Murmurpedia

Liked your lightning talk

Good luck with your Bklyn Library initiative. Plus you are a fast typist!--Tomwsulcer (talk) 00:25, 24 February 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, Tomwsulcer! :) --Murmurpedia (talk) 18:01, 24 February 2013 (UTC)

You're welcome. One thing I've been curious about is how libraries are adapting to the changes brought on by the Internet revolution. Not that I understood how libraries co-existed within the world of copyright before; that is, if copyright is a way to protect authors, in the sense that authors should be paid for their contributions, and rewarded afterwards for producing good books (and therein motivated to work hard), then how have libraries historically gotten away with buying books, and then loaning them for free to patrons -- essentially giving away the works of others? That is, I have never quite understood the logic behind all of this, legally, since it seems like libraries are essentially observing copyright (by buying books) but then undermining copyright (by loaning them for free to patrons) but I just guess that there is an inherent conflict between two sets of values, namely, (1) incentives to would-be authors to write quality books versus (2) free dissemination of information to the public. And, for me, maybe the second value overpowers the first? I live in a town in New Jersey called Summit, and the library there has excellent Teaching Company courses as well as The Modern Scholar courses which I enjoy -- it is like I can go to college (again and again) for free, with the best professors, without paying tuition, no tests even, and if I fall asleep in "class", I can rewind and play. I've worked through dozens of courses; it helps me contribute better to Wikipedia where I have perhaps 100 million pageviews over the past few years. Anyway, I hope your library offers courses like these; and my best guess is that this is one direction in which libraries should focus. It's like I can go to college at my public library -- a huge change from even 15 years ago. Coolest course: Big History by David Christian. Anyway, best to you in Brooklyn, and if there are projects of importance to you in Wikipedia where I can be helpful, let me know on my talk page; I'm always looking for stuff to write about.--Tomwsulcer (talk) 20:29, 24 February 2013 (UTC)