You need to read the fine print with Wat Tyler:But the thing is this. In the days before the internet, public libraries made vast amounts of knowledge and kultur freely available to everyone. And somehow, that seemed A Good Thing.
Imagine his surprise then, when his local library recently charged him £22.40p.
This is a prime example of charging creep. A close relative of stealth taxation, charging creep is where your public sector supplier surreptitiously charges ever more for services that were once free - or virtually free - at the point of use.
So though the worthy gentleman is talking specifically of fines and entry to the library is presumably still free, still - the basic premise stands. Keep your eye on what goes on in libraries because this must needs be one element of the new feudalism - constraint of knowledge.
Knowledge is power, pity sometimes it comes at a price.
ReplyDeleteWell he has no one to blame but himself there. Everything would still be free if he had returned his books on time! It is so easy to keep track of your library books due dates online, I check on mine every Saturday to see what is due in the coming week.
ReplyDeleteOur maximum number to check out here is fifty and I have been known to have that many at one time. Yet I never pay a fine. Besides they send messages reminding you here.
As to the other examples in his article I'm sure they are very true and many of these creeping charges cannot be avoided. Library fines no, but then he should think of it as a donation if he is caught.
Agree we have to fight this kind of creeping charge. Besides, reading a printed book is an entirely different process to reading online.
ReplyDeleteHis complaint was that it cost him MORE to keep books past his agreed upon date?
ReplyDeleteShock...