democracy in action

I think I've mentioned before that I now live practically across the street from the public library and the library is great! I have always been a fan of libraries, but have never lived so close to one so accesible, so much on my way to the coffee shop. They also have a self checkout! I love to read but have never been a fan of KEEPING the books I read. Having the Library so close is like having a shed in the backyard where I keep all my books at, with a full time staff that I hired to keep them organized.

Libraries seem to be one of America's most democratic and well run public services. Books and computers and AC and bathrooms and water for everyone! well, everyone with an address... but even the homeless are allowed to loiter outside and use the computers and read books, as long as they don't act TOO homeless. Of course there are other flaws- on my various trips across America, by bike or otherwise, there is definetly a disparity in the funding for libraries in small towns and cities. But still, in even the crappiest of towns we could always find a library and the library was always a very nice place to rest. And libraries are always holding meetings and having seminars and handing out flyers to come to a meeting and learn how to improve your resume and get a job.


There's just one thing that bothers me and I thought of it today. There are a lot of gross people at the library, and some of them are really gross, and I'm sure SOME of those really gross people bring library books into the bathroom.