Let’s celebrate our libraries
“An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”
President, founding father and primary author of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson is credited with this quote.
Jefferson understood that unless people are equipped with the skills and resources to govern, any exercise in freedom or democracy would be doomed to a quick failure. In a modern setting this would be the equivalent to handing the car keys to a teenager without having them go through any driver’s training lessons.
Universal public education remains a vital part of American democracy with education serving as the great equalizer that allows people from all backgrounds to achieve great things.
The classroom lessons only go so far. Beyond the classroom doors is a wide world filled with challenges and opportunities. Learning doesn’t stop at the graduation ceremony, but must continue throughout people’s lifetimes. For generations networks of free public libraries have served as vital resources for lifelong learners. Libraries have kept abreast of technology and with the changing times meeting the needs of communities large and small.
Libraries are the place for children to develop a lifelong love of reading, finding adventure in every book they open. It a place for returning adult learners to earn their GED or tap into educational programs to advance their learning in a specialized area. Libraries offer programming, resources and activities to promote lifelong learning crossing generations.
This week, libraries across the country celebrate National Library Week. It is a week to recognize the importance of libraries within our communities and celebrate their success in delivering on their mission to serve as a resource for learning in a rapidly changing world.
Public libraries are an integral part of communities. According to the Pew Research Center, 95% of Americans ages 16 and older agree that the materials and resources available at public libraries play an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed.
There is an equal 95% who say that public libraries are important because they promote literacy and a love of reading and 94% of people who say having a public library improves the quality of life in a community.
America’s libraries have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, as have many institutions. Libraries and their staffs have worked hard to constantly reimagine and reinvent ways to reach out and serve the needs of patrons and guests.
Modern community libraries are colorful, vibrant gathering places where people of all ages can come together to learn and grow.
This doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a continual effort by library staff members, board members, and municipal partnerships and support to ensure that libraries continue to serve the needs of their communities for years to come. As Americans celebrate National Library Week, citizens must call on their elected officials to remind them of the value libraries play, not only in the lives of individuals and communities, but in ensuring the health of American democracy.
Editorial by Brian Wilson, The Star News
