RE: Radically Inclusive Sharing Economies : LIBRARIES! // The Next Economy #2
@jaredwood when you first posted this my initial reaction was "I hate libraries" but then I thought about it more and realized that my perspective specifically had to do with my grad day struggles - it had nothing to do with the actual function of the library lol.
With that being said, I did realize that libraries have been incredibly useful and helpful for me.
When I moved to Austin, I started a community improv group. We didn't have any free space to utilize at the time, and so we started at the library. It was the only free space available that we could utilize consistently.
It did get a bit awkward at times, especially when we were in the room that was right next to the book club or the guy giving an interview. In these instances the leader from the other room would step in and say "you guys mind keeping it down a bit." and I would think to myself, "Jesus, we're just warming up..."
Ultimately the library was what allowed us to keep the meetups going for over a year and a half until we found an official location to host our classes. So I will give it kudos there.
And random note: once I slept overnight in a library with a friend. This was quite literally one of the most epic experiences ever. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a crazy night lol.
I envision a library of the future being less about books and physical items, and more about a library of experiences. I think libraries should be a place to share, not to hush. Sure, there should be designated quiet areas, but the library should be a place where information is exchanged freely.
Ultimately, I think the concept of the library is on it's way to being a great model for our future.
Thanks for sharing @jaredwood. Great concepts here brother!
Wow, this article shifted the way you think about libraries? That's amazing to hear @axios!
I appreciate your reflections. Though the library wasn't everything you might want it to be, as you said it did enable your group to function - for free! - which really frees you up in terms of what you can do and who you can offer it to.
I'm curious what a library of experiences might look like. How is this different from an art gallery, performance venue, etc? I'm guessing you're looking for participatory experiences more than performer-audience kind of experiences. Much of the utility of libraries is in how they function as storage places - is storage part of the library of experiences? :)
How is a library of experiences different than a free school? Maybe what you want is a free school! Or, a free space without the "school" connotations.
Wow, this article shifted the way you think about libraries? That's amazing to hear @axios!
I appreciate your reflections. Though the library wasn't everything you might want it to be, it did enable your group to function - for free! - which really frees you up in terms of what you can do and who you can offer it to.
I'm curious what a library of experiences might look like. How is this different from an art gallery, performance venue, etc? I'm guessing you're looking for participatory experiences more than performer-audience kind of experiences. Yet libraries tend to act as storage places - is this a function of the library that would remain in the library of experiences?
Or, how is a library of experiences different than a free school? Maybe what you want is a free school! Or, a free space...