Public library hypothetical
March 6th, 2008 | 
If you had to sacrifice your life to ensure the survival of the modern public library system, would you do it?
In other words, if you choose to live, the public library system as we know it ceases to exist and will never return. If you choose to die, the public library system continues on.
Leave a comment with your answer!
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As much as I like to read I wouldn’t sacrifice my life for the library (and my wife works for a public library).
hmmm, I am very spoiled, being an academic librarian. I can borrow books from my college library. I do use the public libraries in the area though (and I owe one of them a nice little fine at the moment! LOL)…so I would be very disappointed to lose public libraries.
I think the bigger question is where are kids gonna get their information, if there is no public library? Just the web? (!!) Many schools do not have libraries anymore, or they are not decent enough to actually benefit the students, so they NEED public libraries to find information for papers and projects….and to just better themselves and keep out of trouble. :D
And don’t forget those hot summer days when there isn’t anything good to do but read a library book in front of a fan. :D
Would I give my life? No, I’m afraid not. I’ll only give my life for God. But, I’ll keep a library going in my basement. Black market library books. hehehe. I’ll be on the FBI’s 10 most wanted. “Madame Librarian”. ;)
no.
No – the present structure of the world library system will be dead before I am. Once they figure out the coding, all books will be available for “check-out” on the web…and probably not under the auspices of a public library; instead, a progressive private entity that can make the new process work better than a government-funded system.
How’s that for a prediction of doom-and-gloom? Maybe I need to stop watching futuristic films, a la “The Matrix”.
When it’s all said and done, libraries cannot feed hungry people…but I can. :)
Wow… that’s 0 for 4 on this one. Thanks for your comments so far. I’m interested if there is anybody out there who says “yes”.
Sorry, Jake. I’m a “no” as well. Though, I was intrigued by the question. I don’t think I’ve ever been asked if I would die for something other than a human being. Of course, one could argue that other human beings live on through their works of literature. The absense of public library however does not mean that people, even in poverty will never have access to books.
Travis: No apology necessary, man. And I agree with you that people will always have access to books, even sans public library.
I would be a no as well, but how about this…
Instead of death, what if you lost the ability to read completely and were never able to recover it? Would people be willing to give THAT up to save the public library for others to enjoy?
I still wouldn’t. I don’t enjoy the library. I prefer a newspaper or magazine at Starbucks.