“Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers Money”

[Megalith]

Arguing that modern libraries hold no value anymore and are merely a drain on taxpayers, Forbes thinks Amazon should replace them with their own bookstores in local communities instead. Based on their successes in the book and streaming businesses, the company certainly has the experience to do just that, but many are voicing their outrage at turning community-friendly centers into what would be just another corporate landmark.

Amazon Books is a chain of bookstores that does what Amazon originally intended to do; replace the local bookstore. It improves on the bookstore model by adding online searches and coffee shops. Amazon Go basically combines a library with a Starbucks. At the core, Amazon has provided something better than a local library without the tax fees. This is why Amazon should replace local libraries. The move would save taxpayers money and enhance the stockholder value of Amazon all in one fell swoop.

 

[James Robinson]

Except the entire basis for having a Library is for the general populous to have access to virtually ALL available materials, without having to be charged each time. It's part of the Social Contract as part of being a US citizen. Next you're going to claim Amazon should replace all the bridges and pay for the construction and upkeep themselves.. its only going to cost you a little bit every single time you cross it....

wait... wut?

 

[RMCO]

In the world of Wikipedia and the ease at which digital information can be altered, libraries serve a very valuable role as archives of our printed history. I've got no issue with maintaining that tax burden on myself.

 

[Overblod]

Ha the irony, printed media losing its relevance is talking about one of the most useful resources of the society... Die and burn in hell...

 

[Overblod]

In the world of Wikipedia and the ease at which digital information can be altered, libraries serve a very valuable role as archives of our printed history. I've got no issue with maintaining that tax burden on myself.

When have you last visited a library? Library these days have access to ebooks, movies, computers with internet, printers and LOTs of free events like yoga to lego workshops

 

[rudy]

I think we just should not replace libraries there comes a point where things are so ubiquitous you just need it and you can't rely on it being free and partially accessible. Towns should apply all the money that once went to libraries to improving internet speeds and accessibility. We don't need paper books anymore even the bums with no house have a smart phone and that is all you need to read an unlimited amount of informational and access almost any service you want.

 

[Nukester]

Looks Like Demolition man is coming true, except everything will be Amazon, not Taco Bell.

 

[Tekara]

Maybe if housing, internet and Amazon prime were free, As is, this sounds like an attempt to outlaw poverty.

 

[haz_mat]

Looks Like Demolition man is coming true, except everything will be Amazon, not Taco Bell.

Welcome to your Prime Domicile, Amazon Citizen. Please accept these Prime Tacos included in your Prime Citizen subscription. If you would like extra cheese, you may upgrade to Prime Citizen Unlimited*.
(* 300k/yr Prime Credit income contingent)

 

[Overblod]

These big corporation should be forced to be broken down, just like Bell was in the 80s... but our govt is too corrupt now to do anything about it...

 

[c3k]

Especially how Amazon can, and has, reached into purchased ebooks and modified their content. A Stalinist wetdream...

 

[kandrey89]

Whomever created this article and whomever sought it out and thought it's a good idea, is a piece of shit person.

 

[Joust]

I think public libraries are important resources. In practice, the libraries around me are daylight homeless camps.

 

[caddys83]

Public libraries here provide cooling spots to get out of the heat for anyone and the lower income folks

 

[Mugato]

I think we just should not replace libraries there comes a point where things are so ubiquitous you just need it and you can't rely on it being free and partially accessible. Towns should apply all the money that once went to libraries to improving internet speeds and accessibility. We don't need paper books anymore even the bums with no house have a smart phone and that is all you need to read an unlimited amount of informational and access almost any service you want.

Hey man a lot of us happen to have kids, my daughter loves our library, its a Weekend pastime for us. They have a play area she can meet kids, I can rent new books I dont want to drop 20 bucks on, we meet people, they have events, and its nice to get Salmon Steelheader read without paying 7.99 a copy! But if its a good article, I buy the print. Libraries are great, I spent a crap ton of time there from age 6-16 myself and read books into dust. Maybe you should go see whats at your local library.

 

[Mugato]

These big corporation should be forced to be broken down, just like Bell was in the 80s... but our govt is too corrupt now to do anything about it...

Here here! I’m all for capitalism but when one dude is worth more than like 40 countries on the planet, Iiiiiii don’t think that was the intention behind it all. Shouldn’t he be donating half of that or something? That might be why people think he’s such a douche bag. F’in maybe pay your employees a bit more? Give them all free healthcare? Create a set of hospitals around the country 25 per state that are free to the migrants, setup a set of schools for them alongside the hospitals? Isn’t he a “philanthropist” elite shmarmy cuck of the highest order my gosh.

 

[Hitti2]

Lafayette, IN, Library offers free borrowing of books, tv shows and movies. Amazon does not provide this.

 

[RealBeast]

I think public libraries are important resources. In practice, the libraries around me are daylight homeless camps.

Yup, free air conditioning for homeless in my city too.

 

[Mugato]

Welcome to your Prime Domicile, Amazon Citizen. Please accept these Prime Tacos included in your Prime Citizen subscription. If you would like extra cheese, you may upgrade to Prime Citizen Unlimited*.
(* 300k/yr Prime Credit income contingent)

You forgot (I see it was implied though), “You may work manual labor at any of our Prime Depots to pay down your credit at any time” “By entering into an agreement for Prime Credit, you are hereby authorizing Amazon LLC full and complete access to your domicile, physical and cyber person and extended family” “Prime Credit is payed down at a local rate ranging from 1 credit per hour (they are the bank now) to 1.25 credits per hour, depending on job duties and performance”.

See why I don’t want Amazon getting any bigger/owning more industries, it ain’t ALL good for yah!

 

[tetris42]

I guess we're in a hurry to get to the Dark Ages 2.0

 

[Joust]

I guess we're in a hurry to get to the Dark Ages 2.0

Never in human history has so much information been available to essentially everyone. I think we are a long, long way away that.

 

[Dunamis]

 

[tetris42]

Never in human history has so much information been available to essentially everyone. I think we are a long, long way away that.

I wouldn't underestimate our ability to fuck things up. Before the Dark Ages, we had the Roman Empire, arguably the pinnacle of civilization and knowledge. All it takes is a giant solar storm like we had in the 1800s to act as a giant "reset" button anyway.

 

[Joust]

View attachment 91012

This is a stupid argument. It cost everyone else in that community 75c as well for her to have the ability to get those books. Per the number of books loaned out, they are probably the most expensive in town.

Free lunch. You know the story.

 

[Twisted Kidney]

All restaurants are Taco Bell.

 

[tetris42]

This is a stupid argument. It cost everyone else in that community 75c as well for her to have the ability to get those books. Per the number of books loaned out, they are probably the most expensive in town.

Free lunch. You know the story.

Isn't the idea is that even if it may cost more (which it may not), it levels the playing field for people who can't afford them to still have access to books? But yeah, screw this equality of opportunity bullshit.

 

[The Cobra]

WHat an absolute garbage idea. My local library is used by everyone. I see cars in a library parking lot ranging from the biggest hunks of shit to the nicest BMWs. I can check out an ebook, read it for as long as I can and check it back in. I can get movies, look back at digitized microfish at old newspaper articles. I DEF support my local library. Plus a lot of times it is a great place to hang out if youhave an hour to kill.

 

[cageymaru]

This is a stupid argument. It cost everyone else in that community 75c as well for her to have the ability to get those books. Per the number of books loaned out, they are probably the most expensive in town.

Free lunch. You know the story.

What's wrong with everyone chipping together to buy a set of books for the library that are freely loaned out to that community? A great deal of the information on the internet is written by illiterate people, so you can't really use that as a "free library." I could imagine a college student writing a paper and needing 30 or more sources. Some books cost may cost in the hundreds or more and that person needs to purchase 30 of them? I'd rather keep it the way it is.

Now what could happen is that we create a government book repository, then everyone can check out materials digitally. In my area that wouldn't work as many counties have areas with zero internet access. Some areas have zero cellphone service and we're within 45 minutes of Interstate 95. Maybe we can start getting serious about digital libraries in the future when we actually have internet and cellular service for the entire population in the USA. Amazon will never open a bookstore here and I have a house next to an elementary school.

 

[Skull_Angel]

So moving towards a future like we see in Fahrenheit 451 isn't too much of a stretch?

It wouldn't take much more work once free access to literature is nearly unheard of. At that point all that's needed would be to basically cull a generation (great war/widespread disease/extreme poverty), gain greater control of mainstream and easily accessible media/net (getting there), and raise the next generation in a bubble. Boom! Instant easily-controllable zombie workforce.

No need to take away freedoms that become unknown.

 

[Joust]

Isn't the idea is that even if it may cost more (which it may not), it levels the playing field for people who can't afford them to still have access to books? But yeah, screw this equality of opportunity bullshit.

I agree that it is an important resource, and one I'm willing to pay for because I think it's valuable to society. However, there's no argument that a bricks and mortar building with employees and all associated overhead is cheaper than individual purchases. It's just spread out among the community.

I mean, seriously, this must be an insanely different experience for different people.

Equality of opportunity? Oh, I'm all in for that. I push to fully fund our public schools (K-12). In fact, I support libraries. Sure. You seem to accuse me of some inaccurate things. I just said that, hey, look how cheap it is for me to get books is a good argument. It just means someone else is footing the bill.

 

[stefan231]

Looks Like Demolition man is coming true, except everything will be Amazon, not Taco Bell.

 

[Joust]

What's wrong with everyone chipping together to buy a set of books for the library that are freely loaned out to that community? A great deal of the information on the internet is written by illiterate people, so you can't really use that as a "free library." I could imagine a college student writing a paper and needing 30 or more sources. Some books cost may cost in the hundreds or more and that person needs to purchase 30 of them? I'd rather keep it the way it is.

Now what could happen is that we create a government book repository, then everyone can check out materials digitally. In my area that wouldn't work as many counties have areas with zero internet access. Some areas have zero cellphone service and we're within 45 minutes of Interstate 95. Maybe we can start getting serious about digital libraries in the future when we actually have internet and cellular service for the entire population in the USA. Amazon will never open a bookstore here and I have a house next to an elementary school.

Not a thing is wrong with it. I support it, myself.

 

[Joust]

Here here! I’m all for capitalism but when one dude is worth more than like 40 countries on the planet, Iiiiiii don’t think that was the intention behind it all. Shouldn’t he be donating half of that or something? That might be why people think he’s such a douche bag. F’in maybe pay your employees a bit more? Give them all free healthcare? Create a set of hospitals around the country 25 per state that are free to the migrants, setup a set of schools for them alongside the hospitals? Isn’t he a “philanthropist” elite shmarmy cuck of the highest order my gosh.

Well. You should go make those billions. Then you can donate your billions, instead of criticizing others for how they spend theirs.

I would hope the dude does something to benefit mankind. I support his right to turn it into gold coins and swim through it like Scrouge McDuck.

 

[cageymaru]

Not a thing is wrong with it. I support it, myself.

Yes, I see your point. But I would say that as long as everyone pays taxes in some way in the community then everyone is chipping together to pay for the library. Someone might not pay a house tax because they might rent an apartment. In the end they pay the owner who pays taxes on the land. Which in turn funds public utilities and the library. Hell even the poor kid with the mom on drugs contributes if he buys a soda from the store.

But yes you're 100% right that library books are expensive especially when taking into account the jobs in the field. Who would have thought that Master Librarians make $6,000 a month!

 

[mope54]

I agree that it is an important resource, and one I'm willing to pay for because I think it's valuable to society. However, there's no argument that a bricks and mortar building with employees and all associated overhead is cheaper than individual purchases. It's just spread out among the community.

I mean, seriously, this must be an insanely different experience for different people.

Equality of opportunity? Oh, I'm all in for that. I push to fully fund our public schools (K-12). In fact, I support libraries. Sure. You seem to accuse me of some inaccurate things. I just said that, hey, look how cheap it is for me to get books is a good argument. It just means someone else is footing the bill.

Why are you explaining how society works? Presumably we're all part of one, so the only question is whether you like or dislike being a member of this society? Preserving things for the public good is a core function of society and its government.

I consider literacy a public good. In fact, I think a functional repository of literature and literacy advocacy is arguably more structurally important to the maintenance of a free society than state mandating K-12 education.

 

[Ocellaris]

Why are you explaining how society works? Presumably we're all part of one, so the only question is whether you like or dislike being a member of this society? Preserving things for the public good is a core function of society and its government.

I consider literacy a public good. In fact, I think a functional repository of literature and literacy advocacy is arguably more structurally important to the maintenance of a free society than state mandating K-12 education.

People who can’t read don’t go to the library though...

 

[tetris42]

I agree that it is an important resource, and one I'm willing to pay for because I think it's valuable to society. However, there's no argument that a bricks and mortar building with employees and all associated overhead is cheaper than individual purchases. It's just spread out among the community.

I mean, seriously, this must be an insanely different experience for different people.

Equality of opportunity? Oh, I'm all in for that. I push to fully fund our public schools (K-12). In fact, I support libraries. Sure. You seem to accuse me of some inaccurate things. I just said that, hey, look how cheap it is for me to get books is a good argument. It just means someone else is footing the bill.

My mistake on the latter part, I misunderstood. As for the cost, some considerations:

-The more times the book gets checked out, that automatically brings the cost down the total per book. So it's not really 75 cents v. $70. It's 75 cents per person in the community versus ~$10 for every single individual book bought and read. So yes, the brick and mortar part is part of the cost, but it works out better the more people use a library. If a book costs $10 and gets checked out 50 times, that's $10 v. $500 from Amazon. The more books that gets extended to, the more that offsets the cost of the library itself. If 1,000 people use a library in a week, but they only bought 10 new books, then that's $100 + cost of running library v. $10,000 from Amazon.

-Even if Amazon somehow comes out cheaper in raw cost, it has a profit incentive, the library doesn't. Both the library and Amazon will try to get the book as cheaply as possible. Amazon will likely get a better deal from economy of scale. However, it then tacks on its own profit margin, the library doesn't. So even if the library gets the worse deal, it can still come out cheaper for the end user.

 

[Joust]

Why are you explaining how society works? Presumably we're all part of one, so the only question is whether you like or dislike being a member of this society? Preserving things for the public good is a core function of society and its government.

I consider literacy a public good. In fact, I think a functional repository of literature and literacy advocacy is arguably more structurally important to the maintenance of a free society than state mandating K-12 education.

Yeah. So you think a repository of books enhances literacy more than a K-12 education? Interesting. As for the first paragraph you wrote, I think a response from me would be unproductive.

 

[mope54]

People who can’t read don’t go to the library though...

If you google your local library, does it say anything about literacy outreach, programs for children, programs for adults, reading programs, computer/internet literacy training and access, etc? Even the tiniest of libraries I've seen offer most of those types of activities--even if it's just the librarian sitting in a circle once a week with some children.

I couldn't remember what one of the universities I worked at was designated, but it's library was an official repository of government records. I was trying to find out what that designation was, as yet another function of public libraries, and came across this (unrelated but) relevant article: https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2016/05/lcm-americas-public-libraries/

 

[mope54]

If Amazon wants to get into the free knowledge biz it's perfectly welcome to donate all its returned dog-eared books to the library system and/or prison libraries and host a free ebook repository of everything in the public domain and start a registration/e-loan system for works still under licensing restrictions.

For all I know, Amazon probably already donates a ton of reading materials to communities. If not, that's a huge lost opportunity for both parties.