Chasing the Dragon's Tale

The idea of a public library charging for internet access is not news. Many libraries charge non-residents a nominal hourly fee for using their computers to access the Internet. That can be genuine service for someone traveling and not wanting to invest in all of the paraphenalia (and respective charges) to hook up a cell phone to a laptop (or some other means of personal access). The story in today's The Star Ledger (NJ), Information, Free No More, is largely about criticism that the library received for creating an economic hardship on lower income, local resident users who wish to use the Internet. From the Dragon's perspective, the Bloomfield (Essex County - "working-class community with a growing immigrant population" ) library gives us a new definition of a generational gap that is age and geographically specific:

"The library's new policy (to charge one dollar per hour for Internet access) began Feb. 9. Bloomfield residents 19 years old and younger and college students with a Bloomfield library card are exempt. "

Likely, the assumption that working folks wouldn't be hurt by a one dollar charge, unfortunately, communicates that generationally if you are younger, you need access to do constructive/academic work...if you are older, your access is just for recreation/email...and besides that, you are older..so you can afford it! In their defense, the library is attempting to recover expenses and be fiscally responsible...'A' for effort. The unintended consequence, in addition to a lot of flack from the American Library Association et ux, is that the library is perceived as denying access to people with lower economic means. It is amazing that the AARP has not (yet) joined the fray to say that this is discrimination against senior citizens. When that happens, the generational definition is validated. Final Score: Dragon 1, Library 0