The Privatization of Everything by Donald Cohen
Circulation Status
Ben Franklin's Library Company, which charged subscriptions to borrowers, is generally regarded as the foundation for the public library as we know it. This evolved into the open stacks and public library systems we know today, but lurking in the corners is the skulking form of privatization.
Libraries are not businesses and should not be motivated by the same incentives that drive businesses (this mindset is generally what ignites the internet fights about using the word "customer" for a person served by a library). While we should be efficient and responsible and mindful of the money that goes out the door, public service is our end goal, not profit or higher returns for investors or hockey stick growth charts.
Privatized libraries offer a bait and switch to local governments. Cut the library budget to save the local government money? Check! And what does that mean? Lower levels of staffing, lower levels of resources, lower levels of services, lower levels of storytimes, lower levels of community outreach, lower levels of everything...
Except the profit of the management company.
In this episode of the podcast, I chat with Donald Cohen, the founder and executive director of In the Public Interest, a national resource and policy center on privatization and responsible contracting, about his new book, The Privatization of Everything: How the Plunder of Public Goods Transformed America and How We Can Fight Back. We discuss not only library privatization, but the long history of privatization and how it can - and does - affect our lives.
I hope this discussion helps circulate some ideas in your head!
CI212 Show Notes
In Circulating Ideas, Episode 212, I chatted with Donald Cohen, co-author of The Privatization of Everything: How the Plunder of Public Goods Transformed America and How We Can Fight Back, about how he defines privatization, why public goods are vital to a functioning democracy, public-private partnerships that work, and what individuals can do to fight back against privatization.
The Privatization of Everything | The New Press
Find out more about the book here, including links to purchase via Bookshop!
Why the Hell Would You Want to Privatize Libraries?
Public libraries have been remarkably resistant, though not immune, to the waves of privatization, even as other public things, including things that are arguably more essential and harder to privatize, have been auctioned off.
Publisher's Weekly Nonfiction Book Review
Publisher's Weekly calls the book "a persuasive takedown of the idea that the private sector knows best."
Written by Donald, this is the first article of a feature series for Talking Points Memo on privatization and what it means for us.
Privatization in the United States
Privatization is the process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency, charity or public service from the public sector (the state or government) or common use to the private sector (businesses that operate for a private profit) or to private non-profit organizations.
Does Privatization Serve the Public Interest?
1991 article from the Harvard Business Review about the privatization debate.
How privatization could spell the end of democracy
2017 article from The Guardian on the Trump administration's moves into privatization.
In the Public Interest | Donald Cohen
In the Public Interest is a national nonprofit research and policy organization that studies public goods and services. They help community organizations, advocacy groups, public officials, researchers, and the general public understand how the privatization of public goods impacts service quality, democracy, equity, and government budgets. They also advocate for strengthening, adequately funding, and building popular support for public institutions that work for all of us.
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Public Things is a pop-up newsletter supporting The Privatization of Everythingn, for people who think that certain things—like water, education, and Covid-19 vaccines—should belong to all of us. Because they make us a healthier, fairer, and more democratic nation. And because they benefit all of us when all of us have access to them.
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