[WikiEN-l] The Really-Free Library

[gjzilla at gmail.com]

Definitely an unexpected take on things. However, in this library, could one
simply restore the books back to their original condition with the wave of a
wand?

On 3/7/07, Roger Dearnaley <rpdearnaley at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> I stumbled on this interesting essay on an admin's user page:
>
> From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:BillCJ
>
> Many years ago in a large city in the northeast USA, a man named John
> (Jonbi) Scotland opened a new "free library". This library differed from
> other public and community libraries in several ways.
>
>   1. It required no registration to use its books, although
>      registration was optional. Registered readers wore name tags to
>      identify them, but sometimes some readers would forget their tags.
>   2. The library building itself had no locks, though it did have doors
>      to keep out the elements.
>   3. The library had no paid librarians.
>         1. Instead, every reader was considered a volunteer
>            "librarian". They were to warn each disruptive reader at
>            least 3 times to "shhhhhsh" before reporting them to
>            "adlibs". This also applied to readers
>         2. There was a small group of "administrative librarians"
>            (called "adlibs") that would help "police" the library.
>            These ablibs could ask disruptive visitors to leave, though
>            the disruptive readers could come back in if they changed
>            clothes.
>   4. There was no time limit whatsoever on borrowing books, and readers
>      could borrow as many books as they wanted at a time.
>   5. Readers could also donate books to the library.
>   6. There was one room in the library for special books which did have
>      a lock, which was only open to registered readers. Registered
>      readers could nominate books for protection, but only adlibs could
>      place books in need of protection in the locked room.
>
> For awhile, everyone was happy with the new library. Then, things began
> to take unexpected turns.
>
> New books began to turn up missing, with no record of who borrowed them.
> Adlibs sent out notices to the registered readers (the only ones they
> had addresses for), but most registered readers were fairly prompt about
> returning borrowed books. In addition, many books, almost of of which
> had been borrowed by unregistered readers, were returned in bad
> conditions. Some were missing covers, or large chunks of pages (called
> "book blanking", which these readers sometimes wrote on the book's
> remaining front page).
>
> At other times, unregistered readers would walk up and down the isles,
> and write words in the books with large black markers. Most of these
> readers were not very intelligent, and so found themselves limited to
> writing such simple words and phrases as "poop", "penis" and "kATie
> mCAwLipH is h0t".
>
> Many registered readers attempted to report these "vandals", as they
> were encouraged to do by the library's "guidelines". However, they had
> to witness the vandal vandalizing at least four times within 24 hours,
> and have spoken to the person asking them them to desist after each
> witnessed occurrence. Even then, adlibs were hesitant to expel vandals,
> as they did not want to discourage other unregistered readers from
> visiting the library. Adlibs were even known to harass registered
> readers who attempted to report vandals, encouraging them not to "bite
> the new readers", but in actuality protecting the vandals, rather than
> the books being vandalized.
>
> Even when vandalized books were placed in the locked room for protection
> by adlibs, other adlibs would promptly place them back on the main
> shelves, saying that these books should ba available to everyone.
>
> The library was close to several large schools, and this presented even
> more problems. Each of these schools required school uniforms for their
> students. Thus the students causing problems resembled other students
> who were just in the library to read or borrow books. Because of this,
> adlibs were hesitant to speak to these students, as they could not tell
> one student apart from the other. The schools were not much help either,
> often complaining if one of their students was caught vandalizing, say
> it brought shame on the school, and so the vandalism should just be
> ignored.
>
> The library soon gained a reputation among its registered readers for
> having some very good books, many of whom spent much effort finding
> books to donate. However, its reputation among the outside world was
> considerably less golden. The library became known for its trashy,
> unreliable books. Many registered readers would encourage non-members of
> the library to come and check out some books. However, after finding
> several trashy or vandalized books, most of these non-members would
> never return.
>
> Many registered users, fed up with the policies of the library, began
> going to other libraries where registration was required to borrow
> books, and where there were time limits on borrowing books. In fact,
> most libraries today are of this type.
>
> After several years, the library was forced to close, as it no longer
> had any books that people wanted to read. Each time a good book was
> donated, it was borrowed, and never returned.
>
> It is said that Jonbi Scotland, when he died a few years later, still
> did not understand why his vision of the "really-free library" had failed.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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