(no subject)
Mar. 25th, 2010 03:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
darchildreApparently, this is my week for reading comments on things that I should know better than to read.
My personal favorite of this batch is the comment that declares that our libraries are mismanaged and useless and that people who want books should just go out and buy them. Because that's certainly going to cost less than the proposed property tax hike. I also like the people who assume that everyone has a computer in their home, the people who say we should all just get our books at thrift shops (workable if all you want is Stephen King and romance novels, I suppose), and the person who thinks that library employees have exorbitant saleries [sic] and health benefits (I don't even have health insurance). The bitter, petty part of me would like to point out that that last commenter can't spell and that one of the others doesn't know the difference between "could of" and "could have". Perhaps they could use a trip to their library to do some actual learning.
(I'm also terribly amused by the commenter who thinks that the Bainbridge library should secede. Amused, but not at all surprised. Oh, Bainbridge.)
Guys, libraries are important. (I know that I don't have to explain that to you, lovely flist/dwircle, but it needs stating.) And if you seriously want to say that fixing the roof of a library building or installing air conditioning in a building that had to be closed for a week this past summer because of intolerable heat are needless luxuries, then I all I can say is "Wow."
I'm gonna go bang my head against a desk for a while, okay?
ETA - And, half an hour later, we have an patron complaining bitterly that our computers are too slow. Sir, the computers are too slow because many people in this county feel that the library having computers at all - indeed, the library having a functioning building, let alone computers - is a needless luxury and thus we have no money to pay for better ones. Maybe you could talk to your friends about this problem, rather than crabbing at me about something that I have no power to fix.
My personal favorite of this batch is the comment that declares that our libraries are mismanaged and useless and that people who want books should just go out and buy them. Because that's certainly going to cost less than the proposed property tax hike. I also like the people who assume that everyone has a computer in their home, the people who say we should all just get our books at thrift shops (workable if all you want is Stephen King and romance novels, I suppose), and the person who thinks that library employees have exorbitant saleries [sic] and health benefits (I don't even have health insurance). The bitter, petty part of me would like to point out that that last commenter can't spell and that one of the others doesn't know the difference between "could of" and "could have". Perhaps they could use a trip to their library to do some actual learning.
(I'm also terribly amused by the commenter who thinks that the Bainbridge library should secede. Amused, but not at all surprised. Oh, Bainbridge.)
Guys, libraries are important. (I know that I don't have to explain that to you, lovely flist/dwircle, but it needs stating.) And if you seriously want to say that fixing the roof of a library building or installing air conditioning in a building that had to be closed for a week this past summer because of intolerable heat are needless luxuries, then I all I can say is "Wow."
I'm gonna go bang my head against a desk for a while, okay?
ETA - And, half an hour later, we have an patron complaining bitterly that our computers are too slow. Sir, the computers are too slow because many people in this county feel that the library having computers at all - indeed, the library having a functioning building, let alone computers - is a needless luxury and thus we have no money to pay for better ones. Maybe you could talk to your friends about this problem, rather than crabbing at me about something that I have no power to fix.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 12:44 am (UTC)There have been some library value calculators floating about the Intarwebs. I think they would be great to do, not just on the website, but in person - maybe something on the receipt saying "You've just gotten $X of value for your $Y of tax levy."
Some YTDs for some of our customers would be freakin' impressive, I suspect. Even the boobs who think librarians get paid too much.
I might be watching this with interest, because I know my library system would like to go out for a lid lift sometime in this decade.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 12:49 am (UTC)I know that it's used quite a lot by tons of people. Because not everyone is privileged enough to have their own computer. Not only that, but the libraries here can help you with things like making resumes and looking for jobs.
Honestly, when people argue against levies for schools and libraries and other community improvements, I just want to headdesk, because it screams of rich people saying "screw you" to those who are unfortunate enough to live like normal people.
I mean, come on. $30 a year for a $100k house? That's peanuts.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 10:31 am (UTC)-- Samuel Johnson, quoted in Boswell's Life of Johnson
Sad, but true :(
no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 10:48 am (UTC)I firmly believe that the reason most American public schools are in such horrible shape, even though the research on how to improve them is out there and solid, is all about this tight-fistedness. They starve the system, insist that it use outdated methods by means of political control and a back-to-basics mantra, villify and chronically underpay teachers until they can be sure no teacher worth their salt is going to stay more than a couple of years and will never build up any expertise, and then complain that the system is broken and needs to be dismantled. Well, duh.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-27 10:36 pm (UTC)