[HN Gopher] Ask HN: Any Open Library Memberships?
       ___________________________________________________________________
        
       Ask HN: Any Open Library Memberships?
        
       I really enjoy my local library in Texas but the digital/Overdrive
       selection they offer is limited. Do you know of any libraries that
       have open memberships to non-locals?
        
       Author : RyanShook
       Score  : 35 points
       Date   : 2022-05-08 15:17 UTC (7 hours ago)
        
       | prettyStandard wrote:
       | try looking at major local libraries, like the new york public
       | library, I think many of them are open to non locals, you just
       | pay a small fee.
        
         | eli wrote:
         | $50 a year but you can read banned books for free now
         | https://www.nypl.org/spotlight/books-for-all
        
       | webmaven wrote:
       | The Internet Archive Open Library may be what you're looking for:
       | 
       | https://openlibrary.org/help/faq/reading
       | 
       | Or perhaps the Digital Public Library of America:
       | 
       | https://freebooks.dp.la/collection/groups
        
       | throwaway755574 wrote:
       | Related. Do any of these libraries give a "read" API? Not just
       | for metadata but also the main text itself. I have some apps
       | planned around it but data has been gating factor for me.
        
       | toomuchtodo wrote:
       | https://www.aworldadventurebybook.com/blog/libraries-with-no...
        
         | eatonphil wrote:
         | This is a great page, although all of them are also non-free
         | (for non-residents).
         | 
         | Separately, I wonder if there are any university libraries that
         | offer memberships for non-affiliated people. For instance I
         | wonder if I could get library access at CUNY or NYU (or
         | Columbia, etc.) since I live in NYC. In general it feels like
         | there's more of a hassle than there should be for city
         | residents to benefit from city universities even if you aren't
         | a student/faculty.
        
           | ics wrote:
           | Each school/university will have its own policies, some allow
           | the general public access but no borrowing, others have
           | borrow policies usually under a "Friend of the Library"
           | membership. For example:
           | 
           | - https://library.ccny.cuny.edu/about/friends
           | 
           | - https://library.cooper.edu/friends/
           | 
           | - https://library.nyu.edu/about/general/fob/
           | 
           | Between NYPL, QPL, BPL, and these I think living in NYC gives
           | you access to a pretty great selection of materials.
           | Navigating the policies can be a bit like juggling streaming
           | services but is completely worth it in my opinion.
        
             | eatonphil wrote:
             | Thank you!
        
           | eatonphil wrote:
           | GP's link includes:                 * Brooklyn Public Library
           | * Monroe County Library System       * Queens Public Library
           | * Charlotte Mecklenburg Library       * Chapel Hill Public
           | Library       * Houston Public Library       * Fairfax County
           | Public Library
           | 
           | Here are some more [0, 1]:                 * Free Library of
           | Philadelphia       * Los Angeles Public Library       *
           | Atlanta-Fulton Library       * Austin Public Library       *
           | Enoch Pratt Free Library       * New Orleans Public Library
           | * Orange County Library System       * Westchester Library
           | System       * Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
           | 
           | [0] https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2011/09/22/library-
           | ebooks-...
           | 
           | [1] https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/EBook_Lending_Libraries#
           | Wid...
        
           | derbOac wrote:
           | My alma mater has special library privileges for alumni, but
           | when I've looked into it it's missing some of the most
           | important resources, so it's not worth it. Our local regional
           | public library system also has access to materials but
           | they're also pretty spotty.
           | 
           | I think the OP's question is a good one. It's unusual in some
           | ways, in that even if you are willing to pay for library
           | access you often can't obtain it.
           | 
           | The problem related to access to academic resources in this
           | way isn't just an issue of "open versus closed" in the sense
           | of intellectual property, or even a problem of financial
           | barriers to access, but also a gatekeeping problem.
           | 
           | Someone who is willing to pay, say, an amount equal to
           | student services fees should probably be able to access the
           | equivalent of a university library. It feels like, say, a US
           | citizen should be able to access journal articles through the
           | library of congress, maybe through a nominal yearly fee. You
           | could even limit access like ebooks etc and it would still be
           | better than the current system.
           | 
           | There's so many things like this in contemporary society that
           | shouldn't be this way.
        
       | black_13 wrote:
        
       | SirensOfTitan wrote:
       | From what I can recall, the Brooklyn Public Library allows for
       | non-local sign ups for a fee.
        
       | djdbxk wrote:
       | libgen.rs
        
       ___________________________________________________________________
       (page generated 2022-05-08 23:02 UTC)