Privatizing Municipal Libraries

[August1991]

... and books, and e-books, and databases available non online, but at... guess where, public library.

And the Internet is available at Starbucks too.

Canadien, it's a brave new world.

[CANADIEN]

And the Internet is available at Starbucks too.

And I can take a BOOK, even an e-book, even a book borrowed from, shall we say it, a PUBLIC LIBRARY, to Starbuck.

Canadien, it's a brave new world.

Good, time for you to stop limiting yourself on how you enjoy it. I know I won't.

[CANADIEN]

The Internet is a jungle?

The Internet is a jungle. Which is neither a good, or a bad thing. Just a reality

The information is not reliable?

Considering that this is not what I wrote, I'll let you answer the question.

What I wrote is that the information on the Internet is only as reliable as it source. Same with books, same with databases, same with what a friend or colleague or whoever tells me over the phone. And with your misrepresentation of what I wrote, you proved me right.

One generation passes on to the next, willy-nilly, accumulated experience. Such is evolution.

And evolution also includes an expending capacity to take advantages of all available resources. Not reducing oneself.

---

My point is that if the candle-makers are State employees, then they have security for awhile. But candles are a wasteful, environmentally unfriendly source of light.

The State offers security/protection for awhile, but when the change arrives, it is catastrophic.

The problem with your comparison is that books are not obsolete. Amazon.com, e-books, people carrying books on the subway, Harry Potter are proving you wrong.

Public libraries are not obsolete either. I haven't been at one lately, but I have heard that the ones in Toronto are actually fairly well attended. In particular the computer stations ( ). The people who make the Toronto Public Library system one of the most used in the world (both on site and on the... Internet ( ) are proving you wrong.

Edited July 23, 2011 by CANADIEN

[BubberMiley]

But the Internet is only good as a source of humour, with quotes like:

"Should we let Soviet/government/Leftist/librarians/bureaucrats/experts manage this change?"

[CANADIEN]

But the Internet is only good as a source of humour, with quotes like:

Now, don't be too harsh. How could he know the Soviet Union is gone. When the Berlin Wall fell, nobody posted the info on the Internet

But if the experts are not to be involved, who should we rely on? Those who know nothing on the topic at hand? :P

[Oleg Bach]

Who in the private sector would want to get into the book buisness at this point? There is no profit in libaries unless you wanted to gouge the public a bit for extra cash in using the service..but then they would not bother using the system.. I don't see it as being practical _ It is a tradtional and slightly old fashioned institution...better let it die a slow death naturally.

[charter.rights]

Who in the private sector would want to get into the book buisness at this point? There is no profit in libaries unless you wanted to gouge the public a bit for extra cash in using the service..but then they would not bother using the system.. I don't see it as being practical _ It is a tradtional and slightly old fashioned institution...better let it die a slow death naturally.

Think....

a d v e r t i s i n g.......

Imagine Coke machines, and ticker boards, branded books and sponsors for reading material. Plus any deal for the running of public libraries would go along with a healthy subsidy from the taxpayer, while the contractor reaps the profits from advertising and lower wages.

[Oleg Bach]

Think....

a d v e r t i s i n g.......

Imagine Coke machines, and ticker boards, branded books and sponsors for reading material. Plus any deal for the running of public libraries would go along with a healthy subsidy from the taxpayer, while the contractor reaps the profits from advertising and lower wages.

So Miss Marple the librarian will work for 7 bucks an hour and make sure that the Coke machine is well stocked? I do like the idea of branded books - and branded music - writers and composers - pop and other wise are not making any money and will fade away..because of the internet - You might be on to something - a privately run controlled invironment that makes sure as the mafia say "There is no problem as long as everyone gets paid" - I'm for that.

[Battletoads]

That said, I am not sure what the real effect of privatization would be.

Higher costs and poorer service are the only two guarantees.

[Shwa]

Higher costs and poorer service are the only two guarantees.

How so? Do you have some sort of corollary you can refer to, some sort of relevant example from another sector?

One thing to consider - what IT folks used to call the 'stretch factor' back in the day - is the threshold of higher costs and poorer service clients are willing to endure given the current costs and service levels. You'd be surprised what people will put up with when they think there are abstract benefits to be obtained. I think that the Ford Brainstrust is operating under the principles of the stretch factor actually.

So if there is a large savings to be had overall for slightly higher client costs and slightly poorer service, I think the public would go for that.

Consider the idea of 'shared services' within a government. A well known, oft implemented phenomenon that is being trotted out in the federal government now and has been tooled with in the Ontario provincial government.

Why have 35 HR departments when you can have 1? Why have 35 separate IT groups, when you can have 1? So that people have to wait an extra two weeks for their overtime cheque in shares services is a slightly poorer service. However, prior to automation, people had to wait longer anyways. So we can afford some slippage in service levels when we go to shared services, at least for this generation who remember how it was 'back then.' The other idea is that the next generation will have to get used to it. Adapt or opt out.

[Oleg Bach]

So what private person or company are we going to hand over thousands of library buildings too? Are they going to get these outlets for next to nothing? Never understood that angle about privatization - The public pays billions over the years in taxes to build and sustain and institution - The public owns every brick and book - Then out of the blue - the instition is sold off real cheap and settles into private hands...YET the public does not get a cut of the profits? How is that - you sell something that does not belong to you - too your friends? Never understood that - much like the old Dome Stadium - sold off for one tenth of what it cost to construct - thats are real good deal to some..but not to most.

[treehugger]

There has to be a way to cut out the waste in libraries. A couple of years ago there was an article in the papers stating that men working at the dump had found dozens of boxes of books that the library no longer wanted.

They buy too many books, cds and dvds for each library. Some books sit at each library for a few years and nobody takes them out. Transfer them to another library where there are different people.

You can go online and order any books that you want for you to pick up at the library near you.They need an auditor or someone to go over their records with a fine tooth comb.Many libraries are overstaffed,That I have seen, as they get youth from schools volunteering to do work.

Close the libraries that aren't drawing people and use the bookmobile for them.

Edited July 25, 2011 by treehugger

[charter.rights]

There has to be a way to cut out the waste in libraries. A couple of years ago there was an article in the papers stating that men working at the dump had found dozens of boxes of books that the library no longer wanted.

They buy too many books, cds and dvds for each library. Some books sit at each library for a few years and nobody takes them out. Transfer them to another library where there are different people.

You can go online and order any books that you want for you to pick up at the library near you.They need an auditor or someone to go over their records with a fine tooth comb.Many libraries are overstaffed,That I have seen, as they get youth from schools volunteering to do work.

Close the libraries that aren't drawing people and use the bookmobile for them.

Libraries do throw out some books but they are only earlier editions that are no longer relevant or books that are beyond repair. They do not throw out good books.