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| Pictured: Not Mary Hastler |
Mary Hastler, director of the Harford County Public Library, is encouraging her patrons to write, email and otherwise contact publishers who are pulling their support for ebook lending. Like a scene straight from the classic movie Jerry Maguire, Hastler sent 160,000 patrons a letter outlining what is happening and how they can react. Unlike Jerry Maguire, Hastler will probably not get to hang out with Renee Zellwegger's son and trade random facts on a couch.
I am totally fine with this approach, and I think that more people should contact relevant parties on issues they feel strongly about, but do you think it will make a difference? Is saying to a major company, "We want your product, but do not want to pay for it!" the best way to make a point?
How about writing to your congressman to suggest programs that could benefit companies that lend to public libraries and schools? That would be P.R. awesomeness on all parts. And, well, every other company is getting bailouts, why can't the public benefit?
I am totally fine with this approach, and I think that more people should contact relevant parties on issues they feel strongly about, but do you think it will make a difference? Is saying to a major company, "We want your product, but do not want to pay for it!" the best way to make a point?
How about writing to your congressman to suggest programs that could benefit companies that lend to public libraries and schools? That would be P.R. awesomeness on all parts. And, well, every other company is getting bailouts, why can't the public benefit?