The Hikon Research Library (HRL) will be a critical component of Hikon. It will house a collection of several thousand books which hold the solutions to many of the problems we face today. Surprisingly, many so-called “modern-day” problems were known and written about as far back as 100 years ago or more. But our library will not be complete without books which explain how modern-day problem developed and intensified over time and how so many present-day systems in which we take pride have regrettably been achieved in a Faustian bargain.
The learning curve for the future will be very steep for most. Most of us will need to learn far different skills than they have heretofore. It will also be difficult to find teachers to teach these skills. Therefore, an important part of securing our future is acquiring a library of books which can be used for learning and teaching these skills. While some of these books may be found at the public library, most of them will not be found at your branch, and in any case the authorities can close the libraries whenever they announce the next ‘pandemic’.
The preliminary target size for this library is 5,000 volumes, but over time this will grow. Some of the books we need are in print; others are not. The average price we should expect to pay per volume is $10. Since they are not available everywhere, and when available from multiple vendors, they are not similarly priced, we will need an employee who can find the best version at the best price. We also need a long-term storage location to house our collection, and a librarian to catalog and manage it. All of these things cost money, perhaps on the order of $100K for starters. Without this facility, we won’t understand the problems, and most certainly will not be capable of understanding the solutions. Here are the library sections as currently envisioned:
- Part I: Systemic & Ecological Threats (Combines original Sections 1 & 2)
- Chemical, technological, and industrial drivers of environmental and biodiversity decline.
- Part II: Critical Infrastructure & Resource Fragility (Combines original Sections 3 & 4)
- Vulnerabilities in energy, transport, supply chains, and finite critical commodities.
- Part III: Institutional & Societal Pitfalls (Combines original Sections 5 & 7)
- Risks in modern medicine, consumer tech, and commercialized/politicized scientific research.
- Part IV: Fundamental Survival Skills (Original Section 6)
- Essential, low-tech knowledge: bushcraft, emergency shelter, foraging, and basic defense.
- Part V: Practical & Traditional Alternatives (Original Section 8, sub-categorized)
- Living & Homesteading: Construction, Off-Grid Energy, Water & Food Preservation.
- Health & Wellness: Plant Medicine, Natural Hygiene, Midwifery.
- Craft & Resilience: Blacksmithing, Natural Fibers, Low-Tech Tools.
- Economy & Culture: Local Currencies, Decentralized Media, Alternative Education.