Basically, college professor writing for Forbes makes the argument that we should just give up on Public Libraries, and simply let Amazon create library services for people.
Going 100% counter to the Carnegie Library origins—which are the basis of public libraries across the vast majority of the US (and if I’m not mistaken, Canada, too!).
Ironic, isn’t it, that a man whose job is paid for by a nonprofit, public institution is arguing for the dismantling & privatization/ corporatization of another public institution?
One which originated in the idea that knowledge and information *ought* to be publicly available, for anyone who wanted to put in the work to better themselves.
(YES, I am fully aware of the fact that Carnegie is/was problematic in MANY ways!! But it’s also a fact that his libraries did a LOT of public good, and allowed for the education of many people.)
AND, as our awesome GT librarians & library-adjacent folks know—there are TONS of excellent community-supporting & educational things our public libraries STILL do today!
TL/DR: Out of touch publicly employed white guy argues for the privatization & corporatization of something a long-dead rich white guy founded as a PUBLIC good.
Also, Cyree Jarelle Jackson’s tweets on this are AWESOME!😉😀😁:
