When I was a child, the set of encyclopedias in our house and books from the local library were our main source of information. We're going to regret outsourcing human knowledge to Silicon Valley technofascists. They can destroy modern recorded history with a few keystrokes. Join your library. - ThreadSky

margaretmorgan.bsky.social • 17 days ago

When I was a child, the set of encyclopedias in our house and books from the local library were our main source of information.

We're going to regret outsourcing human knowledge to Silicon Valley technofascists.

They can destroy modern recorded history with a few keystrokes.

Join your library.

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owrlfs.bsky.social•17 days ago

I love my library.

lizzs-beachgirl.bsky.social•17 days ago

Libraries have chucked out encyclopaedias, reference books, even kids assignment/project books. I know bc I’m a librarian and every public library I worked in from 2007-2010 was weeding out these tomes. There was barely a single-volume encyclopaedia left. The focus in libraries is now on fiction.

bornwrong.bsky.social•17 days ago

We had a set of Encyclopædia Britannica. They arrived at the school house (my father was the head master) when I was in Form 1. I jealously guarded them for the next 45 years, they became known as "my encyclopædias." Other family members asked permission before use.
Then came Wikipedia.

margaretmorgan.bsky.social•17 days ago

I have huge respect for Wikipedia--it's a great service. I make an automated donation each month because I want to protect it.

But it's vulnerable. Musk and his ilk want to kill it because apparently knowledge is woke and now he's president, he'll probably succeed. The gulf that will leave is vast.

lizzs-beachgirl.bsky.social•17 days ago

Same respect here for Wikipedia. It’s a shame students are taught they can’t use it as a reference. Even as a librarian with a science degree, I use Wikipedia as my starting point for everything I want to know about.

bornwrong.bsky.social•17 days ago

Students should instead be taught that its alright to use but always be aware of how it's produced and therefore do so with a grain of salt and like any other source do further research to verify and backup what they have read. No source is perfect not even Britannica.

lizzs-beachgirl.bsky.social•16 days ago

Absolutely agree. And like ‘researching’ anything, read multiple sources. Wikipedia is always a great starting point.

bornwrong.bsky.social•17 days ago

Wikipedia has surpassed Britannica in every way. It is the jewel of the WWW and a testament to what people can do when they cooperate even when doing so voluntarily. I am a heavy user of it and make a yearly donation.
Converting it to Xikipedia would be a tragedy similar to what happened to Twitter.

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