Forbes Suggests Replacing Libraries With Amazon Stores, Librarians And Internet Respond In Best Way
In a constantly evolving world, enhanced by technology it may seem counterintuitive to say that some things should remain the same, but sorry folks newer isn’t always better. A professor of economics at LIU post in New York, Panos Mourdoukoutas, learned this the hard way. He penned an op-ed to Forbes titles “Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers Money” and people were furious and bewildered.
His primary argument was that it would save taxpayers money while raising the stock of Amazon. Well, it didn’t take long for the internet to poke several holes in this theory, pointing out the high price of buying books vs borrowing and how libraries, in fact, return money back to the economy. Mourdoukoutas went on to say that with streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix people no longer rented DVDs (who among us is actually paying for our own Netflix account?). Lastly, the economist said that with places like Starbucks they had become obsolete as “third place” meeting spaces. Ask the manager at your local Starbs how they feel about holding a public kids puppet show at one of their booths, the answer will probably be no. Good thing there is a local library for that.
Scroll down below for people’s reactions and comments to the article and share your own thoughts!
A professor of economics at LIU Post in New York wrote a controversial article on the replaceability of libraries for Forbes
Librarians everywhere weren’t happy about it
The author tried to explain himself
But needless to say, it didn’t go well
The article has since been taken down, but people have still shared more of their opinions on the matter
27Kviews
Share on FacebookLocal libraries are essential to communities, I love our local library and go there at least a few times a month. They are essential to every community since they provide a free source information and leisure reading, plus vital computer services that would otherwise be unobtainable for low income people. I would rather have my tax dollars go to local libraries than subsidies to big corporations.
I pretty much never use my town's library but there is no way I would condone de-funding it, even if it meant lowering my tax bill, for the same reason that I routinely vote in favor of improvements/upgrades to the local schools even though I don't have kids in the school system.......it benefits the entire community when its students have access to the structure, discipline and education a superior school system provides and its residents have access to a place that can provide them with a safe place to experience cultural, social and educational enlightenment. Also, if you try to close them, I will stab you in the eye with a fork.
Huh?! $495/year library tax?! Where does he live - the Vatican?! My local council does not have an explicit 'library tax', but as near as I can figure my contribution to the library from my council rates is about $25 per year. At the most. Hardly an onerous burden...
Mine is a bit higher as I can never remember to return my books
Load More Replies...I couldn't agree with you more. When I was a university student, I worked at the campus library (which was open to any member of the public). People don't appreciate the knowledge that can be unlocked through a library. There is an immense amount of information that you will never get access to through the internet. The library pays for all the subscriptions, the access catalogs and the scientific journals. They curate the archives of long-forgotten local and regional newspapers, never digitized, but still filled with fascinating news, and details of life. If you look at a library and all you think you see are dusty books, we regularly cull books that are no longer relevant. A book has to be ignored for over 20 years before we would even consider recycling it.
Load More Replies...Forbes, the dimwits that called Kylie Kartrashian a "self made" billionaire.
Yes, let's find more ways to make people dumber because that benefits you. What the what?? That's going to cost us a lot more in the long run.
Libraries are vital! You cannot have a healthy community without one. They do far more than loan books.
Forget the tax prep help, the community resources, example- my husband runs a free coding club for kids that uses library space, the children's and adult programs, the classes, the emergency shelter use, place to have polling stations, all of that, how does an ECONOMICS professor not realize how much he could be saving by not buying books and magazines that will be utilized only by himself once or twice (think of the poor trees). Does he really just not read much? Does he use his university library, do his students?
amazon should fill empty closed down stores with collection points for stuff you buy on amazon. also have computers instore so you can order things there too. kinda like argos but with an order/collection only service?
I do shop at Amazon Smile. I volunteer at an animal shelter and they will donate to the charity you pick. It's not a huge amount, but it's something.
Load More Replies...I'm a German tourguide and the constant 'How is all this paid for??' when showing Americans and Australians all the castles, churches, museums, parks, memorials etc my city has to offer, is driving me NUTS. We are paying for this with TAXES - and that is OKAY, because we LIKE having castles, museums, green spaces, public events, galleries, and much more. And we like it to be enjoyable by as many people as possible. We also like free education and decetn halth care. And, yes, taxes could be lower, but, seriously, the obsession of rich people over money that they can't spend on just themselves is just pathetic.
('decent health care'. I do know hoe to spell, it is typing I apparently struggle with :-) )
Load More Replies...Seriously though corporations are going to be our undoing. Hopefully there will be enough people in charge that will some how stop it before it is too late, but as much as I take a paycheck from one every day. I still think that the system we have come up to trade today is doomed in the future if we don't find a better way to live. Humankind’s greatest failures will ride in on the backs of those who think that technology and money can replace the past.
I love our library and will glad pay taxes for it. If Amazon took over, not everyone would have open access to learning because only the affluent could afford to spend large amounts of money on books.
As an economist, I like how he's taken our expertise of twisting logic into contentedness to a whole new level.
Someone one bought that guy out. I say that with some seriousness, but he tried to defend his stance which makes me think he seriously thought it was a good idea. So I don't know. With that kind of shortsighted view on things I would t recommend him to write things for Forbes.
Load More Replies...I had to look it up, and I'm so glad that I did. 😊 Thank you for that, very appropriate.
Load More Replies...https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/03/why-amazon-paid-no-federal-income-tax.html
How come no one has mentioned the fact that Amazon isn't taxed and that they along with Exon mobile are the biggest welfare Queens of them all.
Rich people, especially conservatives, don't really believe there's such a thing as common good, the idea that we as a people can achieve greater things than any individual alone. They're just "I've got mine, so everyone else can go to hell." It's pathetic.
Local libraries are essential to communities, I love our local library and go there at least a few times a month. They are essential to every community since they provide a free source information and leisure reading, plus vital computer services that would otherwise be unobtainable for low income people. I would rather have my tax dollars go to local libraries than subsidies to big corporations.
I pretty much never use my town's library but there is no way I would condone de-funding it, even if it meant lowering my tax bill, for the same reason that I routinely vote in favor of improvements/upgrades to the local schools even though I don't have kids in the school system.......it benefits the entire community when its students have access to the structure, discipline and education a superior school system provides and its residents have access to a place that can provide them with a safe place to experience cultural, social and educational enlightenment. Also, if you try to close them, I will stab you in the eye with a fork.
Huh?! $495/year library tax?! Where does he live - the Vatican?! My local council does not have an explicit 'library tax', but as near as I can figure my contribution to the library from my council rates is about $25 per year. At the most. Hardly an onerous burden...
Mine is a bit higher as I can never remember to return my books
Load More Replies...I couldn't agree with you more. When I was a university student, I worked at the campus library (which was open to any member of the public). People don't appreciate the knowledge that can be unlocked through a library. There is an immense amount of information that you will never get access to through the internet. The library pays for all the subscriptions, the access catalogs and the scientific journals. They curate the archives of long-forgotten local and regional newspapers, never digitized, but still filled with fascinating news, and details of life. If you look at a library and all you think you see are dusty books, we regularly cull books that are no longer relevant. A book has to be ignored for over 20 years before we would even consider recycling it.
Load More Replies...Forbes, the dimwits that called Kylie Kartrashian a "self made" billionaire.
Yes, let's find more ways to make people dumber because that benefits you. What the what?? That's going to cost us a lot more in the long run.
Libraries are vital! You cannot have a healthy community without one. They do far more than loan books.
Forget the tax prep help, the community resources, example- my husband runs a free coding club for kids that uses library space, the children's and adult programs, the classes, the emergency shelter use, place to have polling stations, all of that, how does an ECONOMICS professor not realize how much he could be saving by not buying books and magazines that will be utilized only by himself once or twice (think of the poor trees). Does he really just not read much? Does he use his university library, do his students?
amazon should fill empty closed down stores with collection points for stuff you buy on amazon. also have computers instore so you can order things there too. kinda like argos but with an order/collection only service?
I do shop at Amazon Smile. I volunteer at an animal shelter and they will donate to the charity you pick. It's not a huge amount, but it's something.
Load More Replies...I'm a German tourguide and the constant 'How is all this paid for??' when showing Americans and Australians all the castles, churches, museums, parks, memorials etc my city has to offer, is driving me NUTS. We are paying for this with TAXES - and that is OKAY, because we LIKE having castles, museums, green spaces, public events, galleries, and much more. And we like it to be enjoyable by as many people as possible. We also like free education and decetn halth care. And, yes, taxes could be lower, but, seriously, the obsession of rich people over money that they can't spend on just themselves is just pathetic.
('decent health care'. I do know hoe to spell, it is typing I apparently struggle with :-) )
Load More Replies...Seriously though corporations are going to be our undoing. Hopefully there will be enough people in charge that will some how stop it before it is too late, but as much as I take a paycheck from one every day. I still think that the system we have come up to trade today is doomed in the future if we don't find a better way to live. Humankind’s greatest failures will ride in on the backs of those who think that technology and money can replace the past.
I love our library and will glad pay taxes for it. If Amazon took over, not everyone would have open access to learning because only the affluent could afford to spend large amounts of money on books.
As an economist, I like how he's taken our expertise of twisting logic into contentedness to a whole new level.
Someone one bought that guy out. I say that with some seriousness, but he tried to defend his stance which makes me think he seriously thought it was a good idea. So I don't know. With that kind of shortsighted view on things I would t recommend him to write things for Forbes.
Load More Replies...I had to look it up, and I'm so glad that I did. 😊 Thank you for that, very appropriate.
Load More Replies...https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/03/why-amazon-paid-no-federal-income-tax.html
How come no one has mentioned the fact that Amazon isn't taxed and that they along with Exon mobile are the biggest welfare Queens of them all.
Rich people, especially conservatives, don't really believe there's such a thing as common good, the idea that we as a people can achieve greater things than any individual alone. They're just "I've got mine, so everyone else can go to hell." It's pathetic.
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