mek.fyi
Hi, I'm http://mek.fyi, a country squire no longer young. Neutral Good.
📚 OpenLibrary.org at the Internet Archive
👨💻 Berkman Klein Center '22, '23 affiliate
🗺️ Let's map the world's knowledge.
83 posts
244 followers
16 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
comment in response to
post
Thank you for your kind words, Richard, I just shared your message with hundreds of the project's volunteers who I am positive feel uplifted and supported by your choice to share these reflections :)
comment in response to
post
J, I'm so glad the resources are useful to you! We just imported 10k reading levels to improve our k-12 library, are introducing on-the-fly translations into bookreader to be accessible to more non-native speakers, better collections, & are preparing to import nearly 1M new books into the catalog!
comment in response to
post
I am deeply saddened for those public-good-committed individuals within the Library & Archives community who have had their grant funding frozen, and I am available for a call if I can be a helpful resource for navigating next steps.
comment in response to
post
This is why: the stock market could crash to zero, I could lose my job, and policies could make it harder for libraries to exist, and these would be all the more reasons to conscientiously advocate for and build towards the compassionate, inclusive world of library values everyone deserves.
comment in response to
post
"Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves. The world’s entire scientific and cultural heritage, published over centuries in books and journals, is increasingly being digitized and locked up by a handful of private corporations."
- Aaron Swartz
comment in response to
post
The world deserves more reader privacy and open metadata, not vendor lock-in. @openlibrary.org is one open source alternative to amazon's goodreads that makes all its book data publicly available for free each month:
openlibrary.org/developers/d...
comment in response to
post
The library ethos is to support humans and create opportunity. As a community, @openlibrary.org has mentored and graduated more than 30 engineering & design fellows internationally, helping many make impact, enter graduate programs, and jumpstart their careers.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mekarp...
comment in response to
post
Thousands of readers with qualifying print disabilities rely on platforms like @openlibrary.org because digital access is literally the only way they can read print books. These audiences shouldn't have to worry about a sudden change in policy potentially leaving them behind.
comment in response to
post
While library systems in many nations are paddling upstream, against predatory corporate leasing schemes, to continue serving patrons, many nations have yet to establish libraries. @openlibrary.org ensures all nations have basic access to a Public Domain.
mekarpeles.medium.com/content-land...
comment in response to
post
@openlibrary.org remains home to thousands of challenged books:
openlibrary.org/collections/...
Do I agree with all of them? No.
But I believe in the value of protecting authors' free speech. I trust in my neighbors to reach healthy conclusions. And I believe in the power of books to get us there.
comment in response to
post
More than ever, the world needs libraries: safe spaces, supportive community, reliable information, basic resources.
Meanwhile, the world's libraries are increasingly under threat by lawsuits, exploitative leasing models, funding cuts, and never-ending copyright.
www.linkedin.com/pulse/uncert...
comment in response to
post
Maybe they'll let you buy a new envelope using a raincheck?
comment in response to
post
Oh no, I'm next
comment in response to
post
Hearts, stars, and horseshoes
comment in response to
post
Honestly, no accomplishment will come close to the warm fuzzies of somehow convincing Ted and Tim to appear in the same photo. For anyone who knows the history of the web, this is a rare pepe.
comment in response to
post
Their boss told them to backup a hare.
comment in response to
post
Every person is in some way my superior and in that I strive to learn of them.
comment in response to
post
What's a thought you had recently about preventative or holistic health? What prompted the thought? How might you or someone else apply the thought?
comment in response to
post
I don't know if travel and cooking are on that list but maybe those are things I wish I spent a bit more time/energy on. I work a lot more than I'd like to admit and often feel guilty thinking about / doing a lot of these things.
comment in response to
post
I'd love to think more about language learning (Chinese), how to develop edu curriculum collaboratively for self-learners, tiny homes & woodworking, music theory, intellectual property law and protecting consumers, psychology and sociology (understanding the human condition), and product management.
comment in response to
post
I give up:
Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named tuckoo...
comment in response to
post
comment in response to
post
I love when this happens; an ah-ha moment where one realizes people may not believe a thing (or similarly important things) because they don't understand, or are unconvinced of, an underlying axiom. That's exciting you spotted one in your writing!
comment in response to
post
Obligatory context
https://youtu.be/Gd0NtQDio20
comment in response to
post
At a personal level I agree investing money in tax breaks which then decrease government coffers, and in turn increases the debt, seems an equally bad strategy that I tend to think of this as a right leaning.
comment in response to
post
Find me a fascist and I'm sure we can both agree that some non-fascist idea they've had was well conceived. And I think both of us would still be able to agree that we do not approve of fascism.
comment in response to
post
I feel this question misinterprets my views; a map is not the territory.
I don't believe a human can be exclusively summarized as a single label, even if the label may fit them well.
We shouldn't tolerate or dignify bad behaviors. A fascist can still pay taxes.
comment in response to
post
There is both a process and also consideration of some of the factors you're likely thinking of.
https://help.archive.org/help/how-do-i-request-to-remove-something-from-archive-org/