🔖 Read The Coming Enshittification of Public Libraries.
Karawynn Long compares the trajectory of Overdrive/Libby to platforms like Amazon and Facebook and finds a lot to worry about. An important read for those of us in libraryland.
Micro.blog
@KimberlyHirsh bookmarking because “enshittification” is a word I want to use copiously. And because I love libraries.
@KimberlyHirsh Good piece! One small thing to do: resist libraries' streamlining (they think) by deaccessioning actual books. More and more, physical media (actual books, CDs etc.) are the resistance.
@Annie @KimberlyHirsh There’s something about Overdrive/Libby that always sat wrong with me, and I think this is it.
@pimoore @kimberlyhirsh @Annie @JohnBrady The words "private equity firm" and "public library" being used in the same sentence... ugh.
@SimonWoods @kimberlyhirsh @Annie @JohnBrady
Private equity: “We care about maximizing our portion of it, and it’s none of your business.”
@JohnBrady I've started checking out physical books whenever possible. There are accessibility issues here - so it won't work for everyone (homebound people, for example) - but it's definitely a great step if you can do it.
@pimoore I have loved using it and it saved my bacon when I was traveling away from my home library for months, but the monopoly of it all is so concerning.
@KimberlyHirsh Thanks, I think, for this link. I use Libby in conjunction with Amazon Kindle, so its double trouble. I’m well aware of KKR, one of the evil grandaddies of private equity. I heard they acquired Overdrive and it didn’t stick in my mind, but I thought it was weird. I will perhaps try to get physical books more often.
@KimberlyHirsh That is a very good piece. The entire Substack is fascinating: thanks for alerting us to it.