production and thus were not able to negotiate on an equal footing.

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#217

Post by soperj »

jgmjgm wrote: post #195
soperj wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Libraries in Canada have the same stipulations, but are actually funded and are open all the time. Our downtown library is open 9am-9pm every day of the year.

I live in Canada in a mid-sized city and my library is closed on Sundays. Just as a poster above, it appears to be the case that the librarians negotiated a great deal for themselves. (Closed on Sundays during the summer, open on Sundays during the winter.) However, it is a great library. No arguments there. It's a pain that its closed on Sundays just when kids want to use it most.

Which city? I'm in a mid-sized city as well. I find it quite surprising since I've lived in many places around Canada from small towns to big cities from Toronto all the way out to the West Coast, and have never had access to at least one library that was open all the time.

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#218

Post by philipps »

Strengthening public libraries is an excellent idea, with lots of public benefits. Libraries are one of the most trusted public institutions in the US and provide a range of key social services including access to education, internet, health information. They also reach and support a demographic that is currently not well served through online-only programs.

I co-founded Peer 2 Peer University [1] a non profit that brings people together in learning circles to take online courses. When we switched from online-only to face to face meetings in public libraries we started teaching adults who had fallen out of the education system and who were not benefiting from online courses. And I can't say enough positive things about the librarians who we work with.

[1] https://p2pu.org

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#219

Post by tertius »

specialist wrote: post #214
WalterBright wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you really believe that there are less regulations, is smaller government, fewer government jobs, etc., today than in the 80's?

Rhetoric vs reality. And yet people keep falling for it.

Politics for you.

It's still a good idea.

Re: Bezos should put his billions in public libraries

#220

Post by _7fvc »

My libraries cost $180/year through property tax. Most of the books I want to read are checked out. Most of the movies I want to watch are checked out. It takes a lot of time just to find something. I come to library to hang out. We then pick up something to read/watch randomly. The system is not very efficient.
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