Liberty, or library?

Ophelia · Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 12:16 pm Post subject: Liberty, or library?

Liberty, or Library?

I can't find the library thread so I'm starting a new one.
I'm afraid I never go to libraries, I went when I was a student but haven't felt the need for one since, or perhaps I haven't come accross one that I like.

This is to write what I think is a nice little story from one of my students-- it certainly had us laugh in the teachers' room.
My group was doing listening comprehension using one of Obama's speeches (a deep male voice and a non-British accent are difficulties for this sort of task). When it came to quoting from the Declaration of Independence and American people's inalienable rights, one boy wrote what he heard: "among these are life, library and the pursuit of happiness."

So here is a second poll for Americans at BT: Would you be willing to give up the "liberty" bit so that you can keep the ...libraries?

After all, think of the lovely library Gentle Reader seems to have in Eugene, Oregon (the ones I know are all rather drab). Wouldn't you be willing to give up something to keep such an enchanting place?

GentleReader9 · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject:

Ophelia,

This really makes sense to me and I like the question! I do give up some "liberty" (of the superficial, material consumerist kind that Bacevich talks about in The Limits of Power, as well as a kind I think is more substantive) in order to have our library.

I live in a small, supernatural area a little outside the offical city limits of Eugene in terms of services (and maybe property tax and zoning, I guess; I'm a renter) yet my mail goes to Eugene and I have a vote for mayor and a city council representative, and the children here are in the Eugene school district, so go figure that out. Anyway, a majority of Eugene voters decided at some point that people who are not in some specifically, definitely Eugene, proper, limited zone need to pay $80 per year (that's if you pay it all at once; it's more if you pay it in pieces over time because you're poorer) in order for the household to have library cards. So I actually pay at least $80 per year to support the library. Unlike the people who voted for this situation, I do not resent subsidizing their use of the library. If that's how they feel about it, too bad for them to be so pinched and stingy-minded.

In a capitalist, supposedly democratic republic we have to be tolerant, even of the insecurity and pettiness of others, and be willing to sacrifice to some degree for what we believe to be of value for everyone. As I said before, I love our library. I take out and benefit from hundreds of books, tapes and CDs every year that I could not possibly buy for $80, not to mention the computer use and some other benefits I could get away with for free without a card. I probably wouldn't think to donate this much voluntarily if the law didn't exist, because I don't make very much money. But I can pay the out-of-city limits fee without resentment and flatter myself that I am one of many such "anonymous donors" who are willing to make up what might otherwise be a shortfall, even though the method for deciding this as a group is not the most economically progressive or fair way to raise the revenue. Who's to say it doesn't work out even or more than even? I don't care enough to do the math. I've never argued with an ex- for any money and I'm not arguing with my neighbors over it if I can help it either. In my case, I think it's worth it. If I didn't, I could forgo it and lose my library card privilege. It is a privilege, afterall. If we want to have nice, civilized institutions, we have to pay for them and we have to do so under the constraints other participants bring to the table. I am only in charge of my vote, but I can help give other future voters a chance to become more educated and refined if I am willing to pay for it. I am.

Saffron · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:43 pm Post subject:

Dissident Heart · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject:


	FORUMS	ABOUT	BOOKS	VIDEOS	ADVERTISE	LINKS	BLOGS	DONATE	CHAT	CONTACT