Thread

Japan's book scene is moving from bookstores to libraries

241 points · 113 comments · herbertl

akman · 1789595265 · focus · HN ↗
As the author noted, I see libraries becoming more and more centers of community, notably in the Bay Area (California, USA). Just check out the events at all of the Santa Clara County library system (8 libraries that share books): <a href="https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?_gl=1*11u0hec*_ga*MTI0MTAxODk0NS4xNzg2NTEyMjY1*_ga_G99DMMNG39*czE3ODk1OTQ5MTMkbzMkZzAkdDE3ODk1OTQ5MTQkajU5JGwwJGgw*_ga_C5XQHLX1NN*czE3ODk1OTQ5MTMkbzMkZzAkdDE3ODk1OTQ5MTQkajU5JGwwJGgw*_ga_C79ES1D7Q4*czE3ODcyODU5NjUkbzIkZzAkdDE3ODcyODU5NjUkajYwJGwwJGgw" rel="nofollow">https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?_gl=1*11u0hec*_ga*M...
Many events aren't even book related-- see events for Lego building, homework help, even Dungeons and Dragons events.
I wonder if there's a resurgence across the world where libraries are places of community sharing.
1. carabiner · 1789595571 · focus · HN ↗
  In Seattle they're mostly homeless shelters.
  1. popalchemist · 1789596130 · focus · HN ↗
    In LA, it's about 50/50. But in case you aren't aware, this is one of the purposes of libraries.
    TulliusCicero · 1789598023 · focus · HN ↗
    It really shouldn't be. We should have dedicated shelters for that.
    Relying on libraries to be de facto homeless shelters is bad for everyone compared to the alternative of dedicated facilities. It's worse for homeless people, worse for the library and staff, and worse for patrons.
    bobthepanda · 1789612857 · focus · HN ↗
    The problem is that we’ve wound up in an unhappy place due to the weird perverse incentives of ideology. Taking homeless people off the street, whether to a hospital or jail, costs a lot of money; so we lack something to do in a climate where a good chunk of the populace is rabidly against paying more money for anything.
    trollbridge · 1789650856 · focus · HN ↗
    LA collectively spends about $3 billion on various things for homeless people, who number around 70-80,000. That’s $40,000 per person per year.
    What level of spending would you like to see?
    bobthepanda · 1789657376 · focus · HN ↗
    The problem is to stop spending money we need to spend some money to set up something like a mental institution.
    Prison, which was being used for that purpose, costs California $127k a year <a href="https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost" rel="nofollow">https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost
    Just the bed at a Californian state hospital for mental health treatment costs at minimum $150k+ a year. <a href="https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Hospitals/" rel="nofollow">https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Hospitals/
    And both systems are already overcapacity
    trollbridge · 1789755109 · focus · HN ↗
    There isn’t currently the political will to start putting people in institutions against their will.
    bobthepanda · 1789939098 · focus · HN ↗
    Well yes, and also we don’t currently operate enough beds to put people into on account of those high costs.

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