
Ditch Starbucks and work at the library - apress
http://52tiger.net/ditch-starbucks-and-work-at-the-library/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+52Tiger+%2852+Tiger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
======
edw519
Maybe we're lucky in Pittsburgh, but we have the best of both worlds at the
main branch of the Carnegie Library. You can take a tour of where I work 2 or
3 days per week:

<http://www.clpgh.org/locations/main/tours/virtualtour/>

It's fantastic. It was built by Andrew Carnegie in 1895 and most of it is
original. I get inspiration from the 20 foot ceilings and hand made
ornamentation everywhere you look. They simply don't build things like this
any more. There are quiet reading rooms, large tables, plenty of light, and oh
yeah, a Crazy Mocha coffee shop in the building. I use a cell phone dongle on
my laptop and most people know that email is my preferred communication
method.

If I need a break, I can look at priceless artifacts in the Carnegie museum
through the windows in the open stacks. Or just get the world's most
disgusting hot dog at the "O" a block away. If I need inspiration, that'll
either make me or break me.

One of these days, I'd like to make the claim that some incredible technology
of the 21st century was conceived in an edifice borne out of the some of the
best technology of the 19th century.

"My aspirations take a higher flight. Mine be it to have contributed to the
enlightenment and the joys of the mind, to the things of the spirit, to all
that tends to bring into the lives of the toilers of Pittsburgh sweetness and
light. I hold this the noblest possible use of wealth." - Andrew Carnegie at
the Dedication of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, November 5, 1895.

~~~
snippyhollow
I used to work (a few years ago) at Sainte-Geneviève library (in Paris), and
it was as you said: inspirational. You simply "had to" work once there.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblioth%C3%A8que_Sainte-
Genevi...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblioth%C3%A8que_Sainte-
Genevi%C3%A8ve)

~~~
melipone
Yes, I remember it well. It's next to the Pantheon. I remember getting those
ancient, priceless books that couldn't be found anywhere else.

------
alexophile
In my (biased, but well-founded) experience, it comes down to a question of
whether I'd rather be distracted by a cute girl or an old man getting
reprimanded for looking at dirty pictures.

[bg: I really like libraries - worked at one in the suburbs in high school and
have since moved to the city, which exaggerated the weird bits]

One thing that's worth noting: if you're on a college campus, a great place to
find some legit quiet time is in _departmental_ libraries, especially the
social sciences.

~~~
mberning
I came here to post this very thing. When I was working downtown I decided to
go to the library during my lunch break. To my surprise there was almost
nobody in the library actually reading. However, there were people on every
single computer workstation. Glancing over the screens I could see a variety
of pornographic images, facebook and myspace pages, and youtube. The library
is a great resource, but I was completely pissed off that my tax dollars go to
support that.

~~~
JacobAldridge
_"but I was completely pissed off that my tax dollars go to support that."_

People who can't afford a few hundred dollars for their own computer and the
monthly bill for internet access? If you're looking at porn in the library,
it's because you can't do it anywhere else, not because you're abusing tax
dollars.

Would I like the poor, the disadvantaged, the isolated to be using the library
resources my taxes pay for to advance their lives? Hell yeah. Am I going to
begrudge them - let alone get pissed off about - them using it to do the
things I can do on my phone, on my way to the well-paying job? Hell no.

~~~
mberning
This is completely and utterly asinine. Not only does this inappropriate use
cause a hostile environment for people that legitimately want to use the
library, but it lowers the number of available workstations for legitimate
use. Just imagine your grandmother or little sister going down to the library
to do some research and being uncomfortable in this environment. Think they
are going to go back? No, of course they won't. But they will continue to pay
tax to fund it. I don't understand how anybody could be 'OK' with this gross
misuse of public funds.

~~~
mileszs
Perhaps we should pay someone to decide what people are allowed to look at on
those computers. Actually, that doesn't seem fair. Perhaps we should pay a
committee to decide, and they can hand their decision to an IT department to
implement. Well, I suppose adding another responsibility to the library's IT
staff will mean we'll have to pay to add a position to the department so
they're staffed well enough. There. Problem solved. Funds are no longer being
misused. Right?

Because this is the internet, the above probably seems really snarky. It's
meant to be a calm, civil anecdote to illustrate my point, but I apologize if
it does seem hostile. In any case, I think preventing people from using their
library computer time as they see fit 1) will result in upset users due to
many false positives, 2) results in more ... "big-brother-ism", if you will,
3) will cost as much money as it saves.

~~~
rapind
I'd pay a small tax increase of .1 cents to abolish internet pornography in
libraries. Call me a party pooper, but there's a time and place, and the place
for pornography is definitely not public spaces.

I don't care if there's a nude painting on display, but I do care if there's
some hard core humping on a computer monito in a public place where my child
can see it... I mean he was just born, give him at least a few years
innocence!

~~~
silentbicycle
You make it sound so easy. Leaving aside the complicated legal question for
determining what is and isn't considered pornography* , how would you go about
_actually doing it_? Is internet filtering perfectly reliable? Would hiring
several extra library employees specifically to watch the internet stations
suffice? Library staff are already trying to prevent people from viewing
pornography on the public computers, working within the resources available.
Sheesh.

* At the library system I worked at, it was a matter of staff judgement.

~~~
rapind
I reread my comment after it had been downvoted and realized I was probably
not clear at all. I don't care about the downvoting, but I wanted to clear it
up so no one reading it felt persecuted or unappreciated.

When I said .1 cents I actually meant a _small amount_ but not a _trivial
amount_ per paycheck multiplied by the tax paying population. So around 7
million per year. Not sure if that's significant enough, but it was just a
figure off the top of my head meant to demonstrate that by paying a small
amount _individually_ we could help the issue.

Anyways, I've over-explained it now... but I felt like a douche when I checked
my threads this morning.

~~~
silentbicycle
I understood where you're coming from. Unfortunately, tax increases for _any_
library services can be a hard sell.

Mainly, I just wanted to point out that it's a quintessential "Small Matter of
Programming" (<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_matter_of_programming>)
issue in library policy, and people who have never worked for a library can
easily underestimate the difficulty. My response was a bit over-bristly,
though, sorry.

------
Roritharr
Well, actually i did work at the library, but i changed for one reason to my
local coffeeplace: taking and making calls.

Thats the one reason i've left the library. I tried a starbucks for working
but he is right, the tables are not big enough etc, so i actually went to a
local coffeeshop and talked to the owner about me liking to work at his place.

I made a deal with him, i did all the quick-wins of online advertisement for
him, (it's in germany so: qype, facebook, twitter, simple page with a fair
amount of seo). For this i got my special table, big enough for everything i
would ever need(i could easily place 2 macbooks + papers on it) + a coffee and
bagle flatrate for a year.

I think we both made a good deal.

~~~
Gormo
I wonder if there's a market for a coffee shop that has small, private office
spaces available, perhaps available for free or for an hourly rent.

These might be the size of a typical restaurant booth (or a bit larger), but
would be enclosed spaces that allow you to block out noise and distractions.

It wouldn't even need to be a coffee shop; maybe something like a capsule
hotel for workspaces.

~~~
tptacek
No. A bunch of people tried that over the last couple years in Chicago; all of
them went bust. There are too many viable alternatives to "rental cubby" to
charge enough. And coffee shops of all forms are almost sure-fire money
losers.

~~~
jeromec
_And coffee shops of all forms are almost sure-fire money losers._

I'd never heard that before. Is Starbucks an exception? Does their volume make
the difference?

~~~
tptacek
For any piece of real estate that is ideal as a coffee shop setting, one of
Starbucks, Peets, Caribou, or Seattle's Best is bound to be the top bidder.
The exceptions to this rule are dense metro areas where virtually every corner
retail space is an ideal coffee shop location; the problem with this exception
is that these spots are spectacularly expensive and serve markets already
saturated with coffee shops.

------
SwellJoe
I have a 3G/4G modem with unlimited use (from Clear), and no longer consider
WiFi availability as an important part of the decision making process of where
to work. I'm currently camped in the desert in Southern California, 35 miles
from the nearest "big" city (Brawley, which is not very big, but it does have
a Walmart).

But, I never have been able to work in coffee shops. I can't think long enough
with all the distractions to do anything of real value. Email, sure. Browsing
reddit, no problem. But, actual work? No way. Library would probably work,
though I've only tried it a few times when I was in Canada and didn't have 3G;
it didn't work very well, as the Internet was always too slow or broken.

~~~
code_duck
In the past I have lived or died by Starbucks and Caribou - driving around
Omaha or some random town in Colorado trying to find public internet access.
Now that I have a phone with national internet access, truly mobile internet
is going to completely change how I work when I travel.

The rest stops with wifi have been fun finds in the past. There's one 50 miles
west of Omaha for instance with decent wireless internet - I got a lot of odd
looks sitting at a picnic table with my Macbook doing emails for two hours.
Now, I can do that anywhere!

~~~
SwellJoe
My Kindle was priceless in Canada. It has free 3G web browsing, even
internationally...so, when I was stopping for the night, I'd do a search for
"free wifi (city-name)", and punch the resulting address into the GPS. The
Kindle browser is completely unusable for normal browsing (it's like browsing
from 1994), but it's acceptable for that one query.

I've found that rest stops with WiFi are rarely in working condition. I'm not
sure why it's so hard for public hotspots to be kept operational, but
apparently it is, as I'd say 75% of the ones at unattended locations are
simply not working. I've learned to never _expect_ WiFi to work, even if it is
advertised on the sign or on the website or whatever. The same is true of
campgrounds, 80% of which claim to have WiFi but only about 40% of which
actually have usable speed and reliability. I'm tempted, being a nerd, to just
go around fixing campground networks, free of charge. But, usually, I just use
my 3G/4G modem. I'm getting 500kbps-1Mbps here in the desert, which is
completely usable.

~~~
code_duck
Wifi is indeed usually atrocious at rest stops, which is why the one in
Nebraska was such a find (my standard is 'works well for 8 bit VNC'). I find
they usually ' _work_ ', technically, but the signal quality is very poor.

Some hotels have been similarly ruined for me by lack of acceptable internet
service. As an entrepreneur, I'm never on a real vacation and thus a reliable,
stable, reasonably fast connection is even more important than working
plumbing. If a 3G device can take care of that, it's quite a relief. I always
dreaded that I would sign in at a hotel, go to my room, and find the internet
connection was lousy.

------
dhyasama
I work out the Columbia University libraries, although I'm not a student. For
$500/year you can become a Friend of the Libraries and have access to all the
libraries. It's a bargain if you consider how much you would spend at a coffee
shop. Also, like the article says, fewer distractions and much more space.

~~~
blackguardx
I'm surprised they offer such a service. The Columbia U. library is notorious
for being stingy with access. As a prospective grad student visiting the
campus, they told me that I could have a once-time free pass and that if I
ever wanted to get in again at some point during the rest of my life, I would
have to become a student.

They even refused admittance to a friend of mine who was philosophy PhD
student at U Penn. She was surprised because it is pretty normal to go to
other campus libraries to do research for dissertations.

~~~
lukeschlather
>The Columbia U. library is notorious for being stingy with access.

$500/year is generous? It would probably be cheaper to formally enroll and
take no classes.

~~~
gwern
I suspect you need at least one class to be formally enrolled, and that would
apparently be a minimum cost of $950:
[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/University_Tuition_And_F...](http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/University_Tuition_And_Fees/tuition-
fees-10-11.html)

~~~
icefox
So your saying as a bonus to the library your first class is only $450! :D

------
ben1040
Best thing I've ever done. I work for a university and happen to live a few
blocks away, so I will go to their library to work on my side projects. They
close at 2AM and I've found a nice room there where undergrads don't seem to
want to wander, so it's a perfect place to work.

It's quiet, and I've been conditioned from years of schooling that when I'm
sitting at a table at the library, I ought to be working and not slacking.
And, I can access journals, news archives, Safari/O'Reilly books, and all
sorts of other useful resources while on the library wireless network.

I can still even get a cup of coffee at the coffee shop in the library for
cheaper than Starbucks, and it comes right out of my paycheck.

------
eavc
Great point. For the less mature, I think the library helps strip away the
pretense a bit too. Sipping lattes and being on Twitter seem to go together.
Being at the library and doing real work seem to go together too.

------
abyssknight
My wife actually works at and for the library. Trust me when I say, you
definitely don't want to work there. The amount of riff raff that hangs around
that joint is just not worth it. People get trespassed, throw fits, steal
DVDs, look at all manner of inappropriate material, and even straight up make
scenes. The bathrooms are often vandalized with bodily excrement and the
couches, as comfy as they may be, are also covered in the same if the cleaners
haven't come that day. There are plenty of other coworking spaces you could
join or support. Do yourself a favor, check them out.

~~~
Semiapies
That'll vary a lot by library and surrounding community. I've been in central
libraries that were clean and didn't have anything worse happening than
children being told to shush.

It'd probably worth visiting and checking one's local library out if you need
a remote place to work. Spend a couple of hours - leisurely find some books,
read a magazine or two - and see whether you're comfortable there. If so,
_then_ try coming in with your laptop.

~~~
Periodic
University libraries are generally well kept. They are better funded than the
public libraries, and (often) being private property they have more discretion
as to who they can throw out. Unfortunately the advent of magnetized key cards
seems to be resulting in an increase in the number of libraries that require
you to "swipe in".

However, you'll have to find the quiet corners because roudy college kids can
make the main areas distracting.

------
pavel_lishin
Starbucks still charges for WiFi? I thought they did away with that.

In any case, I always got around it by pretending to be an iPhone. :)

~~~
BarkMore
WiFi has been free at Starbucks in the USA since July 2010. Before that, a
registered Starbucks card got you free WiFi.

------
anthonycerra
Working in a library is second to none, but the advantage Starbucks has over
the library is the late closing. University library hours are one thing, but
regular ol' public libraries close too early.

~~~
pavel_lishin
And open too late.

~~~
kordless
And don't let you have coffee.

~~~
tptacek
That sucks; you can have coffee in the Chicago and Oak Park libraries.

~~~
levesque
The library in Quebec city won't even let you have a bottle of water open on
your table, forget coffee.

------
dlevine
I've tried working in the library on a number of occasions. The one bad thing
I've discovered is that the WIFI sucks at pretty much every public library
I've worked at. And I think that's a sample size of 4 or 5 libraries. I live
almost right next to the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library, and
every time I've gone there to work, I've left after a while because the
Internet was too slow or didn't work quite right.

So if I want to get any coding done, and need access to the Internet, I have
found the library to be a pretty bad place. If I'm just doing some quiet
reading, the library can be great.

~~~
ja27
I've worked from two libraries near my house quite a bit as well as a couple
sandwich shops. (I can't stand the smell of burning coffee.)

The sandwich shops are less distracting to me. All the conversations and
background noise blend together for me. I try to avoid rush times and busy
days so I'm not tying up a table when they need them.

The libraries are ok but have some problems. Neither really get many homeless
guys but both have a lot of kids, especially in the afternoon. With big open
floorplans, that's more noise than I can ignore. The availability of books
sometimes distracts me, but to be honest, the book collections are now so old
and unimpressive that it's not a big deal.

The other problem is that the libraries block a number of things on their
network, like most webmail, instant messengers, and most VPNs. I'm still able
to use https for GMail and my work tunnel so I can work there, but it seems
unnecessarily restrictive.

------
silentbicycle
Previous discussion of a similar post:
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=758458>

~~~
Semiapies
Nice catch - there's good discussion there, too.

------
siculars
++. I don't know why more people don't do this. The library is a great place
to work - for free - and it comes with built in offline distractions for when
you need to step away from a problem. I used to spend a lot of time at
Columbia University's Butler library.

Libraries are also a great place to get internet access. I spent a lot of time
in local libraries while traveling around New Zealand.

~~~
waqf
The main branch of the public library in Christchurch explicitly offers free
wifi even when it's closed ... that's hard to beat (if you can find anywhere
to sit).

~~~
regomodo
It's capped to ~few hundred meg. At least when I was there for ~2 months a
couple years back. It's really easy to get around though.

About the "if you can find anywhere to sit". I've never been in a library that
was so full. I found that upstairs in the glassed off area to be the best. Got
a lot done there.

NZ really does have some great libraries. Whangerei, Wellington and
Christchurch being examples.

------
T_S_
Or a hacker space. Lots of like minded people to share ideas with, help, and
be helped by.

My favorite is Hacker Dojo in Mountain View. What's yours?

------
erikpukinskis
I've tried to work at libraries in the past, but more often than not they
block port 22, which means no workie for me.

Yes, I could set up a proxy server on EC2 or something. Or I could go to a
coffee shop.

------
sudonim
A few years ago when I was trying to start something in Boston I was working
in the Public Library but ran into the same problem with the homeless. I wrote
about it a little tongue-in-cheek. I was younger and maybe a little looser
with my words:

[http://topstartup.com/2007/04/30/the-homeless-problem-at-
the...](http://topstartup.com/2007/04/30/the-homeless-problem-at-the-boston-
public-library/)

It was later picked up by the Boston Globe
[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008...](http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/06/15/free_to_all/)

------
peregrine
This is spectacular for small towns or smaller regional libraries but have you
ever been to a large city library? It brings out some of the weirdest people.

Collegiate libraries in my experience are nice, but can get crowded at times.

~~~
tptacek
I spent the first year of my company working out of a big city library. It
worked great.

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=758458>

------
tylerrooney
I wondered this as well when I lived in Seattle. The public library system in
that city is phenomenal. Many of the small branches have nice modern designs
and you can always go to the Central Library which has tons of desk space,
power outlets, and window seating. Internet access wasn't blazing but I never
had issue with blocked ports nor was it ever "too slow to do work".

Not sure about all the branches but the Capitol Hill branch has a decent sized
meeting room which a monthly Tech Startup meetup used to use (though that was
3 years ago now).

------
neild
I _like_ the distractions of a good coffee shop. I like being someplace with
music playing and people wandering through. It provides engagement for the
parts of my brain I don't use when working.

My favorite coffee shops are loud enough that I'm not distracted by other
people's conversations. Either the music is loud enough to drown them out, or
enough people are talking at once that it all blends into a meaningless
susurration. A place which is too quiet--like most libraries, actually--
amplifies distractions.

------
d5tryr
I work at a large public library that actively encourages work of all kinds
within.

Free wifi, power points for recharging laptops (indoors and in the gardens
surrounding), free bookable meeting rooms, designated quiet and non-quiet
areas, a cafe, and even a recording studio.

Libraries are torch bearers of civilisation, and in an age when Alexandria has
been reborn in an ethereal form, they are devoted to sustaining culture and
knowledge in whatever manner is required.

------
ConceptDog
I'll echo the same as most other posters: Internet is the limiting factor.

I love working there. No distractions is a great way to shut out the world and
focus. My local libraries limited internet access to an hour a day. If 3g was
cheaper in Canada, I'd just man up and get a stick or tether to my cell, but
I'd need a line of credit to make that happen.

------
eduardo_f
That's how we got started. Our university let us book private rooms for 2
hours in a row, so we reserved 6 hours every day (we're 3). We did that for 3
months. The library manager thought we were doing some class project and
helped us get a good room every day :)

------
b3b0p
For the introverted moonlighting hacker who doesn't get out much except for
the coffee shop, libraries are great for getting a ton of stuff done.

However, for social interaction and meeting people once in a while the coffee
shop is a good change and/or alternative. Taking breaks more often works and
being strict with your time management works well, but you have to be strict
when your in the coffee ship from my experience. Meet lots of new interesting
people too.

I like both, it will depend on my mood too. I say use both if you can. Where I
live the coffee shop (not a big chain), is much more convenient though and
mostly filled with students from the local university.

------
freddier
I tried, I honestly tried. The result was they have really uncomfortable
chairs and the bandwidth is really bad. The silence and concentration is good
but I have a headset anyway.

The chairs are not really a deal breaker, but the bandwidth totally is.

~~~
Semiapies
Yep. The big take-away from this thread and the related one linked above is
that libraries vary a _lot_ , and you'll have to try yours out to see how it
works.

------
wave
It doesn't have to be either Starbucks or a library. It can be both.

~~~
levesque
I would definitely go to a library that serves lattes and pastry ;)

------
motters
That's ok provided that you have a local library. In the UK at present there
is a concerted campaign on behalf of the government and local councils to shut
libraries down.

~~~
bnastic
And just at the time when I discovered a nice comic books selection at my
local library (Wimbledon), for when you're "working".

------
cowmixtoo
Unfortunately, I echo many of the reservations of working at my local public
library: can't make calls, horrible hours of operation, etc.

I'll add one more thing: horrible network filtering.

~~~
tptacek
Where do you people live? Our libraries open early in the morning and close at
9PM.

------
nhangen
This debate is exactly why I'm looking at co-working. I've yet to try it, but
the local shop (ideafield Tampa) is only $99/month + a $25 one-time desk fee.
That's not bad.

------
tarellel
I prefer to find a nice quite place at the local college (which I graduated
from years ago). Its got highspeed and unrestricted internet, since its a
learning environment its generally distraction free and usually somewhat
quite. And no one frowns at you if you've spread paperwork, plans, books, a
laptop, etc. all over a desk or table. And I for one seem to be highly
productive doing work in a learning environment.

------
famousactress
Good reminder to finally go try this... but honestly, it is the phone usage
that's worried me. I hop on Skype many times a day, and the overall noise-
floor at a coffee shop makes it possible to do so without bothering anyone (I
use earbuds, so hearing isn't generally an issue). I think our library has a
nice outdoor area though.. might be okay to take calls out there.

------
nir
I find that one of the most productive places for me are hotel rooms. For some
reason I seem to get a lot of work done in a hotel room in a foreign country.
If you need to make a living while working on your project, a Sales Engineer
type role that has you traveling a lot (trains/planes aren't bad for
concentrating as well) is in my experience a great way to do that.

------
neworbit
Combine the two and work at your local Barnes and Noble - they often have a
coffee shop and areas for you to spread out and read/work/etc

------
bricestacey
Many academic libraries are open to the public and have better accommodations.
I live in Boston so it's academic library heaven.

~~~
cmontgomeryb
I still go to my University library. It was a fantastic place to work when I
was there, and has only gotten better. There's a nice atmosphere - people are
generally working, but having a laugh and enjoying being together too. There's
no music but my own headphones, and the WiFi is free. I'm surrounded by books
on any subject I may need through the day.

My local library however, is drab, too quiet and I feel out of place with my
lap top working there. Like I'm being watched for doing something odd. I get
more distractions as the noise level is less consistent.

------
socialized
This holiday season I was in State College, PA and the local Schlow Library
was a great place to work and much quieter and more comfortable than the
coffee shop. - <http://www.schlowlibrary.org/> \- Since then I try to find a
library when I am on the road.

------
akgerber
Libraries are also available just about everywhere in the US. I was bike
touring this summer and was doing a little freelancing on my netbook. I could
stop in a good library in just about any town of 500+ (and definitely a county
seat) and pick up wifi & charge everything in a power outlet.

------
localhost3000
Boston public is a fantastic place to be productive. Beautiful structure.
People are very respectful of the 'this is a library, stfu' rule, free wifi,
and in the summer they host live music in the courtyard. One of the most laid
back and under-estimated places in the entire city.

~~~
mjhoy
I work often at the Bates Hall. Spacious, beautiful tables, respectful
atmosphere -- even when crowded it's remarkably quiet. The Johnson building is
much less appealing.

------
thesash
I have the same problem today that I had back in college- no caffeine at the
library. I love working at the library, especially university libraries, but I
need a steady stream of caffeine in order to do my best work. If they had a
coffee maker at the UCLA library, I'd be sold.

------
kadavy
I did some work at the main branch of the Chicago Public Library yesterday. It
was okay, but full of homeless people and not really all that quiet.

The Lincoln Park Whole Foods is my new favorite spot. I work all afternoon,
have a really healthy dinner, then do some writing over a wine flight.

------
stevejalim
Before I got a proper office, I'd have loved to have worked at my local
library when I needed a break from working in the house. Only problem: the
library (like most UK ones, I imagine) won't let members of the public plug in
laptops for power. :o(

------
SystemOut
I like the library over Starbucks (or other coffee shops) but our local county
libraries aren't open 7 days a week anymore due to budget cuts.

I'll have to try the local community college library though -- I hadn't really
considered it in the past.

------
krschmidt
Internet speed can also be an issue, for good or bad. I'll hit the coffee shop
if I'm syncing with a server regularly or know I'll be researching a bunch,
but the I'll hit the library if I want the internet to feel like dial-up.

~~~
micah63
exactly, the library is great and super quiet, but I was there today and the
internet was horrendous...

------
DanLar75
I personally did this for over a year (Springfield, Missouri) in our kickass
library downtown. Great coffee shop nearby, quiet, plenty of books (doh) and
magazines to read as break entertainment and just fantastic.

------
dfox
I actually like to work in establishment that is weird amalgamation of
coffeshop and rock club. During normal day hours it is almost empty and
distraction free, but you can distract yourself if you want to.

------
justinph
The internet at the Minneapolis Public Libraries block port 22 and filter the
internet. No looking at Flickr for you!

The Minneapolis Public Library merged with the county a year ago, and I'm not
sure if the policy changed.

------
sgt
This may seem radical but... how about working in an actual office? You can
get your own office. Room to spread out, no noise. You can still go out to
Starbucks in your break, to get that vibe feeling.

~~~
jordan0day
Libraries don't charge thousands of dollars per month to rent your workspace,
that's certainly one reason.

------
aplusbi
I have occasionally brought my laptop to the library near my office to work.
However if I'm at home and want to head out, the nearest coffee shop is 4
blocks away and the nearest library is 20.

------
psb
My bank has a little lobby with a coffee machine where I and a couple others
hang out and work. I like to stand up while I work and they have a couple
taller tables that work nicely for me.

~~~
Luc
Are they happy with this, or have they just not noticed? I'd feel bad about
using another business's resources unless they explicitly allow it.

~~~
Semiapies
Well, it's his bank, so the lobby really is for his use to _some_ degree.
Also, I'd have to think they'd pay attention to who hangs out in their lobby
repeatedly and for any length of time, if only for security reasons. (Or I'd
have to hope.)

As long as he's a customer and doesn't seem to pose a problem, they probably
don't mind. (And bankers would do something if they perceived a problem, if
only by having the security guard hang out very close to the people in
question.) If they haven't _noticed_ that a few people work in the lobby, then
those people really must not be impinging on anyone there.

------
trevorturk
I've been working from the British Library in London lately, and it's been
great. If you're working at a library, though, please do consider making a
donation. Sure it's free, but...

------
acconrad
This post is neglecting to list the most obvious reason of all to work at the
library - a wealth of reference information (in...gasp!...something you can
hold and read in any light!)

------
JacobIrwin
I'm going to take this advice. The math alone tell me I could afford 2-5 new
startups a year with the money I waste on the impulse purchases of
food/drinks.

------
timmins
I would agree with working at library. But I haven't been able to overcome one
notable issue:

Hours: Saturday 10AM - 5PM Sunday 12PM - 4PM

Saturday is a possibility but Sunday is a joke.

~~~
riordan
I work for the New York Public Library, and believe me, we wish we could be
open all day every day.

Last year, city budget cuts took the libraries in Queens and Brooklyn from 6
day service to 5, and we managed to keep NYPL open 6 days, but with reduced
hours.

That said, there's a lot of people who freelance out of our libraries, and as
strange as it sounds, one guy launched his hedge fund out of our business
library (we have a few free Bloomberg terminals).

------
hyperbuddha
May I recommend coworking. It's the best of the library and Starbucks with the
added bonus of great networking opportunities.

------
marknutter
Libraries are terrible for one reason: the hours are terrible. End of story.

------
JoeAltmaier
...while they still exist.

------
joelrunyon
Stay at Starbucks. I'll take the Library & keep it to myself.

------
p90x
Don't go to the library. I don't want people taking my seat.

------
shortlived
It sounds like people need to open more hacker work spaces.

------
noodle
love the idea, in theory. in practice, i'd have to drive to library, but can
walk to any number of coffee shops or book stores instead.

much easier to execute for a student.

------
krosaen
we conduct our monthly usability studies at the library in two adjacent study
rooms. quiet and no bullshit internet, skype screen sharing is no problem :)

------
mkramlich
good article! more accurate to say that libraries are different, better in
some ways, worse in others. take advantage of this fact.

------
pdeva1
or you could just work at home...

------
sabat
My local branch of the SF Peninsula library (Redwood Shores if you have to
know) has a cafe with wifi and plenty of wall sockets. Nice place to work.

As others noted, hacker work spaces are also good.

------
sfphotoarts
"one time a woman asked me to troubleshoot her connectivity issues. Sorry,
lady, but I’m trying to work here."

I stopped reading at that point.

