You may have read my post suggesting that our public library is no longer affordable, and that we need to get busy on realistic alternatives. My prayers are answered! A NYTimes op-ed piece today..."A Digital Library Better Than Google's" by Robert Darnton, director of the Harvard University Library... suggests that we (the American public) should "... build a digital public library, including all the books published in the world (both past and future), which would provide these digital copies free of charge to readers." What an incredible asset that would be! More quotes: "A number of countries are also determined to ...scan the entire contents of their national libraries". Example: The National Library of the Netherlands is trying to digitalize every Dutch book and periodical published since 1470; Australia, Finland, France and Norway are undertaking their own efforts, according to Darnton.
This, friends, is the kind of idea that will enable us to survive the threat of climate change. This is what is possible with current technology. This is what we can do to lower our collective carbon footprint to a point where we avoid the scientific 'tipping points' that we're so rapidly approaching. Imagine: In one fell swoop we could close every public library in the country. How many times have we driven to the library to pick up some books? Our grandchildren will marvel at that idea.
Another recommended read: On page 100 of the April 2011 National Geographic magazine, an article about The Acid Sea by Elizabeth Kolbert, my favorite environmental writer. Excellent, and very very sobering.
Sunny and 84 in Corvallis today. Not! Not! We're about to set a record for most rainy days in March... 28! Not fair! Not fair! (I miss my Mexican beach town).
Namaste.
Kirk
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