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The Distributed Library Project

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the just-might-work dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Mike Benham of thoughtcrime.org has started a cool project for sharing information and building community in San Francisco. From the website: "Unfortunately, the traditional library system doesn't do much to foster community. Patrons come and go, but there is very little opportunity to establish relationships with people or groups of people. In fact, if you try to talk with someone holding a book you like - you'll probably get shushed. The Distributed Library Project works in exactly the opposite way, where the very function of the library depends on interaction." It looks like the software is now available for other cities."

3 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Good concept, hard to implement by Maeve77 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Definitely an interesting concept, but I'm just a little shy of letting some random person on the internet know where I live. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but how else would this work? For a similar, and I think safer idea, check out www.bookcrossing.com.

    --
    Beauty will lure a man into bed, but it won't bring him back a second time, unless he's awfully young or very stupid.
  2. Libraries Don't foster Community? by gpmart · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Maybe I'm the exception to the rule, but our local library has done a lot for fostering community. My wife has participated in the annual poetry contest and readings at the library. We have gotten to know our library staff, met people and our kids have discovered new materials through the connections that they have made at the library. I won't argue that this program has value, but your average local library is community-run, a center for local civic involvement and community programs and projects. The American Library Association puts community involvement at the heart of it's mission. In fact the major advertising campaign for this is called connect@the.library. Still, the project has merit, especially because the materials that your average library offers is limited by limited finances, and this might fit niches that go unfilled right now, like making high-end geek stuff available to others.

  3. Re:Good concept, hard to implement by Blaine+Hilton · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I wonder if this could work WITH the libraries such that they would be the central point. If someone in my area has the book I want we would agree to meet at the library for the exchange.

    I would not want people coming directly to my house myself.