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Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

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Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#51

Post by kilo_bravo_3 »

beat wrote: post #16

Virtue signaling goes both ways. Yes, there's plenty of middle class progressive virtue signaling in having a little free library, but there's also plenty in bashing them as a threat to the public library system. Progressiver-than-thou is a seriously annoying thing. My own gripe against them isn't the virtue signaling, but rather the KonMari problem. People who read tend to treat books as sacred. Throwing books out i…

Virtue signaling is a made up nonsense phrase.

Originally an obscure descriptor confined to anthropology, it entered the mainstream via its use by self-righteous political and social commentators as a way of denigrating the thoughts, words, and/or actions of anyone whose opinions ran counter to their own.

By some of its many, constantly shifting, definitions using the phrase is an example of the phrase itself.

People who use it should be treated with the same level of incredulity that someone who uses the phrase "genetic terminator" when discussing vaccines deserves.

Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#52

Post by beat »

dtornabene wrote: post #34
beat wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The people who build and use LFLs are the most likely to support a well-funded public library system, not the least likely. That's one of the key conceptual failings of the article.

whatever the motives of the people building them, they absolutely will be used by others as a means to attack a vital state service.

Nah. I don't think I've ever heard the argument that LFLs are a substitute for public libraries, except in this article. Library defunding is always done on an "everyone needs to share the pain" ground, we can't raise taxes, we need the money to deal with crime, stuff like that.

If someone wanted to argue that public libraries are irrelevant, the Internet is a better argument than LFLs are.

Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#53

Post by username223 »

For those of you who didn't read to the end:

> Nobody finds Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad in a Little Free Library—much less Wi-Fi, college counseling, or jobs services. A well-funded library system has little to fear.

"Little Free Libraries" have nothing to do with public libraries, and seem like a harmless way for people to spend their disposable income. They may be virtue signaling, charity, lawn decorations, recycling bins, or whatever, but I don't see any reason to complain about them.

Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#54

Post by hprotagonist »

beat wrote: post #52
dtornabene wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

whatever the motives of the people building them, they absolutely will be used by others as a means to attack a vital state service.

Nah. I don't think I've ever heard the argument that LFLs are a substitute for public libraries, except in this article. Library defunding is always done on an "everyone needs to share the pain" ground, we can't raise taxes, we need the money to deal with crime, stuff like that. If someone wanted to argue that public libraries are irrelevant, the Internet is a better argument than LFLs are.

(and it’s still a pretty bad argument)

Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#56

Post by profreez »

beat wrote: post #16

Virtue signaling goes both ways. Yes, there's plenty of middle class progressive virtue signaling in having a little free library, but there's also plenty in bashing them as a threat to the public library system. Progressiver-than-thou is a seriously annoying thing. My own gripe against them isn't the virtue signaling, but rather the KonMari problem. People who read tend to treat books as sacred. Throwing books out i…

I agree with your point and I think that what your wife does is impressive and a thousand times better than a little free library. However, I don't think that there is anything wrong with placing books that you no longer want in public place and exchange them with another book. It's not the idea of little free libraries that's problematic, but the execution. I was living in a small French town from 2013 until 2015 and there was something similar to a little free library on one of the main downtown plazas. Old and young people from all demographic and socio-economic backgrounds seemed to be participating, taking and leaving books. I really loved it and I think it's a pity that over here, the little free libraries are only to be found in privileged neighborhoods.

Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#57

Post by dtornabene »

beat wrote: post #52
dtornabene wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

whatever the motives of the people building them, they absolutely will be used by others as a means to attack a vital state service.

Nah. I don't think I've ever heard the argument that LFLs are a substitute for public libraries, except in this article. Library defunding is always done on an "everyone needs to share the pain" ground, we can't raise taxes, we need the money to deal with crime, stuff like that. If someone wanted to argue that public libraries are irrelevant, the Internet is a better argument than LFLs are.

I mean, I mentioned in another thread here that in my own town there are attempts to attack the library, and its not a "everyone share the pain" argument. It was national news. The people pushing it are straight up trying to get the library delisted from the ALA and the TLA, precisely so they can control the content on the shelves. You can go to youtube right now and see the arguments, made in a Texas county commissioners court, to the effect; "if we can't succeed in having these books pulled we'll start our own library or get the county library funding pulled". Its not a rhetorical point, I've been active in fighting it here in my community.

Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#58

Post by daly »

Tomte wrote: post #38
fedorareis wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally my solution to this is either giving the books to a thrift store or donating it to the library. Then it at least has a chance of finding a new owner, but if not they can decide to recycle it.

Another solution is trying companies buying old media. I finally got rid of Lisp in Small Pieces, which I would never have worked through anyway and some other comparable book I cannot remember for double-digit Euros! It's hit-and-miss, though. I see no rhyme and reason in which books they're interested in, and the prices. Just the day before yesterday I took some cooking books in pristine condition to the library. T…

Lisp in Small PIeces is one of the best books I've ever read. Besides being a deep reach into programming decisions it is one of the best examples of a literate program.

By "getting ride of it" I assume you put it into a glass case on your office wall. I admit it does deserve such a place of pride.

Re: Against Little Free Libraries (2017)

#59

Post by daly »

Tomte wrote: post #41
JohnFen wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you don't want it, chances are very few others want it either. I don't think this is a good benchmark at all. It's a natural human tendency to think that we each are representative of "most people", but that's very often not actually true. I prefer to donate unwanted books to the library, thrift shop, or used book store. Those organizations are in a better place to judge what most people want and what they don't…

My experience is "if I wanted it, nobody else will". Lisp in Small Pieces. Sure, here on HN many people would be interested in it. In a smallish town, even though there's a technical branch of a nearby university? Forget about it. English books? The library isn't interested (for good reason, they have limited shelf-space and very little demand for English books, there are two shelfs of English fiction and that's it).…

I have Appel's book. I love the fact that I can get very expensive books "second hand". The same information without the high cost. Appel doesn't get paid but I know from my experience with publishers that tech books almost never make money. 3000 copies puts a book in the top 1%.

Carnegie Mellon teaches a compiler course using continuations so I'm not sure what's "old" about it.

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