Some let you straight up borrow consoles, kitchen supplies, tools, etc. The central library in Los Angeles has a 3D printer and podcasting studio, among others.
My library doesn’t do console loans but it does have a dedicated maker’s space with 3D printers, a laser cutter, sewing machines, and other assorted stations. No real heavy stuff though, so no power tools or wood-working stuff sadly. It does have an HTC Vive complete with full lightbox set up for people to use, though.
I think a key factor is that pharmaceutical commercials were not legal then and there was no modern internet as is exists today.
So local businesses had to advertise on TV and because big pharma didn’t own every available second of available commercial time, local businesses could afford to advertise. This led to some…unique commercials.
Remember the TV and movie character Ernest? He was originally created as a character for local TV commercials.
Being from Brazil, I never saw Ernest outside his movies, so the majority of commercials I saw are very different from what you saw. One or two from imported stuff might’ve been the same, like nearly every damn car commercial. We did have the “Garoto Bombril”, a character for a steel wool that aired for over 25 years without interruption
I had a friend that recorded every single episode of the power rangers on VHS from pay tv.
Also, borrowing DVDs from the library was a thing back then (probably still is but noone does it).
Borrowing DVDs is absolutely still a thing. Hell, now you can even borrow console games from your library. I do it all the time.
Some let you straight up borrow consoles, kitchen supplies, tools, etc. The central library in Los Angeles has a 3D printer and podcasting studio, among others.
My library doesn’t do console loans but it does have a dedicated maker’s space with 3D printers, a laser cutter, sewing machines, and other assorted stations. No real heavy stuff though, so no power tools or wood-working stuff sadly. It does have an HTC Vive complete with full lightbox set up for people to use, though.
Libraries are the fucking best.
I recorded the entirety of Star Trek TNG on VHS from local network broadcast. It turns out that its the commercials that are priceless now.
Watching old commercial segments on YouTube from when we were kids hits right in the feels every time.
You should get them transfered to a disc. Tapes degrade
I wonder if people will fondly remember any YT ads of today in the next 10-15 years.
I think a key factor is that pharmaceutical commercials were not legal then and there was no modern internet as is exists today. So local businesses had to advertise on TV and because big pharma didn’t own every available second of available commercial time, local businesses could afford to advertise. This led to some…unique commercials.
Remember the TV and movie character Ernest? He was originally created as a character for local TV commercials.
Being from Brazil, I never saw Ernest outside his movies, so the majority of commercials I saw are very different from what you saw. One or two from imported stuff might’ve been the same, like nearly every damn car commercial. We did have the “Garoto Bombril”, a character for a steel wool that aired for over 25 years without interruption
I think I can stream movies for free at home from my library. It has some limitations on numbers and selection, but the general idea lives on.
Yeah I did the same with ebooks on my tolino with onleihe for some time. The device itself has amortized pretty quickly that way.