The Commons - Heather

Public libraries are the mechanism for which our society disseminates information freely. This free sharing of information allows for debate; without debate democracy cannot exist. If public libraries cease to exist within our culture, the very threads of our society will change from freedom colors to tones of censorship and control. Our culture will no longer be culture; but a marketplace as Bollier states. Bollier suggests that the libraries is a commons, a place where ideas are freely exchanged and owned not by a corporation but the individuals which comprise it. In effect, if libraries neglect to refute the general ideas view of them as “unnecessary” it will be an abandonment of democracy for a tragic downward spiral of government by the few. While some people feel that libraries are “a waste of taxpayer money ", this is simply not true.

Vaidhyanthan uses the phrase “anarchy in the library” to describe the influence libraries have as a place where ideas are freely shared, and “radical democracy” is allowed to reign through the dissemination of free information. He describes this anarchy as a fight against oligarchy’s desire to control people through strict govern of how, when, and for what purposes information can be accessed. Thus, the battle against oligarchy is occurring in our libraries. Libraries that are now being considered “dens for terrorists” rather than havens of knowledge.

Vaidhyanthan has many hopes. For the book; to encourage serious thought into what freedoms are truly dangerous. To both identify and criticize societies moral panic that is causing many to argue that freedom is getting out of hand. This cry against freedom is due to informations easy accessibility. Now that porn and the newest marketing trend are equally accessible, people are running scared. However, Siva argues that despite the changing world we live in we should refrain from trying to filter information and restrict communication flows. The consequences of this restriction against our democratic state can be dire. For society, Vaidhyanthan hopes; That an energized web of people will come together to openly debate how information is controlled. That fresh vocabulary will be created to discuss the ideas of anarchy vs. oligopoly and the place of “the commons” will be evaluated. Mostly, Vaidhyanthan hopes that through this discussion a new protocol will be implement that will improve democracy, instead of tearing it apart.