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Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (7 comments)
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Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad

in Community by jon

Wednesday, May 14, 2003 - 09:33 AM

As you probably know, a lot of local public libraries are having their budgets slashed due to the wonderful economic climate. Personally, I think it's going to be difficult to turn things around with a population of illiterates. But what can we do?

Apparently, you can buy books for these libraries.

Go check out the wish lists for hundreds of public libraries. Then, pick one at random, and buy them a book. I just bought DNA: The Secret of Life for the Vinita Public Library in Vinita, OK. You can do it too. If you do, let us know what you bought in the comments area below.

This isn't my idea, I should add -- I found out about it on MetaFilter. Pamela Ribon of pamie.com is mounting a campaign on her site to help out the Oakland Public Library (wish list). If your public library is in need of donated materials, go tell 'em to go start a wish list. If they already have one, tell 'em to update it. If everyone reading this strip bought one item for a public library we could make a significant dent in their budgetary woes.

raveller
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Re: Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (Score: 2, Insightful)
posted Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 02:29 PM (#5793)
I don't mean to alarm anyone, but Vinita, Oklahoma is home to a state mental institution that has suffered cutback after cutback since the Reagan years. The population may have a higher than normal percentage of what we here in Oklahoma like to call "nutcases".

I think the purchase of "DNA: The Secret of Life" for the Vinita library will only lead to an increase of mad scientists. This may have been Jon's intent though.
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mjforbes666
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Re: Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (Score: 2, Super-Genius)
posted Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 03:35 PM (#5796)
In Response to raveller (#5793):

For being an Oklahoma town full of crazies, Vinita had a surprisingly balanced list (a few pro-creation books, a few evolution books, etc).

I found a couple of bible-belt lists (i.e. Allen, OK [amazon.com]) that seemed like they were nothing but creation books or the left behind series.

I bought Vinita another book, a hardcover of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance."


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zamphir
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Re: Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (Score: 2)
posted Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 04:34 PM (#5799)
In Response to raveller (#5793):

what we here in Oklahoma like to call "nutcases".

Well, the cost of living in Vinita has got to be less than most places in California, so who can blame the Californians for moving?
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Lonely Goatherd
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Re: Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (Score: 1, Compelling)
posted Friday, May 16, 2003 - 02:46 PM (#5803)
This is a nifty idea, but in the larger scheme of things, if this works at all, what it's potentially going to do is convince the budgetary authorities (village hall, etc.) that the library doesn't need to be adequately funded by tax dollars if they can get private donations. Which will, of course, dry up and blow away when the next financial crisis hits.

Buy the book - but also write a letter to the funding authority for the library (or to the mayor) asking them why there wasn't money in the budget to buy this book, and requesting that they do something about that.

-A Librarian
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Lonely Goatherd
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Re: Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (Score: 1, Super-Genius)
posted Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 06:20 PM (#5812)
As someone who has, like, no money, I support my local libraries by volunteering my time. Like many other areas, my county has reduced hours of operation and staff cutbacks, making volunteers even more integral to the continuing operation of the library.

I'm glad to see that other people are concerned with the welfare of public knowledge.
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villephox
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May 2003
Re: Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (Score: 2, Compelling)
posted Monday, May 19, 2003 - 10:06 AM (#5813)
I got Lord of Ice for the River Falls public library in Wisconsin. I've actually been wanting this book myself for a while, and it was interesting finding it on a wish list I clicked randomly. Now I just have to drive to Wisconsin to read it. Anyway, posting the wish list link was a great idea.
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Lonely Goatherd
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Re: Reading Is Good, Evil Is Bad (Score: 0)
posted Sunday, June 01, 2003 - 07:39 AM (#6049)
Ellison Public Library of Scandinavia, WI just got two books I checked out of my own library back in the day, but haven't thought about in years: The Yellow House Mystery (Boxcar Children Series, No 3) and A Spell for Chameleon. 'Course, that was before I was old enough to realize that Piers Anthony is just a dirty old man who keeps writing the same book over and over.
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