On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:35:05 -0400, Daniel Bastos wrote:

> In article <4a820953$1@news.povray.org>, Jim Henderson wrote:
> 
>> On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:18:28 -0400, Daniel Bastos wrote:
>>
>>> In article <4a819c66@news.povray.org>, Jim Henderson wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I'd believe that.  Libraries are funded by taxpayer dollars, so if
>>>> you're not a taxpayer, you typically would have to pay for a card (or
>>>> just not be allowed to use the resources).
>>> 
>>> By the way, in Princeton's case, they didn't ask whether I was from
>>> Jersey or anywhere. They simply said that if I was not a tuition
>>> payer, then I needed to pay some 300 dollars per semester for library
>>> access.
>>
>> That makes sense, since a portion of tuition would go to fund the
>> library and its collection.
> 
> Hm. Are you saying that it makes sense for one to use a library if and
> only if one can afford its price? (Or only in the Princeton's case? In
> which case, why is Princeton special?)

Libraries cost money.  Someone's gotta pay for them.  Students pay 
through their tuition.  If you don't pay tuition, then sure, it seems 
reasonable that they would charge.  It's not like Princeton's library is 
a "public library" (ie, paid for by taxpayer money).

I'm saying it makes sense that they would charge a non-student a premium 
to use the facility.  Staff doesn't work for free, books aren't free, 
utilities have to be paid, etc.

Jim

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