Overrated: Libraries
Things That Are Overrated: Installment #3
Pretty but irrelevant
Libraries
This rant can be a little controversial. I think we should get rid of all libraries. Yep, just get rid of them! I know there are great memories for some of you and even recent memories for some of the moms out there who took their kids to story time at the local library, but in today’s day and age libraries have become irrelevant and unneeded. Ask yourself: If they didn’t exist already, would we create them? Of course not!
The census would show us that there are 38,000 libraries in the US (this doesn’t include school libraries). If each of those libraries had a property value of $100,000 (a conservative estimate), we would raise $4 billion dollars. Just think how many flybys of NYC and photo ops could be done with the Statue of Liberty and Air Force One! If you also took the annualized salaries of all librarians and office workers, plus associated costs it would save more money. And it always seems like libraries are about 10 degrees cooler than need to be which brings up the point of the electric and overall HVAC costs. In today’s economy can we afford this “luxury”?
So why do we have libraries? Certainly, there is a strong argument that libraries are a dated concept that had merit from eight generations ago, but just like we don’t fund Blockbuster or other rental agencies, we should no longer fund libraries. If they can be successful, they should stand on their own. What would we lose?
- Anonymous internet usage that is untraceable? Gee… there is something that terrorists and child predators would really miss.
- The Dewey Decimal System – gosh how will we fill those hours of missed third-grade classroom learning
- Library cards and fines
- Evil glares, stares and guilt from librarians who won’t be able to shush people
While people may dispute these items, there is no doubt that libraries are seriously contributing to global warming. When you take into account the carbon footprint of the heating and air conditioning burden these cause to our world and add in all the trees that cut down in the name of books, we are wasting our rain forests for books that are never even found by our beloved Dewey Decimal system. Now, think about this: the billion pounds of books have to be pulling us closer to the center of the Earth… really! That strain on the Earth’s crust brings us closer to the magma at the center of the Earth and that creates a small increase in the heat of the surface.
As an example of how self-important libraries consider themselves despite their obvious irrelevancy, here is a town in NJ that is seeking federal stimulus package money to fund their frivolous endeavor. I feel for you, taxpayer of West Milford… Maybe the government should just give out a free Kindle to everyone and call it a day? http://www.suburbantrends.com/NC/0/2700.html
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Your stance on Cal Ripken is completely absurd and I thought this one about libraries would be equally assinine but you make some good points… good luck with this one!
Interesting perspective on reasons to abolish all libraries! With the availability of online libraries and plethora of ways to access information electronically, I have to agree: libraries are overrated. If someone wants tangible reading material, they can go to a book store, right?
So, what’s your stance on book stores?
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read. If you are serious, you shoudl seek professional help
Libraries would be ghost towns if it wasnt for the “free” internet access and “free” DVD rentals. Panera and Redbox can accomplish the same thing.
My father got $40 from the federal government to upgrade his TV to digital. Is that really a better use of federal money? And don’t tell me those 53 inch TVs don’t strain the Earth’s crust.
I think if nothing else, Libraries are an interesting economic phenomenon. They give out books for anyone to read for free, and then store them for you when you’re done. Yet people still buy books by the hundreds – not only spending money, but cluttering up their homes.
I thought this was just idiotic, then I got to the unthought of strain on the earth’s crust. Then is all made sense. I don’t want to be slowly dipped into magma just for some free books.
Your article ignores the fact that there are some 30%+ students and kids who without libraries would have no access to information and the internet. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have high speed internet in their homes.
Libraries are essential to an educated society and more than anything else they promise anyone, anywhere no matter how much money they have or don’t have equal access to information and resources.
This one just makes zero sense whatsoever. How about you give up your gas-guzzling SUV first?
Glen, I knew you would go through with this ignorant rant. I can forgive scones, but this is just ridiculous. Why don’t we get rid of every historical building while we are at it? They are not cost efficient! First of all, would you please even visit your local library before you babble on about them. You might see the elderly checking out large print books (which by the way cost over $30 a book) I don’t think they can afford to buy on their social security. Children and teens who really do enjoy reading , and their parents are not going to run to Barnes & Noble every week to buy them new books. I don’t want to be reading the same stories over and over to my young kids, and how else are we going to develop a love of reading to them? People come in to use the internet that don’t even own a computer, ( Yes there are many people out there that don’t own a computer, but that doesn’t affect you) but they can’t get their airplane ticket any other way. The soar of users that can only apply online for a job that never even turned on a computer before and get much needed assistance. The social aspect that you are ignoring too. Lets all stay in our safe little bubble and not connect with the community around us. It’s not just children that enjoy story time, mothers enjoy getting out and being with other mothers. Elderly ones enjoy talking with a wide variety of ages. We deliver books to house bound people. We help ones with genealogy research. The list goes on and on. We have volunteers of all ages (10-65) that love coming in and helping out. We have had a 30% increase of patrons since these difficult economic times and that is happening all around the country. Tell me of a government that does not have free access to information? Would you like to live there? So maybe you should volunteer at your local library and then let me know what could give back to the community as well as your local library. I have more satisfaction being a librarian than working at Panera or Barnes & Noble. But I like people.
I really liked this post. Can I copy it to my site? Thank you in advance.
No one under 30 I’ve ever talked to has ever gone into a library unless they were forced to by their teachers. Kids see them as irrelevant. Today libraries are deserted places except at the computer centers. The ALA is pushing various pathetic attempts to increase usage of libraries such as computer games, but what does that have to do with libraries’ traditional core objectives? Get rid of the books then and call them “computer centers” if that’s what they really are now.