"Getting rid of physical books because we now have databases is like getting rid of sunshine because of the existence of vitamin-D pills and cod liver oil." --love that.
a plea for keeping physical libraries available. (but it is key to remember that all living library collections include materials that come and also go)
@brewsterkahle
As mentioned before, a library is more than just a place for books, it is a place to meet, socialise, swap ideas, study alone or with other people. A place to get hold of journals, magazines and much more.
Use your local library or lose it, when budget decisions are made based on footfall and usage.
@zleap@brewsterkahle I have worked with a great many people who suffer with debilitating, social anxiety - the library offers a form of connection without them feeling threatened /overwhelmed. Libraries offer a lifeline for those who have a appreciation of books, and so much more .
Physical books are a remarkable technology. No external power source required. Portable. If properly stored they last centuries. Backwards compatible with other technologies. User friendly, the technology of the codex requires no training other than the ability to read.
@brewsterkahle flashback to my first day at Art Academy Minerva where a new director gave her introduction speech. Teachers skeptical because fourth director in four years, and she had no background in art; she only got the position because she was the sister of a prominent centre-right politician.
Few days later I see teachers searching for art history slides from the trash. She had decreed we'd "go digital" and ordered the slides to be thrown away.
@brewsterkahle its actually getting more important as electronic files are getting increasingly be a service. The PDFs are just a subscription that can expire, and you cannot sell, borrow, copy etc like a physical copy
@brewsterkahle I'm in #Malaysia, and paper books get musty and moldy quite fast here, unless you run an air conditioner regularly, which also dehumidifies. #Libraries with paper books are great in the drier, more temperate parts of the world. There is a tropical style of book - the "ola leaf" book, which will last many centuries in the tropics, but they are smaller, harder to create, and usually reserved only for religious texts. Flash storage is a big deal here to make #ebooks widely available.
@brewsterkahle i completely agree on the value of physical books in libraries, but in my experience librarians are much more aware of the tradeoffs involved than this article makes it sound like. also, this author's dismissal of gay latino studies seems to be based more on homophobia than actually examining the research in question.
(in fairness, the Manchester City Library pulping linked to does sound like a pretty bad call by the librarians or administrators.)
@brewsterkahle I applied for a position at a library last week. Libraries have meant so much to me in every phase of my life.
There are other jobs I could try to chase and I’ve moved in other fields. But I want to commit my time, talents and energy to helping persevere one of these bastions of knowledge. I couldn’t imagine anything else more worthwhile.
@brewsterkahle I liked using a Nook for a while, but in the past year I've regained a preference for physical books.
I am tired of using devices for everything; even though e-readers are a wonderful technology, there's something about going device-less that helps me immerse myself in the text.
@brewsterkahle
The number of serendipitous articles found in libraries, that were the answer to insurmountable problems in my career in medicine, was too many to be counted.
Regrettably there simple honest case report, is a bit of a list art. I haven't seen any for a long time in mainstream medical journals.
Do doctor treat patients any more or do they treat a mythical average patient who appears to be similar to the life form in front of them?
@brewsterkahle Bad analogy? We should probably keep physical books a while longer, but sunlight is, of course, bad, and we should most definitely get rid of it.
Add comment