Cory Doctorow at 10:44 PM Wed
When I give talks to library groups, I always finish by reminding librarians that they're powerful advocates for fair use and privacy, because "you look like a total jerk when you criticize librarians."
Case in point: this Fox Chicago piece proposing that Illinois shut down its library system:
But keeping libraries running costs big money. In Chicago, the city pumps $120 million a year into them. In fact, a full 2.5 percent of our yearly property taxes go to fund them.
That's money that could go elsewhere - like for schools, the CTA, police or pensions
One of the nation's biggest and busiest libraries is the $144-million Harold Washington Library in the Loop. It boasts a staggering 5,000
2 comments:
Our Cincinnati libraries are severely underfunded, especially in rural areas. Our Governor (a democrat) just cut a bunch of funding for them to balance the budget. Well funded, cutting edge libraries (and lush public parks), are important aspects of the welfare state that often get neglected.
I think they're worth the investment.
More butter, less guns...
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