The Digital Library #1

I've always been a big fan of libraries. I've always loved books but never could afford to buy them. As the years went by, I realized that borrowing books was much better than owning them. I have mixed feelings over the advent of digital books. Will printed books disappear? Will physical libraries disappear? Hard economic times don't help.

Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated funds that built over 1,600 libraries in the USA between 1883-1929. "Carnegie believed in giving to the "industrious and ambitious; not those who need everything done for them, but those who, being most anxious and able to help themselves, deserve and will be benefited by help from others. Under segregation black people were generally denied access to public libraries in the Southern United States. Rather than insisting on his libraries being racially integrated, he funded separate libraries for African Americans. For example, at Houston he funded a separate Colored Carnegie Library."

There are obvious benefits to digital books.  The ability to access ebooks and audio books on-line is amazing. Suddenly, in theory, any book ever written is available via the Internet.

I've noticed that libraries are slowly changing to include not only just books, but DVD movies, music CDs, audio books, publicly available computers connected to the Internet, etc. Let's hope that libraries continue to be places of available public information.

As local entities, each library system establishes rules for the issuance of a library card. In the old days, you needed to prove that you lived in the local area. Traveling around California, I found that quite often you can get a library card if you had proof of California residence such as a driver's license. Some libraries will issue a card if you have a piece of mail with your local address on it. I once sent a letter to myself at an RV park in California and was able to use it as proof of residency. (to be continued)