Lex Ferenda

If you have an hour (a bus or train journey is perfect), listen to this episode of the consistently excellent Open Source radio programme (online, podcast, US public radio etc, hosted by Christopher Lydon) - Passion: Libraries. It’s a wide-ranging discussion of the role of the library (big and small) and I enjoyed it a lot. A number of interesting libraries were mentioned, including the iconic Boston Public Library (which I visited on my 21st birthday, although visit and birthday were not connected!) and the admired Vancouver Central Library.

With this discussion still in mind, I came across this report of EU approval for public wifi systems in Wales and Prague. No discussion of the incredible power of access to information, or the role of technology and knowledge in education, or even the levelling effect of no-questions-asked, no-money-required facilities; the key factor (once again) is whether any public proposal is going to ‘compete’ with private facilities. (If it does, it’s verboten). I don’t think anything as ambitious as a library (complete with books that are easily available through private sources - how horribly anti-competitive) would even get off the ground today, if the ‘modern’ market laws were applied to the project. Depressing.

A range of tall ships (new and old) are in Dublin this weekend (profiles and pictures of the visiting boats) as part of the Docklands Maritime Festival. I was particularly impressed by the replica of John Cabot’s Bristol, which sailed from Bristol to Newfoundland, ‘discovering’ the latter in the process.

For the festival, creative use is made of the (now virtually complete) restoration of the north campshires, which have been filled with a temporary market/circus/music/etc. Many of the boats can be boarded without charge - and some have opened their bars or kitchens too.

If you prefer your retro transportation with rails rather than sails, you just missed a Dublin-Bray run of the RPSI’s 1879 steam locomotive - but information on future events is available.