I recently ran across an NPR article about the New York City public library situation. Apparently, they are in dire need of repair and updating. A new campaign called Invest in Libraries has ask the city to restore funding to the library system, including their previous $65 million in operating funds and another $1.4 billion over the next 10 years to bring all 217 buildings up to building standards. .
The article was titled, “Do We Really Need Libraries?” which is why I decided to click over…because yes! Yes, we do. Every time I go to our local library, it is bustling. I can only assume the question was posed because of modern day internet access in most households gives people access to information the way the library used to? BUT, I totally don’t think the world wide web is the same kind of resource. The library has people–real, live educated people that can walk you through finding a resource on just about anything. Librarians are cool like that. Plus, they offer so many community outreach programs for non-English speakers, book clubs, how-to classes {on just about every topic imaginable}, and it’s all FREE. You can borrow a book, a movie, and video game, and plop the kids down for story time all in one visit. It’s like the LAST thing in the world that is free {unless you want to get technical and say it comes out of your taxes}.
I think it’s pretty obvious, I am a fan of the library. {I even get a little excited at the smell of the old books when I walk in the door. I’m kinda nerdy like that.} But, what do YOU think? Should we continue to invest in libraries, or are they a thing of the past?
~Mavis
cptacek says
“A new campaign called Invest in Libraries has ask the city to restore funding to the library system, including their previous $65 million in operating funds and another $1.4 billion over the next 10 years to bring all 217 buildings up to building standards.”
“Plus, they offer so many community outreach programs for non-English speakers, book clubs, how-to classes {on just about every topic imaginable}, and it’s all FREE.”
A system that requires $65 million a year and $1.4 billion over the next 10 years is not free. It is not technical to say it is paid for by taxes…that is the truth.
Please note, my comment hasn’t said anything about if we really need libraries or not. I have offered no opinion on that. Just know that I read a lot and everything I read comes out of a library. But it isn’t free.
Kristina says
Ah, but the alternative, a less well-informed, well-educated populace, is so much more expensive.
Carla says
ABSOLUTELY! Libraries are a national treasure that we need AND the use of them should be promoted.
Lisa Millar says
Yes totally and absolutely.
I don’t frequent them as much anymore, but I would prefer a real book over an electronic one any day of the week and twice on Sundays!
I agree about the smell…. lol, our second bedroom has that book smell. One of these days we will build the library properly! 🙂
Our local library is small but you can link up with the other branches in the state and have your requested books sent up!
Jennifer says
First thing I do when I move to a new town, is get a library card. Even before turning on utilities! I have my priorities. And, in my family am known for having the most library cards which cover the state of Virginia. I’m darn proud of it!
Tina says
Yes! We absolutely need libraries! I have over 10,000 books in my personal home ‘library’ and I STILL frequent my local library! Here they have a system (not sure if it’s a national program) where you can request a book from any library in town ( I believe we have almost 15 if not more here in Las Vegas) and they will deliver it to your local library for pick up! I love this when stuck on a series or author. Can’t imagine life without libraries…
AmyWW says
Our library will deliver any book from our county-wide system (it’s a really, really big county with 30 libraries including a tech library and a law library) to the branch nearest you and put it on the reserve shelf. Then you can park in the 5-minute parking and run in, grab it off the shelf, and self-checkout your books. I browse online (even for the one nearest my house! lol) and a library worker will walk up the stairs, find the book, and put it in an envelope with my name on it on the request shelf. It’s awesome!
I love the public library, but as cptacek said, it’s not even close to FREE. It does cost, but the cost is an investment in the literacy of our nation. A functionally illiterate nation is a nation failing in virtually every way. The social cost of illiteracy is HUGE.
Rozy says
Totally agree that we do need libraries!!! I frequent the non-fiction section most, but when I read fiction it is to see if I like the book and want to buy it. Save a lot of money that way. It’s true that libraries aren’t free, after all nothing in life is. The services are free to the end user, but we all pay taxes to support the free-ness of it. I think it is one of the few valid uses of taxes and one I’m certainly willing to pay taxes for it.
andrea d says
Yes! As a homeschooling family the library is very important to our schooling. I was just considering the other night about how I might have to add a new category to our family budget for ‘Library Late Fees’ 🙂
Allison says
Libraries are an absolute necessity. I live in SW Washington and the library system is superb. In fact, yesterday I took my children to the library. This library, the Vancouver Community Library, has won many awards. I love that I have access to millions of books. It is something I will gladly pay for through taxes or any other way necessary.
Kelly says
I would be lost without our library!! It is such an incredible resource and between your blog and all the gardening books I’ve gotten from there, I think I’m finally getting the hang of this ole gardening thing! 🙂
Dale Ann says
Absolutely yes! I hope they keep libraries!
I am a huge book lover…of the real books! I love the smell, the feel, the actual page turning…a real in hand book. :0)
Libraries and bookstores are a wonderful experience! I love exploring through the shelves seeking out new and old information, discovering worlds unknown to me. Libraries and bookstores were also places we frequented to cultivate a love of books in our children and grandchildren.
The library has also been a place where I’ve discovered books I want to add to my at home library. If I find I check out a particular book more than once because I enjoy it that much I then will seek it out in a bookstore or online for purchase. :0)
Practical Parsimony says
Yes, we need libraries! Yes, they are free to the patrons who can walk out with a book. The gain from informed citizens is more than taxes that come from a parents’ pockets. Dr. Ben Carson was taken to the library every week by a poor mother who could not read.
Aside from the smell of the books and the feel of the pages being turned, there is the wonderful solitude in the reading of books. The portability of books is a feature you won’t find in a computer or electronic reading device whether it is a computer, iphone,, etc. If electricity is not available, books still work.
Nowadays, movies and music are available to be checked out. Adults and children choose selections that are the latest movies and the oldies.
The world will be more cruel and less informed without libraries.
Napkins at fast food places are not free. Streetlights are not free. Things that are “just there” are funded by someone, but no one suggests we turn the world dark to save money. We just need to find a way to provide for libraries, an essential service.
coleen says
Hell yes! we need libraries!! Not to mention, my daughter is a librarian at a local university……
diane @smartmoneysimplelife says
Libraries are awesome!
Author Neil Gaiman sums it up perfectly, “Libraries are the thin red line between civilisation and barbarism”.
CathyB says
Yes! It will be a sad day for our country and a harbinger of more serious problems to come if we lose our public libraries!
Michele P says
YES!! We need our local libraries!
Our local library is always bustling too, and they host so many fun things for kids in our community. Our family thrives in all their free activities and resources.
It’s kind of shocking that somebody was so shortsighted to ask this question. I can see this question being raised in the far far…far future, but only in the context of how libraries are structured. The amount of books might gradually scale down, but communities will always receive such great benefits from a place to gather, share, and conduct research.
Cathi says
Heck yah! And more importantly we need librarians! Want an answer – ask Google, it will give you thousands! Want the answer to the question you’re actually asking – ask a librarian.
Peggy says
No, they should stay. You should always be able to go and borrow a book and read a book, video, or magazine for free….a great thing going there. 🙂 Luckily my daughters have some classes at school which require them to have a library card and check books out for an assignment or two, and they access online services in class too.
Mavis says
I love that their classes require a library card!!
Norma says
In our small town of Egg Harbor City, NJ , they had actually closed the library for several years, before opening it again, in a new spot. The space is small, but every room is packed with books, computers, dvds and cds. We are a town in decline due to casino closedowns and other economic problems in the Atlantic City area. Our librarian and library aides do a great job, and give wonderful customer service.
They run lots of programs, from Small Business lectures, to the coupon swap/how to stretch those dollars program that I personally host once a week, to story time for the kids, to the local circus clown visit once a year, to planting how-tos for adults and kids.
I was devastated when I heard talk this year about fewer hours, and more personnel cuts.
Not only does it serve as a warming center in the winter, and cooling center in the summer for folks who are really in desperate straits, it gives us all a chance to get to know each other a little better, across economic, religious, and ethnic ranges where you would normally not have a chance to interact.
Libraries do a lot. And yes they are necessary.