1. If, at first glance, you find this a swell idea.....glance again.
The new policy will “unblock” about 400,000 city residents who owe more than $15 in fines, officials said. About half of those people live in “high-need communities,” officials from the city and all three libraries said in a joint statement. Thirty percent of them are under 17 years old.
“For those who can afford the fines, they are barely an incentive. For those who can’t afford the fines — disproportionately low-income New Yorkers — they become a real barrier to access that we can no longer accept,” he said.
BTW.....that's Brooklyn central library.....and that's real gold around the entrance.
2. On the one hand, I love the fact that lots of people are reading books, using the library....especially those in “high-need communities,” .....I believe that reading will ease them away from voting Democrat.
But...
The saying 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'
https://www.phrases.org.uk › meanings › the-road-to-h...
The expression is often attributed to the Cistercian abbot Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153).
3. Absolving the pittance charged as late fees....pennies....certainly doesn't re-enforce a sense of personal responsibility.
And, if my guess is correct, more books will never be returned without the reminder of the fines.
And there are lots of folks who don't forget to return books who will be punished by this new 'woke' system.
4. A reminder, from economics:
Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One
Dr. Thomas Sowell, in “Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One,” challenges individuals to analyze not only their short term (Stage One) impact but to also think ahead to their long term (Stage Two, Three, etc) impact. Politicians do not think beyond Stage One because they will be praised (and elected) for the short term benefits but will not be held accountable much later when the long term consequences appear
5. Amazon review:
Sowell takes the key political issues and challenges the reader to analyze not only their short term (Stage One) political impact but to also think ahead to their long term (Stage Two, Three, etc) economic impact. He reminds the reader that politicians do not think beyond Stage One because they will be praised (and elected) for the short term benefits but will not be held accountable much later when the long term consequences appear. He lays out the Stage One benefits of each political issue and then predicts the long term consequences that politicians don't address. Price controls on drugs and health care may have an immediate benefit, but the consumer will pay years later as health care quality decreases and new drug research declines. Reducing the price does not reduce the cost. Does raising the minimum wage really help entry level workers? What happens in the long term when communities raise taxes on businesses? Is free health care really free, or better?
We need to look beyond Stage One and separate politics from economics on the hot election year issues.
If you don't agree with me......take a look at the library president's name:
NYPL President Anthony Marx.
"NYC public libraries to end late fees altogether, waive open fines
... all late fees and replacement fees owed to the New York Public Library, Queens Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library will be waived.The new policy will “unblock” about 400,000 city residents who owe more than $15 in fines, officials said. About half of those people live in “high-need communities,” officials from the city and all three libraries said in a joint statement. Thirty percent of them are under 17 years old.
“For those who can afford the fines, they are barely an incentive. For those who can’t afford the fines — disproportionately low-income New Yorkers — they become a real barrier to access that we can no longer accept,” he said.
Good shhh: NYC public libraries to end late fees altogether, waive open fines
As of this Tuesday, all late fees and replacement fees owed to the New York Public Library, Queens Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library will be waived.
nypost.com
BTW.....that's Brooklyn central library.....and that's real gold around the entrance.
2. On the one hand, I love the fact that lots of people are reading books, using the library....especially those in “high-need communities,” .....I believe that reading will ease them away from voting Democrat.
But...
The saying 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'
https://www.phrases.org.uk › meanings › the-road-to-h...
The expression is often attributed to the Cistercian abbot Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – 1153).
3. Absolving the pittance charged as late fees....pennies....certainly doesn't re-enforce a sense of personal responsibility.
And, if my guess is correct, more books will never be returned without the reminder of the fines.
And there are lots of folks who don't forget to return books who will be punished by this new 'woke' system.
4. A reminder, from economics:
Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One
Dr. Thomas Sowell, in “Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One,” challenges individuals to analyze not only their short term (Stage One) impact but to also think ahead to their long term (Stage Two, Three, etc) impact. Politicians do not think beyond Stage One because they will be praised (and elected) for the short term benefits but will not be held accountable much later when the long term consequences appear
5. Amazon review:
Sowell takes the key political issues and challenges the reader to analyze not only their short term (Stage One) political impact but to also think ahead to their long term (Stage Two, Three, etc) economic impact. He reminds the reader that politicians do not think beyond Stage One because they will be praised (and elected) for the short term benefits but will not be held accountable much later when the long term consequences appear. He lays out the Stage One benefits of each political issue and then predicts the long term consequences that politicians don't address. Price controls on drugs and health care may have an immediate benefit, but the consumer will pay years later as health care quality decreases and new drug research declines. Reducing the price does not reduce the cost. Does raising the minimum wage really help entry level workers? What happens in the long term when communities raise taxes on businesses? Is free health care really free, or better?
We need to look beyond Stage One and separate politics from economics on the hot election year issues.
If you don't agree with me......take a look at the library president's name:
NYPL President Anthony Marx.