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In an article written for Forbes Magazine, contributor Panos Mourdoukoutas suggested that libraries are no longer useful and should be replaced by Amazon Stores.
People took issue with Mourdoukoutas' assessment immediately, pointing out that perhaps the writer hasn't spent much time struggling financially and therefore makes assumptions that don't ring true for everyday working-class people. Assumptions such as:
Of course, there's Amazon Books to consider. Amazon have created their own online library that has made it easy for the masses to access both physical and digital copies of books. Amazon Books is a chain of bookstores that does what Amazon originally intended to do; replace the local bookstore. It improves on the bookstore model by adding online searches and coffee shops. Amazon Go basically combines a library with a Starbucks.
If one should purchase an Amazon Kindle from $80 - $250, buy bestsellers at $5.99-15.99 a pop, step into Starbucks and order their favorite beverage around $6.00, then sure, one could say the library is practically the exact same thing, save $500-$1000 a year.
Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers Money via @forbes https://t.co/weDGYAqjTS— Panos Mourdoukoutas (@Panos Mourdoukoutas)1532178023.0
Many people weren't having it.
Finally caved and read this, and it is clear that, among other very valid criticisms, it is written by someone who… https://t.co/veUZLjWnne— Inigo Purcell (@Inigo Purcell)1532303954.0
Libraries aren't just museums for books, people. Real life people come there for information on services to try to… https://t.co/1C1bUM6t0F— jamey hatley (@jamey hatley)1532272265.0
know what else saveS folks lives? PLEASURE. There are still people who can't afford tv and streaming services. Mayb… https://t.co/hJOtA8ll3c— jamey hatley (@jamey hatley)1532272690.0
Do you not understand how unbelievably classist it is to say that everyone has a Netflix account or an Amazon Prime… https://t.co/ggaOrLPt01— 💜Lyndsey☁️R.🖤 (@💜Lyndsey☁️R.🖤)1532192708.0
This librarian had lots of words on the topic.
I’m a librarian and this is actually the worst fucking idea ever. Libraries by Amazon would eliminate the most im… https://t.co/SwDjRPdwJn— cyree jarelle johnson (@cyree jarelle johnson)1532260021.0
As they are today, libraries are mostly used by folks who don’t (or who are denied access to) daytime economies, pa… https://t.co/K9Ksu8SU71— cyree jarelle johnson (@cyree jarelle johnson)1532260157.0
Libraries also provide a stop-gap for where other social services end. We teach people how to read. We help boome… https://t.co/hlx0TOETgq— cyree jarelle johnson (@cyree jarelle johnson)1532260309.0
This contributor doesn’t care about core library users because those ppl are of a class exploited by Amazon, the cl… https://t.co/TN0CIQExQF— cyree jarelle johnson (@cyree jarelle johnson)1532260454.0
It seems there may have been an underlying motive for Mourdoukoutas' feelings about the library.
Let me clarify something. Local libraries aren't free. Home owners must pay a local library tax. My bill is $495/year.— Panos Mourdoukoutas (@Panos Mourdoukoutas)1532293703.0
This just seemed to upset people more.
@PMourdoukoutas No, let us clarify something. Your article is poorly researched, I’ll-informed, and fairly ignorant… https://t.co/z8VrZg1a9O— EveryLibrary (@EveryLibrary)1532344899.0
@EveryLibrary @PMourdoukoutas LRT: The fact that the man who wants to eliminate a public resource that costs most o… https://t.co/mGH8xMxmWi— azteclady (@azteclady)1532357737.0
@PMourdoukoutas I have 4 kids. We visit the library about once a month and each kid gets to pick out 5-6 books, plu… https://t.co/dNQJxklRYf— Melissa Baker (@Melissa Baker)1532315318.0
@PMourdoukoutas Let me get this straight. You, AN EDUCATOR, favor shutting down local libraries because $495/year i… https://t.co/rZEUnDKKNG— Krista S. Jacobsen (@Krista S. Jacobsen)1532316034.0
People love the library as a vital contributor to our society. It's best to not mess with it.
H/T: Twitter Moment, Forbes