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Internet Revives Public Libraries
securitas writes "The New York Times' Steve Lohr reports on the effects of the Internet on public libraries, namely that the installation of Internet-connected computers have been largely responsible for a rebirth in public libraries and increasing attendance, particularly by 'teenagers, people age 50 and older and members of ethnic minorities' as well as low-income patrons without computers at home. According to a University of Washington study, 'A year after computers are put in libraries that do not have them, visits rise 30 percent on the average and attendance typically remains higher'. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - which funds PC-based Internet library projects - features prominently in the article, including the criticism that it is 'a Microsoft marketing exercise masquerading as philanthropy.'"
Do you have to log in to use your card catalog? (No for the ones in my area)
Call (206) 338-5780 COLLECT for information about a genuine BA, BS, MA, MS, MBA, or Ph.D.
...or do internet-enabled libraries sound like a hacker's dream?
According to the BBC, Britain's public librarires will be out of use by 2020. My local library does have a computer (one!) but the collections (books, CDs, etc) are shocking. Ordering from other libraries takes too long, etc.
This is where the serious fun begins.
If you connect it, they will come.
I hear there's rumors on the Slashdots
It's just a pity that in many poorer countries the public libraries are still a very long way from being able to afford computers. In most African countries for example, governments first priority is to feed, clothe and house people and public libraries (If there are any) come very low down on the list of priorities.
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the point of a library isnt to increase raw attendance, it's to provide access to a large quantity of books that the majority of people could not purchase or conveniently locate on their own.
With the internet, this dynamic does not occur; I am guessing that the vast majority of people who use library PCs for internet access could reasonably get it (or, more accurately, already have it) in some other fashion at home, but prefer the coffeehouse / social aspect of being out of the house while doing their web surfing.
I hope this newfound popularity doesn't cause the libraries to neglect the books. At my college, this happened. They hyped their new "information center" and talked about how high-tech it was, but all they did was replace the books with connections to the internet. It's hard to write a paper when the best reference you have is the Internet. The information is so sparse on the Internet, compared to a book which tends to have pages and pages on a topic. Luckily, I was on my way out when I transferred there and never needed to write any heavy-duty papers on anything that wasn't computer-related. Books beat out PCs any day.
If Microsoft are being criticised or not... The plain and simple fact of the matter is that the Gates foundation has helped put PC's into the hands of people who would not otherwise use one.
Whether they run nothing but Microsoft software, or something else, is not an issue, IMHO
Call him what you like (and I'm sure some of you will) he's doing a good thing here and I, for one, will take my hat of to the guy
I've never shoed a horse, but I once told a donkey to piss off!
People go to Public Library now to access internet and not to read or loan books. So what is the point of all this. Unless there is a strong associated increase in books loaned and hence read there isnt much cause for delight here. In India coffee shops started providing internet connections as a way to increase coffee sales which worked as most people liked the idea of sucking a cold coffee with a straw while net-speeding. what's the brouhaha ha ha
If there is going to be a comment on this story like "This is a secret Microsoft plan to steal your puppies", then could someone please explain what the Gates foundation actually does that could be construed as shady? From what I've seen, the guy, who happens to be one of the richest people in the world, is giving away a lot of his money to help put computers in schools and libraries that can't afford it themselves. OK, so they're not running Linux. OK, so they're not Macintoshes. It doesn't cost the guy a dime to put Windows in these places, does it? Also, remember what desktop operating system has 90% of the market and as a result most people would be familiar with.
Never hit your grandmother with a shovel, for it leaves a bad impression on her mind...
Although eBooks have been slow to catch on it would make sense for libraries to offer their entire selection of books available in ebook form. It could be costly at first but so are the computer, esp. ten years ago when they first started appearing libraries. besides, libraries don't aim to make money, but provide a service of knowledge, eBooks would increase virtual attendance overnight.
I wish that were the case. In most African countries, the priority is for the ruler to amass more wealth, power, and wives. Countries like Botswana, South Africa are more the exception and countries like Zimbabwe more the rule.
...I don't know if it'll be enough. Getting people to go to libraries for whatever reason can only be seen as a good thing, but I wonder if the attraction of the computer and the internet is going to be enough.
Two libraries in my borough closed down in the last 6 months due to lack of interest and money. Much as I hate to say it, I'm not sure we can expect the internet and some PCs to pull people back to using conventional libraries.
What are the stats on checking out the books? If no one is doing any more reading, then I don't see this as having any beneficial effect on libraries; they're just convenient places to put terminals, sort of like internet cafes without the coffee.
Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
including the criticism that it is 'a Microsoft marketing exercise masquerading as philanthropy.'"
the guy gives away free pcs that are easy to use. easy to use means windows, does not mean linux,, its not a marketing exercise, its so that the techs and librarians dont need to be retrained in linux,
why is this even mentioned...
Why can't it be "philanthropy that also benefits its patron"? Or "philanthropy that is mutually beneficial"?
Seriously, there are hundreds of them in stock, but you never see them on the shelves, because they are ALWAYS out. You have to search the catalog just to see what's available, and place holds to get them.
A woman at the 'checkout' said that she feels like she works at Blockbuster, more than at a library...
Why bother, anyone with a laptop and wifi can get the same level of anonymity, plus mobility.
They recently upgraded the entire computer network at the local libraries here (Helsinki, Finland). Compaq mini-PCs with sleazy design, LCD monitors and a copy of Windows XP installed on each computer. The only thing those computer are intended for is web browsing. Internet Explorer is run in a kiosk mode, which theoretically makes it impossible to run anything else (but that's not true in practice). This raises a question. Do you really need Windows XP and a fairly modern computer to provide a simple interface for web surfing? I don't know if they had a deal with Microsoft about serious discounts / free copies of MS software But if they didn't, all those thousands of copies of WinXP surely seem to be a great waste of money. I am not a Linux zealot, but Linux seems to be an ideal candidant for such a task (contrary to Windows XP with all its bells and whistles)
Here in columbus, ga, they are building a new 60m dollar library. Its interesting the people I was speaking with about it yesterday said they thought libraries were a waste of money, that no one used them! I guess the results are in a show it to be a little different from what everyone expected.
Despite criticism that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation might have some vested interest in providing public access computers in libraries, I view this as a good thing. Public free access enables a lot of people who otherwise wouldn't be able to participate in online activity - for example, homeless people putting their resumes online in the hopes of finding employment.
In this case, funding came from a foundation started by a private individual. What about in other countries where there isn't so much of a culture of public donations (true, there are robber baron CEOs, but I'm thinking in the lines of the donations given by people like Andrew Carnegie)? Unless there's strong political will, I don't think it's going to happen - beneficial though it is, it looks more like a "nice to have" rather than a "must have".
Raises attendance among the homeless.
Public restrooms raise attendance on the weekends.
Giveaways at car lots raises attendance.
Does any of this mean more business?
Don't park drunk, accidents cause people.
Nothing like visiting the Dallas Public Library, where the homeless get equal opportunity to view the pr0n we all know and love. Question - is this really progress?
Sure there are now more patrons in public libraries courtesy of Internet-connected, free-to-use computers, video games, audio and video CDs and DVDs for hire. Oh there are books in libraries too, but the last few times I've been to the local public libraries, all I noticed was long queues of people waiting for their turn to use the computers.
An interesting side-effect was the libraries having to revisit a lot of their rules - free for all computer usage was changed to members-only usage (though membership is free), members-only usage was then revised to advanced-booking, members-only usage. Maximum number of CD/DVD issued at any time was increased from 2 to 5 (and the rental charges were reduced).
Sure, there has been a revival. But I find most of the revival centers around not the core of the library - books, but electronic/digital content that can be accessed rather cheaply there. So in that context libraries have re-invented themselves too.
There may also be a significant ripple effect - people who are waiting for their turns on computers, etc., are tempted to have a look at the shelves and might even take out the odd book. However, the fact remains that the attention spans have been reducing. Most new entrants to the libraries limit their usage to the digital offerings.
Maybe after a while when these new entrants get used to the feel of bookshelves around them, and the long waits for computer terminals imbibes enough patience to turn pages of a book, a true new revival will happen. Till then, it's a rush to get the latest DVD/CD for a week at rock-bottom prices, or an opportunity to check email for free
http://efil.blogspot.com/
I regularily take my 8 year old son to our local library. We live in a fairly outlying suburb of Minneapolis.
By my standards, the library is very small (the book selection is poor at best, but you can request books from within the county's system or even the city's county).
For such a small library, they have at least 6 computer terminals, and I'm always surprised they are always in use. Just glancing at the folks using them, it's IM applications to games to research. But they're always being used.
I'm always suprised and pleased to see it. I'm so used to taking the computers I have at home for granted, I can't imagine what life would be like not having one - but to the folks using them, I bet it's a godsend.
If this is the evolution of the public library, it can only be a good thing. The other posters comments about monitoring and tracking library patrons is quite concerning, and if students are using the internet for research, are they aware that everything you read on the internet isn't true?
From my own experiences, and what I've observed from others, the internet has created a strong desire for information. Unfortunately, most webpages are quite shallow in depth. A webpage with a few pages of hard info may be considered a goldmine, yet there may be thousands of overlooked pages at a local library. Does this apply to all topics, no.
Before the internet, I didn't care much about much. Now I do, and the library has quenched my thirst.
The local library where I live only gets 12yr olds because that's basically the age group they target. They have put in computers with net access but mostly it's the parents of the 12 yr olds that use them.
Here's a tip, want to keep visitor nerds-types like me? Keep relatively modern books and journals. Nothing like seeing "how computers work" published in 1985 as the only computer related book they have....
Tom
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
But now, will a bunch of kiddies come in and abuse it, and will I soon have to stnad in line and give my ID, thanks to them?
We'll see... (but even after 9/11 they never asked for an ID)
Here's what I do: Bitty Browser & Andromeda
Ya know, if something can bring technology to the public, and not increase my taxes, I am all for it.
It just a coincidence that it's Bill Gates is the one who has the money to donate. As far as marketing goes, I am sure there are more cost effective ways to increase sales. And if you are that worried about it, start an OSS charity group to do the exact same thing.
I think Bill Gates just realized that extremely wealthy people that just collect billions and don't become philanthropists, are viewed in a negative light.
While not great for finding up to date computer related books, the public library system is a great place to get other (sometimes computer related) books.
At the going rate for a hardcover book nearing $30US, finding just a few books there instead of purchasing can save a decent amount of money.
The computer terminals are not really of value for people that would be reading here, but they are of significant value for many people without computers or of low income.
Computer terminals in public libraries are a greate way for lower income people to search the online job sites or do other related tasks. I believe this significantly helps the community and country at large but may need better marketing, which the (at least US) public library system has never been very good at (or well funded.)
-Pete
Soccer Goal Plans
I hate to sound awful crass, but homeless people having resumes? I think you have to try awful hard to become homeless in this country. What will the resume say? Besides, if they are homeless, how is the employer going to contact them?
Panhandler
08/99-Present
In a fast paced urban setting, collected donations for a good cause. Have experience dealing with the public and handling large amounts of change. Also have experience working with animals.
Assist Panhandler
06/97-08/99
In a two person operation, aided the head panhandler in sorting change, making new cardboard signs, and going to the liquor store to replenish his liquor supply.
I hate sigs.
Meanwhile, people's ability to access certain pages on library terminals is restricted by law. Children who cannot afford computers and internet service in their homes are the ones to suffer most as they're forced to deal with a second-class Internet
"In prison you just have to shut your eyes and take it. Here you have to shut your eyes and give it."
The increase in book loans from drawing in the extra people is probably minimal.
However, so long as it doesn't adversely effect the availability of books then it's not a bad thing. Providing free internet access to people that don't have it is a good thing, as well as the assitance that library staff can provide to people who aren't quite
Many communities in the modern western Europe and the USA lack any real community or cultural centre. If a library can fulfill this role in a greater way then more power to it. I personally would love to see libraries take on greater roles as centres of information, learning and debate. They were once greatly respected by the public.
The introduction of a network of public libraries in the UK in the 1850s was a landmark of progressive thinking and it nearly didn't happen.
One Consrevative MP argued (and had a lot of support in his party for this)that:
"people have too much knowledge already: it was much easier to manage them twenty years ago; the more education people get the more difficult they are to manage."
Society would be much the poorer if the libraries hadn't been approved by parliament, and by the same measure, society will become much richer if they recieve more support in the future.
Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
In discussing public libraries and the internet, I'm reminded of Cliff Stoll's book Silicon Snake Oil. In it, amongst other things he discusses that libraries that spend their money and time putting in computers for internet access aren't spending their money and time finding and buying new books for people. Thus, the library doesn't grow, it becomes a subsidized internet service provider.
Overrated / Underrated : Moderation
So you think children are suffering by being denied access to porn sites.
This point has been brought up before. Some non-American English speakers describe a group of individuals in terms of the members of the group, plural, rather than as one individual entity. Don't assume everyone speaks US English!
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
-- Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
By the way, how often do corporate philanthropies NOT have marketing at their heart?
Seeing bad movies only encourages them. Watch responsibly
The Linux Terminal Server Project is ideal for Libraries.
Not Windows XP - yuck.
it would be a different flamewar altogether. Oops, it wouldn't be a flamewar though it would still be blatant self-promotion. And yes, it would be someone trying to make money, not some earthy-crunchy lovefest. Red Hat, et al, would be behind it and plastering their name all over it to get free advertising.
Have to agree with what a number of people are saying here. As much as I like computers, and libraries, I'm not sure I really favour so much the current combination of them that we're seeing. Often, I've noticed they are not being used for research, and the people using them are not actually getting books out. Rather, you have 12 year olds going on yahoo chat, trying to sneak some porn, look up the latest on Britney, or other such activities. Libraries are for books, and consequently to increase literacy amongst the public. This does not seem to further that goal. Not to mention that things like this, and videos for instance, do eat away at libraries funds, both for connection and computer costs, and also because libraries sometimes need an extra staff person to monitor what's going on there. (Though in all fairness, I have used the internet in libraries before, it was helpful for me when I didn't have it at home and I can only think that there are others out there who are also using the system in a good way, and yes, I have quite often borrowed movies from the libraries (great when you have kids)).
Oh and the point someone mentioned about comp books in libraries being hopelessly out of date. Yes it can be pretty bad, plus, do they really need yet another book on their shelf on how to use Office?
Perhaps not in the USA, but when I was in Britain, I read an editorial about the mobile phone revolution and how it was helping the homeless be more contactable. I'm sure there are at least some of them who do genuinely want to change their lives in the hope of moving out of homelessness. It really isn't a state one would like to live in for long.
I presume resumes for less qualified individuals would be different from what you and I are used to. Who knows - the effort of producing a piece of paper that states the person's skills (even if only the fact they were a star athlete in high school 5 years ago, for example) might give a potential employer enough good vibes to give the person a try. You never know.
Microsoft is a single company. One SINGLE company. Therefore, "is" applies and "are" does not. Using your logic, I could say that "Tony Blair are a liar" based on the idea that Tony Blair is actually a group of living cells, instead of a single person.
"Don't assume everyone speaks US English!"
If only that were the case. No more ridiculous-looking extraneous U added into words like favor. Is there a good reason to ask four this?
I've noticed a lot of comments from users worried that libraries are losing sight of their role as temples to the printed word.
They haven't read the article. It says, "We draw them in with the computers," he said, and then try to convert them to reading books." The conversion tactic, he says, succeeds with perhaps 40 percent of the young people."
You need to have kids in the building to get the books to them.
Reality is that which refuses to go away when I stop believing in it. --Phillip K. Dick (remove SPAM to email)
here in georgia. Only one required a picture ID to login. All of them had sign in sheets, but you could put any name you chose I guess (except the pic ID one of course). The machines have definetly been the donated microsoft gates foundation machines. I have asked at two libraries if they would take donated computers that I would provide running linux, they said NO very emphatically, they run a windows network remote administered. The machines themselves are usually chock full of spyware/adware as near as I can see. I have not seen any of the librarians to be very computer competent besides logging and booting the machines up, all the work is done remotely by who knows who. One library I was in had installed cameras facing the screens. The most common uses I see glancing around is people use email and chatrooms. Next is research for papers or for people (stuck) inside the legal system doing research, then genealogical research.
The demographic split in the article is VERY accurate from what I have seen: teenagers, the over 50's (like me) and "recent arrivals to these shores".
One thing I have seen is their censorware is highly subjective and inaccurate, and frequently blocks sites that are in no way pornographic,etc, but are political, I have seen some sites come up as blocked because they are called "hate speech" sites when they are not, but they are on the blocked list anyway.
Now, as the economy is at an all time low, we've been seeing the same pattern. The usage of the library is increasing. Back when I was a page, the books that I noticed going over the desks very frequently were books on job hunting and resume writing. Now that I am in the IT department, I no longer have the opportunity to see what books are in high usage. However, I would hazard a guess that job boards and career networking web sites are prety high up there in internet usage, as would be e-mail (the top use from our perspective) and blogging. Where else can someone walk in, get access to the internet and begin to post their opinioons on politics, pop culture, business or whatever floats their boat? Free of charge? As an added bonus, many of us are placing wireless access points out there for the public. They are highly restricted to make certain that people can only use the web and read their e-mail (ports 80, 110, 143, https, etc...), but they are free access nonetheless.
Support your public library. They are really cool institutions and if their funding gets better, encourage them to grow their IT departments. I got my start in IT in a library and I've always seen libraries as a great place to start a career in IT. With the right attitude a lot of the smaller places are perfect for a high school graduate with computer skills or a college grad with a Comp. Sci. degree to start out and gain some really good experience.
Un-news
I was an assistant sys admin for the Crawford County Federated Library System, and can't say first hand what kind of increase came from the availability of computers, but I can say that patrons use them constantly.
There is a collection of 98 machines in the childrens room to browse the web and play kids games, but the main floor computers are thin clients running from a Linux server. Patrons are on them constantly, and they work great. They run icewm with a win xp theme to lessen confusion, and they've got a choice of browsers (opera, mozilla, etc). The only problem is that periodically the printing abilities go haywire.
...and you are still a political fool. Maybe you should open one of those books in the library. Saying the economy is at an "all time low" is pig ignorant on the level of mental retardation, or extreme ideology, both of which ar basically the same thing.
You forgot "aeroplane"! When was the last time you observed a plane flying trough the aero instead of the air?
Have they finally come to their senses?
You fool! You've given cheese to a lactose intolerant volcano god! Do you know what that means?
Does it really matter which motive is "bigger"? As long as a foundation is helping people, why does it matter that they may be promoting MS products? I'd say having a free MS-based internet access PC in a library is better than none. Nobody's being forced to use it. As mama used to say,"Beggars can't be choosers."
... but anyway.
I can only talk for South Africa because that's where I live.
For the last 10 years, the ANC has promised the people of South Africa housing (Apart from many other things), so apart from their "legit purpose" they also have to provide the housing they have promised. At the end of the day there just isn't any money to equip public libraries with computers.
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Most of the sicussion seems to be around what a library is supposed to be. Many say "Repository of books" or "Encourage reading". While I tend to lean that way myself the real bottom line is that libraries have different purposes for different people and I suspect its centred around providing information ( thats useful data BTW :-). That can come in many forms such as video, audio, written, internet. The main thing is that it has to be useful, if its not then its just data, not information.
To justify their existance libraries have to have users and that is why there is a shift away from the traditional book repository model. Some people ( me for instance) still like going to the library and looking at the books and magazines. Other people use it to surf the web and access electronic media. All are valid uses and the library is moving to meet the needs of its users.
My reasons for becoming reaquainted with my local library are related to this topic, but in a slightly different manner. I was probably considered an avid reader as a child, but became interested in way too many things as I got older and didn't enjoy any of them thoroughly.
/. a few years ago, I decided to see what the LOTR excitement was about. The experience of reading again was refreshing and once again allowed me to use my imagination after years of brain atrophy from television and my job, interrupted only while I finished my degree.
When I started reading from
In the past year and a half or so, I have read about seventy fantasy and science fiction books. My local library is extremely nice for our rural community, but lacks many of the titles that are widely recommended online by other enthusiasts. Enter the Internet...my library is completely online and is linked to many other libraries in the state. I can go to the library homepage from work and check their holdings and status. If the book is there then I can reserve it. They'll have it ready for me at the desk on my way home. If they don't have it then I just click on the state search button and request it from another library. I have done this numerous times and have only waited a couple of weeks at the most until my library calls and says to stop by and pick it up.
I know - they probably have had this for years and it is probably common in most libraries, but I have been out of the city for fifteen years and out of the reading loop (except for textbooks) for even longer. It IS new to ME and I wanted to let a few more lost souls know about it who may already not.
While this is may be somewhat bad for writers and publishers, it is not bad for yours truly. I was probably spending about ten to fifteen bucks a week for paperbacks and avoiding new releases because of the cost. Sorry, I like to support the economy as much as anyone else, but as I get older I find that I need to squirrel away a lot more money for retirement.
I have easily found every single book that I have decided to read. I have enjoyed fantasy works the most. I particularly like Martin, Kerr, Hobbs, and Feist. I'm thinking of checking out Pullman next.
Go to the library and quit watching Fear Factor!
Oh, come now. I'm as much an opponent of the Beast of Redmond as any other guy, but this goes a little far. There is a time honored tradition in this country of leaving a man be when he is giving back the money that he stole from the public fair and square. Hell, Carnegie practically built the same American public library system with his contributions, and that was just so folks would forget that he used to like using the pinkertons to club everything that moved in his company slums. I say as long as billy boy is writing checks, big checks, we give him all the huzzahs and attaboys he deserves and stop questioning his motives.
THE YEAR WAS 2081, and everybody was finally equal...
happened to me in 99. In 98 I was working two jobs, payong off a house, had two vehicles, bank accounts, great credit, etc, then my arm got paralysed somehow, it just stopped working. By spring of 99 I finally had gone through my savings, borked my credit, got too far behind in my house note, had to give it up. Sold off and gave away most of my stuff, put the rest in a cheap storage unit, moved out into my small camper van. When you are driving away from your home and security with no exact destination, no money coming in..man, it gets scary and lonely REAL dang quick, tell ya what. Took me a long time to get back to working part time, what I still do because it's all I CAN do. Arm got back well enough to do what I can, but that's it. Fricking hard to move stuff with ONE arm, tell ya what. Even harder to work, when you do blue collar stuff.
Don't be so smug in other words, because it can happen to you, too. It's happening all over the US to varying degrees, I mean, WHAT do you do when you lose your job, righteously looking for more work but it is not happening fast enough, lose your home, etc? Bankruptcies now in the US are at complete record highs, home foreclosures record highs,unemployment is very high and they had to adjust how they count it to keep it publically inside single digit level when it's really in double digits now, wages are dropping when you adjust it to cost of living, etc. We discuss it here all the time, and it remains theoretical until it happens to YOU, then you "get it",you'll understand it then, that what the talking heads say on TV is feel-good drivel. A JOBLESS RECOVERY??? What mastermind thunked that one up anyway? There's a *reason* to be concerned, and there'shardly a middle class job out there that is secure now. I know a LOT of people who's income has dropped to absurdly low levels and are forced ever downwards between the twin nasty whammies of jobs offshoring and the millions of illegals inshoring. And it's not getting better, either, despite the rosy economy drivel they spew on the TV.
And the next bubbles to burst will be bonds and real estate. And anyone who hasn't bingoed to the problems with so called private and government pensions is simply not paying attention to reality, they are BORKED now severely.
We are going to have a LOT of homeless people within 5 years, then it will get BAD as in social unrest bad. This economy is being propped up by toothpicks and soap bubbles.
Who the heck modded this as insightful??
A few months ago it was announced that R700 million was being put aside (As part of the education budget) just to provide ablution facilities at many schools. The South African minister of education said that he doubted that R700 million would be enough. So we now weight the importance of being able to give our children toilets against equipping libraries with computers?
It is a wonderful thing that the net is having the influence that it is having, it's just a pity that more people can't share in that influence.
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What I like about my local libraries are the excellent online catalogs. I can browse Amazon, and if I see a book I like, I can see if it is available at my library.
I have to wonder how much more effective the local LUG may be towards closing the Digital Divide by providing Free and Open Source Software for Windows, Mac, Linux, and other OSes for the community through the library. And tutorials on how to use it for free to the community!
Additionally, I wonder how much more effective local LUG support would be for helping the Library convert and maintain newer and older PCs as Linux boxes, either as thin clients for those machines that are too slow, or as full-blown workstations on those that aren't.
I think the we local LUGs could be much more effective than Bill and Melinda!
--
Given enough personal experience, all stereotypes are shallow.
Working as a tech in a university library, I can tell you that we developed a budget to provide a large number of computers with internet access. An over the shoulder glance of those using it (as well as a proxy log) showed an abundance of porn and webmail usage - somewhere in the region of 75% - and very little usage for actual research purposes. This decreased significantly after we required a logon for access to certain sites (mainly webmail).
Our goal is to provide access to research materials that are either freely available or that we've paid for. It is not meant for email, and the problem at one time was so bad that there were lines of people, some of which who wanted to do actual research, waiting to use computers.
It's no longer a problematic issue, but it's still an issue.
No logs are actively kept at this time, but there are certain requirements built in (that I'm sure someone with enough time could circumvent) for accessing anything resembling webmail. Also, most ports (including 25) are blocked at the gateway for the publicly accessable machines.
Oh, and we've had the occasional call from the university police about someone sending nastygrams via a web submission form to certain locations. Not sure how it was resolved but I know the UP were not happy about our inability to identify someone who had used the computer at a given time.
I talk about stuff.
A small library near me has about 8 Windows PCs. Every time I'm in there I only see people use them to connect to an AS/400 via TN5250 so people can search the library catalog. That is one expensive dumb terminal.
Once upon a time it was very easy for me to find answers to my questions online. Most web content now is sadly much more interested with separating you from your cash than sharing information. Librarians are slowly embracing technology and mastering the (art?) of digital storage. Once they do, I'm hopeful they will be able to help restore some of the Internet's content.
Never ascribe to malice what can be adequately attributed to ignorance. -Napoleon
Libraries without enough books could always have a link to Project Gutenberg on their start up page.
A link to the Baen Free Library could be good too.
Trouble is the PCs may end up even more hogged that way.
Would be helpful if libraries could print books themselves from free/public domain material.
Libraries mission is to provide information to the masses. Internet access is, in its purest form, an extension of this, and therefore in keeping with its core mission. Abuses will surely exist, as they always have (I'm sure everyone knows of someone that went to their local library to check out risque' books & magazines), but the value of the services provided to those who can not afford them on their own far outweighs the impact of the abuse (most of which can be mitigated with simple controls).
As an aside, keep in mind that libraries do not necessarily just provide a few terminals, many also provide low-cost dial up access for there members. For example, the Baltimore County libraries have provided Internet access since 1995 at a nominal fee. Granted the cost today is comparable to a commercial provider, but historically has been substantially cheaper than AOL, Earthlink, etc.
Children in the backseats don't cause accidents. Accidents in the back seats cause children.
People come in for the internet, but stay for the books. ;)
Once they get used to coming in, they can borrow movies, books, software, even artwork at some libraries.
Couldn't an underused library just spend its waking hours checking books in and out by themselves, making it look like they have high traffic?
It's a shame that Libraries aren't simply funded well no matter what, though I'm certain a system like that would be abused.
What happens when all this information becomes digitized? Libraries closing or becoming Internet only? Seems like that'd be the equivalent to the Library of Alexandria burning to me. Quick lookup and ability for unlimited viewers at any time is nice, but I'd give a nut for hardcopies of some of the stuff on my hard drive.
I live in a rather prosperous small city in NW Ohio USA. Since childhood I've made great use of the city library's resources, and I'm quite pleased with the librarians' attitudes towards things like censorship (they have 'banned books' display once a year) and the use of the Internet. The library has a room with perhaps a dozen PCs, reservation and sign-up are required, but I know nothing of their usage policies (I never use the machines there, I have one at home). I do know that the computer room is always filled with users, and yes, they do fit the profiles named by the article. Teenagers, seniors, and low-income folks are constantly using the computers, which I consider a Good Thing.
The library has also seen an enormous rise in checkouts, primarily due to their stock of DVDs and videocassettes. Some of my friends who work there have implied that book checkouts are not so numerous, but they admit they don't know any actual revealing statistics. The New Books section is always receiving new items, the library is quickly respnsive to interlibrary loan requests, and I can request any book/video title for permanent addition (no guarantee they'll get it though).
So I'm pretty bullish about my local library. It's been valuable to me for many years, and I don't mind contributing a little money towards their efforts. Their existence is essential for many people who simply cannot afford the cost of technology and/or the printed word. I should also point out that my hometown doesn't have a bookstore worth squat, and the library is often the only place I can find certain titles.
Kudos to librarians ! They may yet stand as a last bastion of free access to information before Ashcroft & Co. (aka The Pious Bastards) are done dismantling the Constitution here...
I think it's great that libraries are seeing a rebirth, and I'm pleased that Melinda is spending some of Bill's enormous wealth helping some of the worst off.
The NYT and/or the University should also pay a visit to the Remdond branch of the King County Library, here in Micro$oft's backyard. I estimate they have about 50 internet surfboards running Windows XP Embedded. They've removed quite a few stacks of dead-tree books over the years to make room for more kiosks.
On a recent weekend trip to help my daughter with a school report, about an hour after opening, more than half of the workstations were unusable - clearly booted, but hung. While my daughter was writing notes, I rebooted several nearby workstations using CTRL-ALT-DEL. A woman with her child was power-cycling the ones in her area to help frustrated patrons. The librarians were busy restarting the ones near their desk, and obviously trying hard to spend time actually helping patrons find information instead of supporting the systems....
Today the BBC also broadcast a report about library usage. Seems that the more affluent the population gets, the less they are to rely on community services like libraries. (They already have their own 300 PCs and Internet connections at home so don't need to come in for that, they can have the convenience of buying books (new and used) off the Internet at knock down prices) and they don't have to worry about opening hours.)
are they aware that everything you read on the internet isn't true?
Not everything printed in books is true either. The issue is that there is even less quality control on the Internet.
It's out of fear of situations like you went through that I lead a property-less existence. Besides my computer (which I frankly can't live without), I rent my own home and car. Some people call it stupid since I'm essentially giving away my money and getting nothing in return but, when the shit hits the fan, I'm able to give it all away and live off whatever I have saved until I get a new job. No need to pay off mortgages (hint: just because you lost your job, doesn't mean you don't have to pay off your mortgage anymore) which is quite reassuring.
Hope things have worked out much better for you.
Got interupted when I started drafting my message.. By the time I got back to posting, you'd already posted this story.
... I said smug is because I got the impression from your post thathomeless people were all losers, were just lazy panhandlers, would have no reason for a resume, etc.
Myself, I always lived modestly too, the home I was trying to pay off was extremely cheap,entry level price, even then I was working two blue collar jobs to help pay it off. I still have one of my vehicle, it's a 75 van, super high mileage I mangeto keep on the road, the other I gave away to someone who would finish restoring it, it ran, but needed work, I was saving it for a backup in case my van developed a major problem.
It can happen to people, illness, lost jobs, etc, and it doesn't matter a whole lot what economic level you are at if all of a sudden you have zero income. That's the real main point, our society, anyone middle class or lower is just not that far away from being homeless, white collar or blue collar. It can go from just a few weeks reserves to maybe a year at best with no income for most people I have met. I'd say the median is around a half a dozen checks lost away from homeless for most people. That really is just a wild ass guess though to be fair. And the main reason is we don't luive in extended family units any more, there is little in the way of the traditional, been paid off forever family homestead which was always a refuge in the past, now hardly anyone lives anyplace that they truly own outright. And even then there's property taxes and utilities to deal with, MANY people lost their homes and became homeless in the first great depression from just taxes, and the government did not care a bit about that, just let it happen. They loved it, let the banksters and wall street conmen make everyone go broke, stole their wealth then,which was the plan all along, then brainwashed an entire generation into accepting the nanny state, with government as the nanny. Disgusting, and you can smell it coming again. If you talk to *real* old people, they'll tell you it's like it was before the big crash.
My concern is will the majority of taxpayers support maintaining the computer terminals in their local libraries if the Gates Foundation decides it has other priorities?
Keep in mind that the most influential people in local government probably can afford their own personal computers. Add to that the fact that nearly half of our government has the philosophy that having fewer social services is a good thing. They would probably see little-to-no benefit to provide funding for free interent terminals if the Gates Foundation stopped their contributions.
Personally, I haven't seen a lot of growth from libraries in my area. As a matter of fact, the few libraries I have seen are in strip malls, and are often quite smaller than the local commercial booksellers.
Additionally, while it's probable that internet access terminals have increased traffic to libraries, I think there's also an effect of keeping another large group of people at home and on their own personal computers who would otherwise be out looking for activities to do (such as visiting a library).
Finally, if you're not already aware, you should know that your librarian hates you.
Please consider making an automatic monthly recurring donation to the EFF
I'd say there's a definite revival on the west coast. In San Francisco the new main library was a huge success and up in Seattle the new main library is being opened in less than a month. It's a really interesting architectural design as well.
Can't wait to hang out in the new library!
I am guessing that the vast majority of people who use library PCs for internet access could reasonably get it (or, more accurately, already have it) in some other fashion at home, but prefer the coffeehouse / social aspect of being out of the house while doing their web surfing.
As someone who helped maintain the computers and network at a small public library, I can tell you that this is definitely not the case. There are certainly people who go to the library to be social, or just because of immediate convenience, but the majority are usually people who either can't afford a computer, or simply don't need Internet access often enough to justify the expense. But from time to time they do need to get online, to get information for which local sources can't provide enough depth, or is updated too often to keep up with books.
Attendance isn't the point, it's community access to information in any form. That's not just the books: it's the Internet, periodicals, and a place to coordinate with other people who have information you need. Example: our library had an "Ask A Lawyer" program and provided free access to a conference room for community groups to meet in. If the best way to get people information they need is the Internet, then a library needs that as much as they need books.
"Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself." -Richard Feynman
BINGO! And while I'm not homeless (yet, but I'm damn, close stupid economy). I've found the library and webmail (which is why I don't understand DikSeaCup's stance) to be a great asset when I didn't have a phone for a month. I don't think that people realize how hard it is to get even a minimumn wage job without a phone or address. Plus there's the overal socially connected aspect. From E-Mail to Web forums, to regular web sites, an individual can be connected in more than just the electronic sense. And of course there's the traditional services for one bettering themselves.
The one I visit has 20, and they are always full no matter what time of day I visit.
Yeah, its wonderful, I go to the library and I can't search for 80% of the books I need, because I can't type in ñ or é or whatever non-ASCII letters are in the authors' names and titles.
Of course they have the stupid American English keyboard driver on MS-Windows, so I can't type them, and of course they disabled access to Programs/Accessories so I can't invoke the Character Map to at least painfully copy & paste them.
I hate MS-Windows for this reason.
If every library would buy more computers, and put the librarians to work scanning everything, we can have an unprecendented amount of info available on the internet. How do you afford the computers? Simple, stop buying as many new books. Also, put some Adsense type ads on the login page, and use that revenue to buy more terminals.
They cut the hours of operation back. Not a good equation in my book...
I agree. Now watch someone come up with a smarmy reply, about how she shouldn't have had kids. Quite frankly most have either never lived in poverty, or have forgotten what it means. Computers and Internet are something the "Rich" have. They're not as important as all the necesities, including health care (which BTW the majority either don't have, or it's substandard (Medicare)). Also being poor means that it doesn't take much to go even deeper than one already is. Hence the importance of Computers at schools and libraries. A social program as it were.
[Grandparent to your post]
"Before I start, I have to say, that yes I know there are people who can't afford computers, or the internet, but I believe these people are of the extreme minority, at least in developed countries."
No they are not. This may be the good old US of A, but I can guarentee you that we have a poverty problem. Maybe not to the degree some third-world country has(1), but it isn't that much better, and it isn't a "minority" (extreme or otherwise). Pray that you never find out the true depths of the problem.
(1) I should point out that living in a third world and not having the trappings of a first world society doesn't mean that people are unhappy, or miserable. As long as the basics are taken care of, the fact that someone doesn't have a car, or tv, or gameboy doesn't mean they are unhappy.
I use my local public library more because of Internet access, but not in the way the article suggested. I use the Internet from home to search my library's holdings and request that books be delivered to my local branch. Requesting a book online is as quick as ordering from Amazon but doesn't cost anything, and the book is often available in less time than it would take to ship. I still buy some books that I want to keep, but I'm paying for fewer duds or read-once books. I am reading more and paying less. Win win.
I'll just have to be satisfied that I was ahead of the curve.
I made a pitch to the State of Minnesota in 1994 called MNternet (pronounced Minnternet) regarding the idea I had for the state to provide access to the internet to the general public for free, using the local public libraries.
I just re-read the presentation document, it pretty much forecasts precisely this effect.
They listened politely, and thanked me for my interest, probably shitcanning the idea the minute I walked out the door.
Of course, being a puny 20-something, what did I know? >:(
-Styopa
You is grammar good. I give up and sense making. Microsoft are, just as my screen are showing your words. I will learn sloppy grammer bad.
"Ya know, if something can bring technology to the public, and not increase my taxes, I am all for it."
Well, if you've ever purchased any Microsoft product? Then you've paid for Bill's Philantrophy. Remember money comes from the people, and flows to the people, like water seeking it's lowest level.
So the fact that it's not coming from taxes, only means that it's immedietly voluntary from your POV. However you may pay the "MS Tax", by having it passed down to you in the cost of the goods, and services you do use.
So yes, let's live under our illusions "Out of sight, out of mind". Which BTW is why businesses and governments are "stealth taxing" people. Doesn't appear to hurt so much when it's a dime here, and a nickel there, but it does when it's all spelled out on a 1040.
Think of how to administer computer use to mentally ill homeless people, drunks, drug addicts, and kids that are dumped on the library by their gang affiliated and addicted mothers. Thats the reality of computers in libraries. Sheriffs Deputies are required to sometimes stand over the computers to control what can be a tense situation and there are always "patrons" who are thrown out of the library for their unacceptable behavior. Internet computers disrupt the purpose of libraries and have no purpose in them.
the most popular uses include ... looking up the lyrics of songs by rap stars like Jay-Z, Nas and DMX.
Tonight on Fox: Learn how Bill Gates supports teenagers accessing smut on the Internet!
Michael
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality;..."
Putting computers in a public library brings people to use the computers, not to use the library. Don't confuse the two.
...to my satisfaction anyway. And thanks for the kind words. I now get paid to live in a house, I don't pay to live in a house. Of course, I don't own it,and what pay I get in actual check form is pretty small, but... but I know that the house itself it is paid off by the owner,taxes are pretty low on it because it'sold and raggedy, and no matter what he will need a worker like me here to do what I do. I'm a neogeezer, he's a full fledged geezer. I have stored food and gear, keep my camper always working just in case, like you are in a way. Manged to sock away just a smidgen of some various metals for a rainy day in the future, when I think the real estate bubble will collapse and those with *real* money will be able to maybe get something. You look at interest rates now, even with the marginal increase, and that isn't indicative of a good economy, it's the opposite. We also are working a garden three times bigger than last year, already getting a good part of our chow out of it and it's still just spring.
Basically, the only thing I own can be carried, nothing is tied down either, and it's all practical (mostly) very little frivolous stuff. got tools of all sorts, gardening, mechanic, carpentry, electrical, etc, and a lot of small engine devices to keep working with. Got enough clothes to last years and years. Got more than enough stored food to carry gfriend and I at least a year, most likely longer, even if we had nothing else. Have a whopper library accumulated, stored knowledge. I'm a year ahead on my firewood now. Got some solar now so we'll always have at least a minimal but practical amount of electric. Bought some extra fuel back when it was cheaper and got that stored and am rotating it now, taking some, adding some fresh back, etc. About all you can do. I simply HAD to have the internet though, I held out since last year and finally last month (well, two months now) got back online, expensive to me, a big hit from my pay, but it's my only real luxury, and it's almost a necessity because to me, information is a vital human necessity. I talk to people around here at roughly the same income level but not on the net, they do NOT have any idea what's going on in the world, nada. If all you get is TV news you are woefully uninformed it appears.
Anyway, check out and look around for a caretaking position that includes housing you can do part time,while keeping your other job, save the rent money you would normally spend in silver coins or something, best advice I got to anyone now in a similar position. For a young person or a couple it's a dandy way to live cheaper and accumulate some good life karma brownie points helping out older folks, who really appreciate it. The population is aging, so there's gonna be more of these types of jobs opening up, and those people don't want to lose their homes either, but might be in a better position to hang on to them then someone with a huge mortgage still outstanding.
My local libraries (I live close to 2 districts) have turned into my personal (and free) P2P & Netflix service.
Go on-line to library's website. Place as many CDs/DVDs as they let you on hold. Wait. Get an email telling you when the holds are in. Check them out and enjoy.
One district's library service even allows me to put holds in an "inactive" state, where I move up in the queue but don't get sent the item. This allows me to manage when I get the DVDs (i.e. season 2 doesn't arrive before season 1).
I have built a wonderful MP3 collection without much risk of the RIAA hunting me down (until I opened my mouth just now). Also, I have cancelled cable TV as I have hours upon hours of free DVDs to watch. Unlike the 5 days video rental places, the library gives me 3 weeks to watch the DVDs. I don't even browse the physical shelves anymore. I just search the library website, like I would Amazon.
The downside is that this has become so popular that 1 district (Portland, OR, USA) has started to limit the number of holds per patron to 15 at a time. Also, if your library's selection sucks (e.g. Chapill Hill, NC where my brother lives), you are SOL.
but you can request books from within the county's system or even the city's county
This, to me, is one of the nice things about our local library. You can log into the system with your card number, and then request books from throughout the county. The system is online, so I can browse the catalog for the books I want, put a hold on them, and then request the branch that I want to pick them up at. When they have been delivered to my branch, I get a nice e-mail to let me know. That is how the internet has saved the library for me. I can do most of the time consuming stuff without leaving the house.
I know many of you dislike Microsoft... But as soon as they do something good like this, is it always necessary to attack them claiming that they are doing it just for the sake of their image? Why can't Bill Gates do something good without being criticized?
In some libraries (and bookstore chains) I have wade through shelves of CDs, videos, computers, and art displays before I even see some books.
And how do I know about how many libraries look like? In other cities I frequently go to the public library to catch up on my email and other net surfing. They are easy to find than cafes and kinkos (in USA).
Half-literate bibliophobes no longer shun the library. How wonderful.
quiquid id est, timeo puellas et oscula dantes.
"The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - which funds PC-based Internet library projects - features prominently in the article, including the criticism that it is 'a Microsoft marketing exercise masquerading as philanthropy.'"
If you've got a few million to donate, you can have the machines you donate run Linux. So, anti up or shut up.
At my local library there a quite a few computers, a total of seven for patrons to use. Two of them are connected to the internet using kiosk software with a GUI and you have to stand up to use them. The problem is the library does not have a card catalog any more and people use these computers to access the internet if they do not have the internet at home. This means that it is sometimes difficult to use these computers to check for books. Another three computers are not connected to the internet at all are meant to be used to type reports and such. The last two computers are downstairs near the childrens room and they are connected to the internet. Problem is they are very old, they do not have a gui installed but they are connected to the net and you can query the library database to check if books are available, if only they were not turned off most of the time. Most people though due to gui phobia do not even use this computers to query the database and would rather wait for the computers you have to stand up to use. Lately the library has gotten quite a few computer desks, I am not sure the exact number but if I remember there are more than six. These you are meant to sit down and use and hopefully these desks when they get computers installed, will alleviate the problem of people going to the library to use the internet making it difficult to query the database catalog.
So I cannot say I am too happy that people are going to the library in my town to use the internet and a computer, since this makes it difficult for people trying to look up books in the database.
Also, there are other facilities on campus that are used for writing papers or checking email. We have a secondary lab in our building just for that purpose, no less.
I talk about stuff.
I must say I start laughing louder than ever these days when the "Lisa's Future Love" episode airs and they get to the section just before the Librarian's face melts. And I keep laughing for a good 20 minutes.
It's something I've always wanted to see IRL.
I talk about stuff.