Should Empty Public Buildings Be Turned Into Coworking Spaces?

Yesterday, Jon Mitchell of ReadWriteWeb wrote about how the Palo Alto City Library is turning vacant rooms into coworking spaces for remote workers and advertising them using LiquidSpace. Can this model boost flagging local economies elsewhere?

Some remote workers love coworking because it blends a quiet, isolated workspace with the idea-generating collegiality of an office setting. Writer Kevin Purdy argues that in-person socializing, whether through coworking spaces or through what he calls "knitting circles" with fellow Web professionals, is mandatory for doing better, more efficient work.

The Palo Alto City Library is testing coworking via LiquidSpace for three months. Although I haven't tried a coworking space (I love the peace and quiet of my home office), I just might if one were offered at a library. Would you?