Well, I only walk or bike to the library and get exercise and sometimes quality time with the wife. That's not a pain in the ass, it's a great use of my time.James Steele wrote:Dude... I understand where you're coming from. But if it's something I want to read enough, I get on Amazon.com and have it delivered to my house. I don't get in my car, drive to a branch to pick it up, then drive back to return it. To each their own.
I don't know how you determine just from Amazon whether something is really worth the expense or not. As a guitar teacher, I've been frustrated at the bad method books out there and I'm hesitant to invest my time in writing my own when something good might exist. So far, I've evaluated - really played through - about 60 methods from libraries, and I bought copies of a couple I liked. No way would I have ordered all 60 from Amazon.com and some of the really good ones I wouldn't even have considered ordering because they didn't seem particularly special and had no reviews.
Maybe for your purposes you don't care really.
I'll shut up about it, but just don't go around saying that the library isn't worth it and is a hassle when you don't even know at all.
And anyway, the real point is that if you aren't going to abolish libraries, they will keep getting more and more efficient, and they actually ARE a threat to the traditional mass market publishing model for CDs or DVDs or books. I think the conflict between that economic model and that of libraries PROVES that the traditional model is what's flawed, not the music-listening public. So let's come up with a better economic model instead of defending the inadequate old one.
Well, I've made my points. Some people think more socially-oriented than others. Who am I to say what is right or wrong? If anyone else prefers to sit around complaining about fans' cheapness rather than question the traditional views of marketing and copyright to find real solutions... well, so be it. If I somehow find any real solution, I'll let you all know. I'll keep thinking open-mindedly about it, and talk to others who might have useful ideas.
Peace,
Aaron