๐งโ๐ป Public libraries are the new WeWork
PLUS Colombia for digital nomads, Seth Godin's thoughts on remote work, transformations of work we'll see this decade, and a remote worker gets spied on by her boss

Mitko Karshovski
May 08, 2023

Hey Insiders, hope you had an amazing weekend and are ready to kick some ass this week!
We have tons of interesting things to discuss today so letโs get into itโฆ
Todayโs email is a 4min 36sec read:
๐จ๐ด Colombia for digital nomads
๐ Remote worker was spied on by her boss
๐ฆ Transformations of work weโll see this decade
๐ Seth Godinโs thoughts on remote work
But first, many of you love to work from cafes and coworking spaces, but the future of work may be in a place weโre all much more familiar withโฆ libraries ๐

๐ฌ DEEP DIVE
The New WeWork: Your Local Library

โShush has left the building,โ says Gregor Smart from the Boston Public Library
Around the US public libraries are experiencing a rebirth thanks to the post-COVID remote work boom, and for good reason.
Coworking spaces have long been the darling of remote workers and digital nomads, but they tend to be located in city centers while many remote workers relocated to suburbs during the pandemic.
WeWork canโt realistically open a coworking location in every small town or suburb in America, but luckily most of them already have a public library.
The image of libraries as quiet and stuffed with old dusty books is an aged concept.
Libraries above all are community centers and have always responded to the needs of their communitiesโฆ
During COVID lockdowns, for example, some libraries offered โdrive up internetโ so if you didnโt have access to the internet at home, you could sit in your car in the parking lot and get online.
Today many libraries have conference rooms, podcast studios, or in the case of the Boston Public Library - a maker space equipped with 3D printers and computers with CAD software and green screen rooms.
And libraries have one big advantage over coworking spaces, theyโre free.
As remote work continues to expand across the US workforce, expect libraries to follow suitโฆ
If they can get rid of the โno food or drinkโ rules and open cafes, libraries will truly be unstoppable.
Do you think your public library is "remote work ready"?Tell us a bit more about your public library. Do you think it could be the coworking space your community needs? |

๐ฌ FAV TWEET
Thinking about checking out ๐จ๐ด Medellin, Colombia?
Check out this awesome breakdown by friend of RI, Chris Cerra
Digital Nomad Trip Report ๐ Medellin, Colombia ๐จ๐ด
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐ Time spent: 6 weeks
๐Area: El Poblado
๐ก Accommodation: Co livingLet's go... https://t.co/2o9kHD011s
— ๐ Chris Cerra | Nomad Accommodation ๐๐ก (@cerra_)
May 4, 2023

๐จ WORD ON THE WEB
๐จ London based hotel launches new subscription housing option aimed at digital nomads
Sea Containers, located in Londonโs Southbank, has launched The Commuter Club aimed at remote workers, freelancers, and digital nomads who spend time in London on a regular basis
Prices start at ยฃ1,550 per month for 60 nights per year with the top package clocking in at ยฃ 2,700 per month for 120 nights per year.
Members receive additional perks like a 15% discount at the hotel restaurants, and a dedicated โtrunkโ to store items while youโre away.
๐ Remote worker says she was spied on by her boss through webcam and reprimanded for leaving her desk to have lunch
Michae Jay works remotely for Klarna, a Swedish fintech company
Jay walked away from her computer in the middle of the day to make lunch and upon returning found that she had been locked out of her work account for being away from work
Her employer had recorded her in the kitchen through her computer webcam
๐ฆ The 4 major transformations of work we can expect this decade
Flexible working - employees are showing that above they want control over their schedules
Work relations - we are seeing a rise in fractional employment which could become far more of a norm this decade
Content of work - recent research points to AI unlocking human capability at work, instead of killing jobs
Organization - connected to point #2, as work becomes more fractional the way we organize teams will change towards more agile, participative ways of working
ย ๐ Seth Godin is a big fan of remote work
โHuman interaction is critical, but the office isnโt actually the most effective way to create that.โ says the business & marketing guru in a new blog post
He goes on to talk about how it takes a different type of management skills to create the conditions for effective remote work, but when done well, itโs incredibly powerful
โThe method,โ he says, โis not to count keystrokes or other false proxies of productivity.โ ๐๐๐

๐ UPCOMING EVENTS:
May 24-28: Vivel [๐ย Multiple Locations, Turkey] - networking meets music at this one-of-a-kind conference for location-independent professionals
May 28th-June 3: Nomad Cruise 11 [๐ Mediterranean Sea] - The original conference at sea is back! Join 250 digital nomads on board a cruise ship in the Med to discuss remote work, business, and personal growth
May 28-June 4: Porto Santo Nomad Fest [๐ Porto Santo, Portugal] - A festival celebrating the digital nomad community, on a beautiful island off the coast of Madeira. Limited attendance.
June 16-19: Camp Indie [๐ Kent, Connecticut] - adult summer camp & conference for digital nomads & those living an unconventional life
June 21-25: Remotion Festival [๐Burgas, Bulgaria] - A festival for remote workers, freelancers, & digital nomads highlighting the Burgas area as a hub for smart living
June 25-July 2: Bansko Nomad Fest [๐ Bansko, Bulgaria] - for digital nomads, freelancers, and founders in the mountains of Bulgaria

๐ GEAR
Peak Designs X Logitech: Gaming On The Go

Peak Designs, a favorite brand of photo & bag nerds, has teamed up with Logitech to produce the ultimate backpack for those looking to game on the go.
The limited series backpack opens up fully for easy access and has dedicated space for a gaming keyboard, mouse, headphones, and everything else you need to kick some ass in CoD from a coffee shop

โก๏ธ WEโRE POWERED BY NOAD

Your home (and your rent) is no longer a reason not to explore the world.
Noad is a give-to-get home sharing community that enables remote professionals to work from anywhere for $10 per night. On Noad, your home is a valuable travel asset that opens doors everywhere.
Think of Noad as a members-only Airbnb for remote professionals, except with reliable workstations and far cheaper.
Use code REMOTEINSIDER at sign up for immediate access!

๐ WFA JOBS:
Looking for a job thatโs not just remote, but that you can work from anywhere in the world? Weโve done the heavy lifting for you. Check out these awesome WFA positions ๐
โญ๏ธ Senior Shopify Developer @ Storetasker
โญ๏ธ Expert/Tutor in STEM Subjects @ Livingston Research
โญ๏ธ Project Manager @ Bossert Associates

Thanks for spending a few minutes of your day with us, weโd love to hear from you!
Please take a second and let us know what you like about the newsletter and if there is anything you think we can do better ๐
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See you all on Wednesday, Cheers ๐ป
Todayโs email was written by Mitko Karshovski