Why America Still Need Libraries
A letter in my local paper today, (written in response to an article about building a new library), states, “Libraries are about as useful today as the Egyptian Pyramids. I can access more information on my iPad in the convenience of my living room than can ever be built into a library. How about a more novel idea: conserving tax-payer dollars.”
Wow! This guy REALLY believes that his iPad is the be-all and end-all of information! What will happen if he loses his house? What will happen if his power goes out, his wifi falters, or his iPad breaks? What will happen if the polarity of the earth shifts and, God forbid, he must rely on printed materials for news again?
On a more realistic note, I’ll bet there will soon come a time when this letter-writer needs more information than his Google search or his FB friends can provide. Then he will, of course, be welcomed into any public library with open arms. When that time comes, I hope he recognizes how vital a role libraries play in a free and democratic society. Like libraries, the Egyptian pyramids were built to last on a foundation of knowledge, right? Even in our technologically advanced society, libraries are necessary. They ensure access to information for everyone — not just to people who can afford iPads.
