Right Where It Belongs

[MrDownerup]

swaying away,but ok.. well look @ it from a kid's perspective. which is going to get you off the street away from drug dealers quicker?

education is parents (IMO) responsibility first,and Schools responsibility second.. however,I could rant about this a little,but I'll save  it for another day..

libraries are a service...hell,for all we know that 10,000 grant could have come from Bill Gates. "get those kids some xbox games for fucks sake." most likely tax payers,but..I just don't see it being any different than cassettes,movies,magazines,and tons of other shit they offer as a service.. I mean where stop? Libraries should have only books? Books,and DVDs? Books,DVD,and Magazines?

[FaTony]

I remember that books were seen as a Devil's stuff. Now look, books are considered one of the highest form of entertainment. See, entertainment - not education.

It's strange that when people today think about libraries, they think about education. Most of the books were maid to make profit from the entertainment of consumers, just like games are. Sure, a tiny fraction of books are educational, just like a tiny fraction of games are educational.

I would expect public libraries not only to have books, but also audio CDs, DVDs and, well, games.

On the other hand it would interesting to see Microsoft suing St. Louis Regional Libraries for copyright infringement.

[Duck-and-Cover]

Books are a perfect source of entertainment and learning, but libraries aren't schools and it isn't their responsibility to ensure kids' educations.  I agree with MrD- parents and schools are, and should be, the primary sources of education for children.

[StephenArdrey]

I remember that books were seen as a Devil's stuff. Now look, books are considered one of the highest form of entertainment. See, entertainment - not education.

It's strange that when people today think about libraries, they think about education. Most of the books were maid to make profit from the entertainment of consumers, just like games are. Sure, a tiny fraction of books are educational, just like a tiny fraction of games are educational.

I would expect public libraries not only to have books, but also audio CDs, DVDs and, well, games.

On the other hand it would interesting to see Microsoft suing St. Louis Regional Libraries for copyright infringement.

Books are a perfect source of entertainment and learning, but libraries aren't schools and it isn't their responsibility to ensure kids' educations.  I agree with MrD- parents and schools are, and should be, the primary sources of education for children.

I guess we aren't the first people to have the debate of what a library should or should not be. I guess this has been going on since the establishment of the first public libraries and definition of what a library is constantly changes. One agreed upon is that public libraries are supposed to promote literacy amongst the masses.

Then again literacy has different definitions as to what is pertinant. Early 20th century man needed to know how to read and write with very little beyond that. Now it's important for our social structure for us to be able to use the internet and in part video games to live a well balanced social life. There is a type of literacy that is fulfilled by offering video games to the public and it may cause a change reaction.

Martian Gothic and Parasite Eve were both based off of popular novels. If playing the game encourages a child or teen to check out a book or forms of art, then maybe there isn't anything wrong with it. I think we can all agree that no one art form should over shadow another and that's where I worry about offering video games in public libraries. I also think that libraries in general should support more conversational groups beyond what they offer.

Whether it be book club, film societies, gaming groups, listening parties, part of what keeps an art form fresh is the ability to discuss it with peers in person. Most of our discussions take place online in forums and chat rooms which is fine but random utteriances to lead to brilliant ideas. Without the means to discuss and debate the art form, all they are doing is handing out guns without bullets.

[The_YongGrand]

You guys in America should be lucky because you have a county/district library just a few miles away from your cozy abode.

In my place, we don't have much of these. We have to travel like 20 miles away to go to a library which could be probably difficult due to transportation issues.

[MrDownerup]

You guys in America should be lucky because you have a county/district library just a few miles away from your cozy abode.

In my place, we don't have much of these. We have to travel like 20 miles away to go to a library which could be probably difficult due to transportation issues.

oh yeah,no doubt.. I know how lucky I am..

you know.. I try to look @ life in that way anyway.. lucky to have transportation,lucky to have power,lucky to have internet,etc,etc..

[The_YongGrand]

You guys in America should be lucky because you have a county/district library just a few miles away from your cozy abode.

In my place, we don't have much of these. We have to travel like 20 miles away to go to a library which could be probably difficult due to transportation issues.

oh yeah,no doubt.. I know how lucky I am..

you know.. I try to look @ life in that way anyway.. lucky to have transportation,lucky to have power,lucky to have internet,etc,etc..

Things in SE Asia ( the country which is above Singapore and before Thailand ) isn't all good. We don't have a fast internet connection, and we don't have much proper libraries in the vicinity. Back then when I was visiting the public library, the computer labs were shut down and books were dreadfully insufficient. Hell, I only end up reading medical books and some books about fish or amphibians.

Transportation wise - no good. It's mostly gridlocks in evenings in the capital, and public transports are inconsistent and being spread too thin. At most times, public transports are too difficult to be used there.

[StephenArdrey]

You guys in America should be lucky because you have a county/district library just a few miles away from your cozy abode.

In my place, we don't have much of these. We have to travel like 20 miles away to go to a library which could be probably difficult due to transportation issues.

oh yeah,no doubt.. I know how lucky I am..

you know.. I try to look @ life in that way anyway.. lucky to have transportation,lucky to have power,lucky to have internet,etc,etc..

Things in SE Asia ( the country which is above Singapore and before Thailand ) isn't all good. We don't have a fast internet connection, and we don't have much proper libraries in the vicinity. Back then when I was visiting the public library, the computer labs were shut down and books were dreadfully insufficient. Hell, I only end up reading medical books and some books about fish or amphibians.

Transportation wise - no good. It's mostly gridlocks in evenings in the capital, and public transports are inconsistent and being spread too thin. At most times, public transports are too difficult to be used there.

We have Andrew Carnegie to thank for our public library system. He helped front some of the money as long as counties and states would provide tax support for these institutions. The hope being to better educate the masses making them a more educated work force.

I am unsure about your country but I am surprised more people don't devote time to the spread of education. All arguments aside, I am sad to hear that. I am unsure where I would be right now without the library system and I know other's that would be in the same boat. I wish more countries would see the value of a simple printed book.

I also agree with Mr.D and I am thankful that we have such a system established. I may complain about it's implementation but I am glad it is there and know how lucky we are. I just wish more people saw it the same way.

[The_YongGrand]

We have Andrew Carnegie to thank for our public library system. He helped front some of the money as long as counties and states would provide tax support for these institutions. The hope being to better educate the masses making them a more educated work force.

I am unsure about your country but I am surprised more people don't devote time to the spread of education. All arguments aside, I am sad to hear that. I am unsure where I would be right now without the library system and I know other's that would be in the same boat. I wish more countries would see the value of a simple printed book.

I also agree with Mr.D and I am thankful that we have such a system established. I may complain about it's implementation but I am glad it is there and know how lucky we are. I just wish more people saw it the same way.

In my nation, many people don't read. And I mean it, they don't read. They don't even care because reading doesn't get them into scoring "As". Shit, only thing that should be read are textbooks pertaining to the studies.

Worse of all, after graduation, nobody reads.

I was labelled as a lame person because I read in that place. They would be bothered about SLR (I hate that thing), or taking pictures of food to be posted in Fuck-book.

[StephenArdrey]

We have Andrew Carnegie to thank for our public library system. He helped front some of the money as long as counties and states would provide tax support for these institutions. The hope being to better educate the masses making them a more educated work force.

I am unsure about your country but I am surprised more people don't devote time to the spread of education. All arguments aside, I am sad to hear that. I am unsure where I would be right now without the library system and I know other's that would be in the same boat. I wish more countries would see the value of a simple printed book.

I also agree with Mr.D and I am thankful that we have such a system established. I may complain about it's implementation but I am glad it is there and know how lucky we are. I just wish more people saw it the same way.

In my nation, many people don't read. And I mean it, they don't read. They don't even care because reading doesn't get them into scoring "As". Shit, only thing that should be read are textbooks pertaining to the studies.

Worse of all, after graduation, nobody reads.

I was labelled as a lame person because I read in that place. They would be bothered about SLR (I hate that thing), or taking pictures of food to be posted in Fuck-book.

I could go on for days about foodies. People talking about how great a place X is and how place Y isn't really inventive. That's besides the point, I think that actually does show the education level of some people.

[The_YongGrand]

We have Andrew Carnegie to thank for our public library system. He helped front some of the money as long as counties and states would provide tax support for these institutions. The hope being to better educate the masses making them a more educated work force.

I am unsure about your country but I am surprised more people don't devote time to the spread of education. All arguments aside, I am sad to hear that. I am unsure where I would be right now without the library system and I know other's that would be in the same boat. I wish more countries would see the value of a simple printed book.

I also agree with Mr.D and I am thankful that we have such a system established. I may complain about it's implementation but I am glad it is there and know how lucky we are. I just wish more people saw it the same way.

In my nation, many people don't read. And I mean it, they don't read. They don't even care because reading doesn't get them into scoring "As". Shit, only thing that should be read are textbooks pertaining to the studies.

Worse of all, after graduation, nobody reads.

I was labelled as a lame person because I read in that place. They would be bothered about SLR (I hate that thing), or taking pictures of food to be posted in Fuck-book.

I could go on for days about foodies. People talking about how great a place X is and how place Y isn't really inventive. That's besides the point, I think that actually does show the education level of some people.

please note that i'm not ranting about my own place, or how america is great either. every country is imperfect, but in my case, there is a lot to be fixed in the place i'm living.

if i do not get the books in the library, i would always go and read in the 'net. and in my campus library also. i tried to improvise on my reading habits, actually.

[FaTony]

On the other hand, as long as tree will be destroyed to make books, I will hate books.