That would preclude the significant majority of use of public libraries; a $200 deposit is absolutely crippling to someone living in poverty, and unattainable for almost all children and students.
i don't think you realize for how many families having to find an extra $200 to just leave sitting around as a deposit at the library would be an extreme hardship or just plain impossible.
It's a lot of families.
To get a sense of how many, 40% of Americans surveyed say that they would have trouble paying an unexpected $400 expense. That they'd have to sell something or neglect other bills, or it would otherwise be a challenge, or impossible.
Why stop at books? Why can't libraries branch out into, say, tools.
A poor person needing a nail gun and air compressor to fix up their shack should just be able to get that from the library, and not have to pay some capitalistic swine like Home Depot or whoever.
No late fees ... return it next week, next month, whenever y'know?
In practice, there’s more hurdles for tools, since they have more risk of harming the user, but they seem like they’re possible to overcome.
Oh look, we aren’t the first ones to have this idea: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_library “ Given their increasing popularity and proven history of success, tool libraries and tool banks are now playing a role in the sharing economy and can be found in local public libraries and makerspaces, for instance. There are software platforms for managing tool and other types of lending libraries”
Actually it's everyone else in this thread who is sheltered and privileged. They are exhibiting typical sheltered, privileged, educated class values and rhetoric around the issue of class. I think I tipped over a particular sacred cow here. Could it be that the library institution is regarded as sort of the modern equivalent of missionary work? And so it is easy to slip into blasphemy if you're discussing libraries. In America, libraries offer the hope that the throngs of unsavory rabble out there can be converted into odor-free-farting, educated liberals, cast in one's own image.
My local library has done this with a variety of kitchen implements, like mixers, ice cream makers, cake pans, etc. I think it's a great way to use something once or twice without having one more thing around the house.
