Do you use the local public library?

[kphoger]

I have the ringer silencer on the side of my phone (it's an iPhone) but I'm not sure if that would stop an incoming call from interrupting audio or not.

That's an interesting question:  does 'Do not disturb' or whatever allow your music to keep playing when a call comes in, or does it stop the music but not ring either?

You know there's an easy way to find out.  Just play music and have your wife call you.

[DTComposer]

I have the ringer silencer on the side of my phone (it's an iPhone) but I'm not sure if that would stop an incoming call from interrupting audio or not.

That's an interesting question:  does 'Do not disturb' or whatever allow your music to keep playing when a call comes in, or does it stop the music but not ring either?

You know there's an easy way to find out.  Just play music and have your wife call you.

Yes, basically turns the iPhone into an iPod. Music and/or streaming and/or browsing are not interrupted.

[Bruce]

One thing I've done during my travels is to stop at various libraries with reciprocal agreements and pick up their card. I've got about a dozen cards from systems all over Washington, including most of this map:

[bandit957]

Once in a while, I'll use some of our local libraries. But every time I do, someone rips a big, loud fart.

I don't use libraries as much now, because the Internet takes care of most of my research and investigative journalism needs.

I used to work at my local library back when the Internet was first becoming popular. We still had the old card catalog with the file cards.

[bandit957]

Also, I infamously tried using the NKU library in 1995, and I was arrested for "trespassing" because I was no longer a student there.

A few years later, I got away with using this library, but then someone falsely accused me of using their computers to make obscenity-filled Usenet posts. I debunked this claim repeatedly by showing I wasn't on campus at the time, but they stuck to their lies.

Anyone else remember these famous stories?

[Scott5114]

But every time I do, someone rips a big, loud fart.

Is it you?

[Rothman]

Hm.  My alma mater welcomes alumni to use their libraries.

[elsmere241]

Hm.  My alma mater welcomes alumni to use their libraries.

And I've never been challenged at university libraries I've used in the past few decades, as long as I pay for my copies.  (Not that I've tried to check books out.)

[kphoger]

Also, I infamously tried using the NKU library in 1995, and I was arrested for "trespassing" because I was no longer a student there.

Hm.  My alma mater welcomes alumni to use their libraries.

And I've never been challenged at university libraries I've used in the past few decades, as long as I pay for my copies.  (Not that I've tried to check books out.)

Even more to the point, isn't NKU a public university?  As such, my first thought is that the public has a legal right to be on campus.  That's how I've always understood it to be.  Maybe I'm wrong about that?

[bandit957]

Even more to the point, isn't NKU a public university?

It is indeed.

I think the problem was that there was an incident on campus in early 1995 in which someone showed up and threatened a bunch of people. He didn't fit my description at all, but the university tried pinning it on me. It took until 2019 for me to prove I had nothing to do with it.

The school scapegoated me because there was a prior incident in which I was kicked off the radio station because I got in an altercation with a star basketball player. The school sided with him because he was a star player. But later, someone told me he got in trouble for rape, and the school covered it up.

Now he's doing time in prison after he was convicted in the biggest drug bust in the history of the state of Tennessee.

[kphoger]

I think the problem was that there was an incident on campus in early 1995 in which someone showed up and threatened a bunch of people. He didn't fit my description at all, but the university tried pinning it on me. It took until 2019 for me to prove I had nothing to do with it.

Aha!  And even if they weren't trying to pin it on you, security still would have been skittish and over-eager.

I was once hitchhiking to a date with my then-fiancée (now-wife).  While I was standing on the sidewalk outside the campus library at College of DuPage with a sign that said "Naperville", campus security drove up behind me, parked, approached, searched my backpack, and told me to leave campus.  After they were done, a lady who had watched the whole thing offered to give me a ride to Naperville.  (My fiancée and I had a nice date, thank you.)

Anyway, I was a student at COD at the time.  A few days later, I walked up to the campus security office and asked them to show me what campus code or ordinance I had violated.  They told me to contact the student services department or something like that.  So I did, and they told me I hadn't violated any code or ordinance, that they had been hearing an increasing number of complaints about campus security harassing students, and that they would look into the matter.

[hbelkins]

I have the ringer silencer on the side of my phone (it's an iPhone) but I'm not sure if that would stop an incoming call from interrupting audio or not.

That's an interesting question:  does 'Do not disturb' or whatever allow your music to keep playing when a call comes in, or does it stop the music but not ring either?

You know there's an easy way to find out.  Just play music and have your wife call you.

Yes, basically turns the iPhone into an iPod. Music and/or streaming and/or browsing are not interrupted.

Tried this at work. Played a YouTube music video and called my cell from my desk. The phone call interrupted the music.

[bandit957]

Some libraries had soundproof booths. One cool thing people used to do was stand just outside the booth and yell really loud just to see if they really were soundproof.

[SEWIGuy]

Also, I infamously tried using the NKU library in 1995, and I was arrested for "trespassing" because I was no longer a student there.

Hm.  My alma mater welcomes alumni to use their libraries.

And I've never been challenged at university libraries I've used in the past few decades, as long as I pay for my copies.  (Not that I've tried to check books out.)

Even more to the point, isn't NKU a public university?  As such, my first thought is that the public has a legal right to be on campus.  That's how I've always understood it to be.  Maybe I'm wrong about that?

The general public generally has a right to be on campus, as long as they follow campus rules such as no smoking, etc. But they do not have a right to access buildings. However, most colleges and universities will allow access to facilities like a library, bookstore, student union, etc. (There could be state-specific rules that I am not aware of.)