Public libraries across the country get the majority of their revenue from local taxpayers. So what happens when the city has to do more with less due to a decrease in property acquisition, for instance? Where do public libraries fall on the list of municipal priorities?
The truth is that other services are valued more highly. Many public libraries are struggling to stay open. Some have drastically reduced their hours while others have cut back on staff. A few libraries have even privatized their operations. Sometimes I think these institutions would be better off just closing their doors. How do we insure that our collection of physical and virtual information resources isn't biased if a profit-based organization is responsible for managing it?
The fact of the matter is that times are grim. It's easy to think of libraries as a luxury, an extra expense, a burden on the taxpayer. Thirty years ago, real research was difficult to conduct without the valuable and expensive print volumes owned by the library. But we have the internet now, right?
Yes, we have the internet. Instead of having too few information resources at our disposal, we now have too many. FAR too many. We are constantly being bombarded with information. Do most of us really know how to wade through it? Information literacy is addressed in school, but what about home-schoolers? What about those unfortunate drop-outs that don't know where to turn? And what happens when school is out, you need electronic resources, and you don't have access to the internet at home? Public libraries offer redemption to those in our society who have fallen between the cracks. They offer hope for the hopeless. They are a guiding light, more than ever in trying economic times. Public libraries matter--and they provide much more than books.
There are programs and resources for home-schooling parents. There are book clubs to encourage reading and a sense of community. There is free access to the internet. There are databases aimed at offering instruction in foreign language, managing your finances, writing a living will, and replacing a carburetor. Public libraries are invaluable.
Ever run out of ink and desperately need to print off a copy of your resume? What do you do? If you're like me, you go to the library, pay 10 cents a page, and walk out with the finished product in hand. You probably take this service for granted.
The public library is a bigger part of your life than you might initially realize, and once you know the full extent of what the library offers, you'll find yourself turning to it even more. The greatest part of the public library though? The staff.
We're always trying to think of ways to serve you better. We design bulletin boards, display noteworthy books, invite programmers to speak, hold craft workshops, teach you to be an independent, intelligent consumer of information. We partner with schools and other organizations to increase literacy. We use open-source alternatives to help you engage with technological platforms you might not have considered. We're on the cutting edge. We love your feedback, and we love giving you platforms to engage in discussion with your peers. In the public library, you're not rich or poor or middle-class. It doesn't matter what you do for a living, what God you pray to, whether you pray to one at all. Maybe you're liberal. Maybe you're conservative. Maybe you hate labels. You're welcome here.
The public library is about becoming informed, expanding your horizons, meeting others who share your passion. It's about connecting, learning, growing. It is perhaps the greatest hope for our future. Invest in it. This doesn't just mean donating to a Friends of the Library group. It means telling your representatives how you feel about your library. It means contacting the library director and offering feedback. It means telling us what you'd like to see the library do for you. The library is only as good as its users.
So what's my role in all of this? I serve teens. I love what I do. Why, you might ask? I was a teenager once. I hated it. And I loved it. It was a mixed blessing, I guess. We all have to go through this very difficult time. One day I was overcome with a desire to help others through this transition. Ok, ok, so I also love most of what teens are into. Anime? I'm a new convert, I admit, but now I've got a "Bring it on" attitude. Fantasy? Sci fi? I think I'm in love. Technology? Yes, please. I get to have fun conversations, write about the things that interest me, dork out. And I get to help people. I get to turn people on to great books, too. Having once been a reluctant reader, this gladdens my heart. Teens are impressionable. They're not kids anymore, but not quite adults. They still have that healthy dose of imagination. They're thinking about the future. They're on the edge of things. And that's where I've always been.
