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Post by nicomachus on Feb 11, 2011 12:43:46 GMT -5
Anyone remember libraries? There used to be a lot of them. Seems like a lot of them are closing now for lack of funding. I miss libraries.
I guess a country full of big screen televisions and low taxes will finally be an Ayn Rand-inspired Utopia.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Feb 11, 2011 12:45:44 GMT -5
Ours is alive and well. I'm going over this afternoon to pick up a book. Some of them are having to close on Sundays because of funding issues. Hopefully that will be the worst that happens.
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Post by nicomachus on Feb 11, 2011 12:47:50 GMT -5
Glad to hear it.
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ugonow
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Post by ugonow on Feb 11, 2011 12:49:42 GMT -5
The government has no business competing with Borders,Barns and Nobel,etc. People should buy their own books.The library system is another socialist government program.
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Post by Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ on Feb 11, 2011 12:49:58 GMT -5
It is not due to a lack of funding, but how funds are allocated. Has nothing to low taxes or Ayn Rand inspired Utopia.
Interestingly enough, I recently finished Atlas Shrugged which I borrowed from my local library.
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Post by Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ on Feb 11, 2011 12:51:20 GMT -5
The government has no business competing with Borders,Barns and Nobel,etc. People should buy their own books.The library system is another socialist government program.
Local govt library systems are not competing with booksellers. Libraries are excellent sources of research information and archives.
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Post by nicomachus on Feb 11, 2011 12:51:38 GMT -5
There really is something ironic about borrowing Ayn Rand's books from a public library!
Either way, western civilization has a long history of public resources for intellectual and entertainment value. I sometimes worry that we now live in an age of greed, where no one wants to share the joys of such common property anymore.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Feb 11, 2011 12:53:54 GMT -5
Our city closed a lot of the satellite branches. They were very small. Some of them seemed rather close together.
Most of the stuff I did in the library as a kid and as a student you can now do on-line - Research! And thank god. It was difficult to get any good sources, often having to go to multiple locations, only to find that book had been lent out. I'm happy to see that much of that stuff can be accessed easily on-line. In a few years I'm going to get my daughter a Nook or Kindle and she can check out virtual books from the library.
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Post by Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ on Feb 11, 2011 12:54:02 GMT -5
There really is something ironic about borrowing Ayn Rand's books from a public library!
No, not ironic at all. It is a classic piece of fiction. Actually I was surprised my town's library had it. I live in a small town with a very small library.
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steff
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Post by steff on Feb 11, 2011 12:54:58 GMT -5
I volunteer at my local library. It's a very small one, but it is tied statewide with other small libraries. We can order books that are on file in the system and they will be sent over from other locations. Our library is always packed and has activities for all ages every week.
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Feb 11, 2011 12:55:29 GMT -5
I think libraries are great. Mine is doing OK but I would guess many states are cutting funding. Christie wanted to cut funding by 70% to the libraries in NJ but I don't know what the final total was. Hours have dropped and also the number of free movies.
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Post by nicomachus on Feb 11, 2011 12:55:50 GMT -5
I just wonder if every time a royalty statement mentioned that one of her books had been acquired by a public library, if Ayn Rand responded "Damn."
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ugonow
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Post by ugonow on Feb 11, 2011 12:56:56 GMT -5
Borrowing Atalas Shrugged from the LIBbrary is no more ironic than the fact Ayn Rand benefited from government programs as some like to point out. We have it comming to us.
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Post by Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ on Feb 11, 2011 12:57:38 GMT -5
I just wonder if every time a royalty statement mentioned that one of her books had been acquired by a public library, if Ayn Rand responded "Damn."
I am not getting the point of this thread? That book was published in 1957, and was very prophetic. The premise is playing out now in the US.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 11, 2011 12:58:02 GMT -5
Our too , alive and well, the only thing in the town I really have a weekly or semi weekly interaction with...the police , the fire all other features of government are behind the scenes , though their cutting and trimming of the grass on the esplanades in the town are firs rate. We have a brand new library built a few years ago..completely redone and expanded...the computers are all full whenever I go to it, with old and young, never realized how many do not have their own computers or id so possible not able to afford connection, glad the libraries can let them have contact. So many children there taking out books to read, guess our education system is not as bad as some seem to think...kids studying after school.
Libraries so important...may not all be healthy but still breathing..ours, glad to see alive , well and seems to be thriving.
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Post by Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ on Feb 11, 2011 13:00:04 GMT -5
Borrowing Atalas Shrugged from the LIBbrary is no more ironic than the fact Ayn Rand benefited from government programs as some like to point out. We have it comming to us.
Kind of hard for anyone to not benefit from a govt program. I ride public transportation that receives some sort of various govt funding annually. I regularly drive on NJ highways, which are govt funded. These and libraries are not social welfare programs but govt services.
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Post by marjar on Feb 11, 2011 13:06:15 GMT -5
My library has scads of technology available, but few books. One must request books be sent from the main branch. I miss browsing shelves.
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Post by marjar on Feb 11, 2011 13:08:24 GMT -5
The government has no business competing with Borders,Barns and Nobel,etc. People should buy their own books.The library system is another socialist government program. You don't like intellectual enlightenment?
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ugonow
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Post by ugonow on Feb 11, 2011 13:10:44 GMT -5
Kind of hard for anyone to not benefit from a govt program.
I was refering to medicare,and SS,not public transportation.
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ugonow
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Post by ugonow on Feb 11, 2011 13:12:25 GMT -5
You don't like intellectual enlightenment? Here we go with the general welfare excuse again. I have never seen libraries mentioned in the constitution.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 11, 2011 13:13:29 GMT -5
Borrowing Atalas Shrugged from the LIBbrary is no more ironic than the fact Ayn Rand benefited from government programs as some like to point out. We have it comming to us. Kind of hard for anyone to not benefit from a govt program. I ride public transportation that receives some sort of various govt funding annually. I regularly drive on NJ highways, which are govt funded. These and libraries are not social welfare programs but govt services. The last time I rode public transportation I believe I was at a Mexican resort , Cancun. I see the ones at the bus stops here and realize so many are dependent on them for transportation and will pick up senior friends when I drive out of where I live who no longer drive where I live and drop them at the market or mall , even going a few blocks out of the way to save them time, no sweat for me to do so. Thank the lord they have the ability to get around...yes gove't services are so very important and so many of us don't realize it because we may not use the obviouse ones, just benefit from those under the surface, and all benefit from them..and many of our neighbors..are so dependent on them.
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ugonow
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Post by ugonow on Feb 11, 2011 13:15:11 GMT -5
The agenda worked then.
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safeharbor37
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Post by safeharbor37 on Feb 11, 2011 13:16:06 GMT -5
I'm not aware of massive library closings. A lot of "public" libraries are associated with schools. As pointed out earlier, I think some of the closings are of "branches." I was recently in one of the original Carnage libraries and according to their information, about half have been either razed or converted to other use. They are famous for their architecture, but many of those were razed in the 1950's. Public libraries are OK in my book, but not as essential as hospitals. For years, the libraries have been losing clientele as books become less attractive as leisure and have taken to calling themselves "media centers" even as they keep the name "Library." The truth is that general libraries are losing out to the Internet as sources of information. The biggest loss I can see is that of the "lending" aspect, the ability to get rare books from other libraries and the library atmosphere, which is being lost in the conversion to "media centers" and the emphasis on recreational and childhood activities. As things change, I suspect that non-school libraries [media-centers] will become more consolidated and therefore more rare and less available to most people.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 11, 2011 13:22:57 GMT -5
What I see is that there is a hugh media resources, Cd's and dvd's...current fiction and top popular non fiction, less building the stacks..the one I use is a branch, a big branch..and if I want to browse the stacks for some older novels and non fiction I go to the main library about the same distance from my home, just a different direction. If you want a book you know about, a author you can request it and they will get it if available, most so far are , from branches in the county..Linraries in Florida are not town supported but county supported at least were I live, Broward County , they run and finance the libraries.
Libraries so important as the cost of Books so high, most over $30 each if not on best seller list..I am looking at my book case , say 150 at least hard covers, not counting paper backs doubled up...LOL...love to have those $ back..occasionly reread some ...but still..thought of getting one of those reading pads ..think stay with the library.
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floridayankee
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Post by floridayankee on Feb 11, 2011 14:15:38 GMT -5
You don't like intellectual enlightenment? Here we go with the general welfare excuse again. I have never seen libraries mentioned in the constitution. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. ....exactly why a library is a local thing.
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ugonow
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Post by ugonow on Feb 11, 2011 14:31:25 GMT -5
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floridayankee
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Post by floridayankee on Feb 11, 2011 15:33:28 GMT -5
Partially, yes. It doesn't make them federal.
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 11, 2011 15:41:05 GMT -5
"Kind of hard for anyone to not benefit from a govt program."
That depends on your definition of benefit. At my tax rate, I think that I would benefit if the highway, transit, libraries, etc were pay-per-use and private. I think I am subsidizing the use of these programs for others to benefit. I don't know what Rand paid in taxes, but some benefit from government redistribution, and some don't, the statement that everyone benefits is more than a joke.
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floridayankee
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Post by floridayankee on Feb 11, 2011 15:49:26 GMT -5
....the statement that everyone benefits is more than a joke. Not really. Even if you never drove a day in your life and walked to work and bought your groceries across the street, these things don't magically appear. Our military fights for every single one of us, not just taxpayers. Schools educate the rug-rats of your community and teach them a trade to hopefully become productive citizens. Fire services keep a back yard leaf burning from getting out of control and taking out your neighborhood. Policemen arrest the rapist/mugger/murderer/drunk driver that may have met you next. Interstates, State and county roads allow free movement or people, equipment and merchandise. You may not benefit directly, but you do benefit.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 11, 2011 16:06:28 GMT -5
....the statement that everyone benefits is more than a joke. Not really. Even if you never drove a day in your life and walked to work and bought your groceries across the street, these things don't magically appear. Our military fights for every single one of us, not just taxpayers. Schools educate the rug-rats of your community and teach them a trade to hopefully become productive citizens. Fire services keep a back yard leaf burning from getting out of control and taking out your neighborhood. Policemen arrest the rapist/mugger/murderer/drunk driver that may have met you next. Interstates, State and county roads allow free movement or people, equipment and merchandise. You may not benefit directly, but you do benefit. ---------------------------------------------------- Amen
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