Comment 25976

By haaa (anonymous) | Posted July 17, 2008 at 12:29:28

The first "public" libraries were subscription based, ie the members paid a fee every year to maintain the infrastructure. It wasn't until the 1850s that the modern free library began to be institutionalized.

Aside from perhaps a question of scale (transit costs more than libraries, and the cost per transaction is higher), I see no other real difference between transit and other city services that are offered without user fees.

Why is transit so different? I am not expected to fund the librarian's salary every time I borrow a book, why should users personally subsidize the bus driver? I don't see the obvious differences you mention.

The benefit to the disenfranchised in this community would greatly outweigh the costs.

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