50% of tasmanians functionally illiterate

[Pickman's model]

Saw that in this guardian article. Libraries will only exist for as long as we borrow from them. Consider it your civic duty | Jodi Wilson thought it must be bollocks. But it's true https://www.news.com.au/national/br...y/news-story/687c3b7483c49f8243c323b6f4e6bcc5

 

[ghost boy]

They could probably do with reading that article…

 

[jontz01]

We've just had a spanking new library built in our town. There was a lot of uproar prior to the build with people saying it was a huge waste of money, that everything could now be found online. The older I get, the more I feel like Idiocracy (the Mike Judge cheesefest) is totally on point.


Our beloved new library (is very well used).




Eta. Can't say much for the literacy levels in Tazzie but I honestly don't feel like much value is placed on academia here, compared with 'life skills' like hunting, driving utes, fishing etc etc. We see way more internationals in the library than born n bred locals...

 

[DownwardDog]

Our local library here in Australia has three different biographies of Rob Lowe, but none of Iris Murdoch.

 

[gentlegreen]

Does "literacy" have to mean physical books or whole works?
I read a few classic works in the distant past, but these days I aim to avoid even owning printed material.
How to define "intellectual*?

Having worked with academics I am however glad that some people are wired that way.

 

[BigMoaner]

I take my kids to the library once a fortnight. It was a big part of my childhood (not just the books, but the ritual of being with my dad, the chats in the car, the way it was the first place he told me to “go off on my own” in which I would explore all through the sections). I take my kids but if they had their way, though, they would be watching tic tok. They like it and they like reading but you have to understand now the forces of distraction at play in this world, fuelled by multi-billion dollar media companies. It’s a weird state of affairs where I have to enforce “screen time limits”, have to literally step in, like some interrupter and manager of consciousness, otherwise, quite literally, they would be on them all the time. Their entire childhoods leisure time monitised. Capitalism never been so complete in its capture of the human. My favourite one at the moment is when they have sleepovers with friends and they spend that whole time on their phones

you can draw out all sorts of interesting philosophy, especially in the phenomenological sense, from thinking about libraries, their role in “the human”, past present future.

 

[BigMoaner]

Infact I would go as far to say that that is my main charge against these companies: not the content necessarily, the extremism etc, but the way time is taken by them and how for them time, and little else, is money.

 

[klang]

˙ɥɔopɹnW sᴉɹI ɟo ǝuou ʇnq 'ǝʍo˥ qoɹ ɟo sǝᴉɥdɐɹƃoᴉq ʇuǝɹǝɟɟᴉp ǝǝɹɥʇ sɐɥ ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ uᴉ ǝɹǝɥ ʎɹɐɹqᴉl lɐɔol ɹnO

Ffy

 

[_Russ_]

That many

 

[Duncan2]

the thing that got me into our library whenever i happened to be in town were the racks of newspapers. But apparently there is now no point in having actual newspapers because they have instead a bank of computers so you can get online and read the news. I didnt bother telling the librarian that it just isnt the same but it really isnt

 

[NoXion]

The older I get, the more I feel like Idiocracy (the Mike Judge cheesefest) is totally on point.

The opening scenes of that movie are a disgustingly classist paean to eugenics. It actually shocked me to see it, considering that the guy behind it was the same one behind King of The Hill.

 

[Orang Utan]

the thing that got me into our library whenever i happened to be in town were the racks of newspapers. But apparently there is now no point in having actual newspapers because they have instead a bank of computers so you can get online and read the news. I didnt bother telling the librarian that it just isnt the same but it really isnt

Is it not? Newspapers online are surely a significant improvement to printed ones?

 

[newme]

Our local library here in Australia has three different biographies of Rob Lowe, but none of Iris Murdoch.

A Rupert relative I assume?

 

[Duncan2]

Is it not? Newspapers online are surely a significant improvement to printed ones?

somehow dont feel spoiled in the same way but maybe that's just me.

 

[frogwoman]

Also I would challenge the statement that local newspaper sites are an improvement lol, many are pretty much unreadable without even getting started on paywalls etc

 

[PTK]

Is it not? Newspapers online are surely a significant improvement to printed ones?

The advantages of paper newspapers over electronic newspapers in public libraries.

1 It is easier to read a printed page than it is to read to read a screen.

2 There is empirical evidence that people retain more information after reading a paper document than they do after reading a document on screen.

3 You are not allowed to be on a library computer all day, whereas you can read a library newspaper all day.

4 You have to be registered with a library service to use the computers, so if you are visiting from another county/borough then you cannot pop into a library to use the computers.

5 Printed newspapers can be accessed as soon as you have one in your hand, whereas it takes some time to log on to the computer and access the online newspaper website.

6 Newspaper websites are often not simply electronic versions of the printed papers, and are harder to navigate than printed papers.

7 Accessing online newspapers may be subject to one of more of six types of failure that reading printed newspapers will not. a) The electricity supply can fail. b) The library service system can go down. c) The individual computer can have a software fault. d) The individual computer can have a hardware fault e) The newspaper website can go down. f) The internet can go down (this has happened).

 

[_Russ_]

2 There is empirical evidence that people retain more information after reading a paper document than they do after reading a document on screen.

Where did you read that?

 

[PTK]

Where did you read that?

I can't remember. It must have been online.

 

[maomao]

The advantages of paper newspapers over electronic newspapers in public libraries.

1 It is easier to read a printed page than it is to read to read a screen.

2 There is empirical evidence that people retain more information after reading a paper document than they do after reading a document on screen.

3 You are not allowed to be on a library computer all day, whereas you can read a library newspaper all day.

4 You have to be registered with a library service to use the computers, so if you are visiting from another county/borough then you cannot pop into a library to use the computers.

5 Printed newspapers can be accessed as soon as you have one in your hand, whereas it takes some time to log on to the computer and access the online newspaper website.

6 Newspaper websites are often not simply electronic versions of the printed papers, and are harder to navigate than printed papers.

7 Accessing online newspapers may be subject to one of more of six types of failure that reading printed newspapers will not. a) The electricity supply can fail. b) The library service system can go down. c) The individual computer can have a software fault. d) The individual computer can have a hardware fault e) The newspaper website can go down. f) The internet can go down (this has happened).

Advantages of Digital Newspapers Over Printed Copies

1. Instant Access: You can access digital news immediately, often as soon as it breaks, without waiting for delivery.
2. Real-time Updates: Digital platforms allow for constant updates, ensuring you're always informed about the latest developments.
3. Search Functionality: Easily search for specific articles, topics, or keywords within the vast archives of digital newspapers.
4. Multimedia Integration: Digital newspapers can incorporate videos, audio clips, and interactive elements, enhancing the reading experience.
5. Customization: Many digital platforms allow you to personalize your news feed, selecting the topics and sources that interest you most.
6. Accessibility: Digital newspapers are accessible to people with visual impairments through screen readers and other assistive technologies.
7. Environmental Friendliness: Reducing paper consumption helps to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact.
8. Cost-Effective: Digital subscriptions are often more affordable than print subscriptions, especially over the long term.
9. Portability: You can carry your entire digital newspaper library with you on your smartphone or tablet.

 

[PTK]

Advantages of Digital Newspapers Over Printed Copies

1. Instant Access: You can access digital news immediately, often as soon as it breaks, without waiting for delivery.
2. Real-time Updates: Digital platforms allow for constant updates, ensuring you're always informed about the latest developments.
3. Search Functionality: Easily search for specific articles, topics, or keywords within the vast archives of digital newspapers.
4. Multimedia Integration: Digital newspapers can incorporate videos, audio clips, and interactive elements, enhancing the reading experience.
5. Customization: Many digital platforms allow you to personalize your news feed, selecting the topics and sources that interest you most.
6. Accessibility: Digital newspapers are accessible to people with visual impairments through screen readers and other assistive technologies.
7. Environmental Friendliness: Reducing paper consumption helps to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact.
8. Cost-Effective: Digital subscriptions are often more affordable than print subscriptions, especially over the long term.
9. Portability: You can carry your entire digital newspaper library with you on your smartphone or tablet.

I was referring to accessing online newspapers on computers in public libraries.

In a public library, you cannot access “digital” news immediately.

Personalising a news feed is not necessarily a good thing, as it can leave people ignorant of important things, but I was talking about online newspapers, and not news feeds.

Is the consumption of paper actually very environmentally damaging? Paper is a crop that is harvested, like wheat or potatoes. The making of paper is less environmentally damaging than the manufacture of computers. Reading a printed paper does not require the consumption of electricity.

The portability argument is not relevant to a discussion on accessing newspapers via a computer in a public library.

Can you ever know if you have read today’s edition of, for example, The Guardian if you access it online? There appears to be no set of articles for that day that you can flick through, and therefore it seems that you can miss things.

 

[RubyToogood]

Advantages of Digital Newspapers Over Printed Copies

1. Instant Access: You can access digital news immediately, often as soon as it breaks, without waiting for delivery.
2. Real-time Updates: Digital platforms allow for constant updates, ensuring you're always informed about the latest developments.
3. Search Functionality: Easily search for specific articles, topics, or keywords within the vast archives of digital newspapers.
4. Multimedia Integration: Digital newspapers can incorporate videos, audio clips, and interactive elements, enhancing the reading experience.
5. Customization: Many digital platforms allow you to personalize your news feed, selecting the topics and sources that interest you most.
6. Accessibility: Digital newspapers are accessible to people with visual impairments through screen readers and other assistive technologies.
7. Environmental Friendliness: Reducing paper consumption helps to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact.
8. Cost-Effective: Digital subscriptions are often more affordable than print subscriptions, especially over the long term.
9. Portability: You can carry your entire digital newspaper library with you on your smartphone or tablet.

1 and 2 I don't think are good for us at all. How often do you actually NEED to know the news right now, this second, all the time, everywhere? It's very rare. The constant push of information triggers our stress buttons constantly. Oh the retro joy of only having to think about the news once a day, well mixed with recipes, reviews and the crossword.

 

[BigMoaner]

Another thing about printed newspapers is you stumble across things as you flick through. My feed currently just feeds back to me the bullshit that is already in my brain anyway.

 

[BigMoaner]

I would happily by a Sunday newspaper each week but it’s the price. I stick radio 4 On a lot though and it has a similar kind of dynamic for me.

 

[xenon]

Where did you read that?

On a website..

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

I was referring to accessing online newspapers on computers in public libraries.

In a public library, you cannot access “digital” news immediately.

Personalising a news feed is not necessarily a good thing, as it can leave people ignorant of important things, but I was talking about online newspapers, and not news feeds.

Is the consumption of paper actually very environmentally damaging? Paper is a crop that is harvested, like wheat or potatoes. The making of paper is less environmentally damaging than the manufacture of computers. Reading a printed paper does not require the consumption of electricity.

The portability argument is not relevant to a discussion on accessing newspapers via a computer in a public library.

Can you ever know if you have read today’s edition of, for example, The Guardian if you access it online? There appears to be no set of articles for that day that you can flick through, and therefore it seems that you can miss things.

Environment: Agreed. Rare earth metals have to be mined to make mobile phones, which lots of people use to consume news. And the 'save the trees' argument also overlooks the energy consumed by digital versions, all the data servers needed, the heat they generate and the cooling they need, etc. So cutting out paper editions isn't necessarily a straightforward win:win.

'Today's edition': Agreed. When I'm reading online, I maybe read between 5-20 articles a day. I'll probably click through from social media, or I might go to the homepage, Guardian usually, to get a quick overview of the headlines. When I click through, once I'm on a news site, I might click on a few other articles.

If/when I buy a newspaper, I'm more likely to at least skim read articles with a headline that I wouldn't have clicked on. At the weekend, I would get the Saturday Guardian and then a Sunday paper, and I'd spend hours reading it almost from cover to cover (except for the sports section).

 

[BigMoaner]

If/when I buy a newspaper, I'm more likely to at least skim read articles with a headline that I wouldn't have clicked on. At the weekend, I would get the Saturday Guardian and then a Sunday paper, and I'd spend hours reading it almost from cover to cover

I need to get back into doing this…

 

[DaveCinzano]

1 and 2 I don't think are good for us at all. How often do you actually NEED to know the news right now, this second, all the time, everywhere? It's very rare. The constant push of information triggers our stress buttons constantly.

Also there is a tendency for the first version of an online story to be absolute balderdash replete with typos, factual errors, miscitations etc, which have to then be corrected in subsequent versions. Many platforms do not even acknowledge when changes have been made to a published story.

 

[xenon]

not sure I buy the argument about Echo Chambers with hardcopy newspapers versus online. you buy a paper. You don’t buy them all. you can’t look at another paper once you’ve left the shop.

 

[xenon]

libraries are great though. I don’t use them myself but I am pro library.

 

[xenon]

Including libraries with computers, providing Internet access.