Encroaching on Private Sector

Educational value is required for libraries? Since when?

Libraries have always been filled with books that are fiction and purely for entertainment.

Most of those videos are donated to the libraries. Taxpayer funding has nothing to do with it.

I've donated several dozen to a local branch library myself.

Have also donated many boxes of books to them.

They sell to the public any duplicates as part of their fundraising efforts via neighborhood book fairs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_library

By the way, Gollum, you titled this topic "Encroaching on Private Sector." Could you explain how and what in the private sector is being encroached upon?

Butrflynet-
Thank you.

Companies such as Netflix, Blockbuster, and thousands of small companies on "Main Street America" offering video rental and sale to the public.

... also taxpayers who are forced to fund the public library's purchase of these videos.

They don't purchase them. They are donated to the libraries.

As for the likes of Netflix et al, libraries have been sharing videos and other media forms of entertainment with the public long before Netflix et al ever existed.

OMG!!!!!!! Libraries interfere with book stores.

Have you ever tried to borrow a video from a library? They have few copies. People can check them out for extended periods of time so they are often out. They rarely have anything current available. Netflix has no competition from libraries since it has hundreds of copies of movies to send out.


You are free to petition to stop library funding. But since the majority supports libraries you will only come across as a complete idiot.

parados-
Thank you.

I have borrowed videos from the libraries. I admit your point that some titles are unavailable.

I admit I am unable to change the library's use of its funds. The majority may agree with you. I don't think that makes me wrong.

Butrflynet-
If you are right that all the videos are donated, then I concede. I don't know how to verify your claim.

You could go or write to your local library and ask them where they get the videos they lend out to the public.

Like A2K, they don't charge a fee for answering such questions.

I believe your cynicism is highly misinformed.

Public libraries are great sources for..
ESL classes; job searching and employment resources; computers and Internet access for those who can't afford either/or; safe social gathering spots for teenagers and elderly citizens; academic resources for secondary and college students as well as writers of miscellaneous books and papers; audiobooks for everyone including the blind; tutelage help for the learning disabled and those who are having difficulty learning to read (even those who have long dropped out of high school; GED help; oh and books you self righteous ass.

Just because you are clearly too lazy to get your facts straight.... And so what if a large amount of library traffic is from the film and music department?!

Not everyone has access to bookstores or other systems of consumable culture. Not everyone has the disposable income to throw away on DVDs and books.



Plus Public libraries are funded through charitable donations both corporate and publicly and through sales of older books, etc....

So what?! Some people live on fixed incomes (elderly and/or disabled). It's great to know they should be shoved out into the cold with no access to culture, education, and other sources of affordable and accessible information.

Your antilibrary stance make Tea Partiers like Hawkeye appear generous and enlightened.