The Awesomeness of Libraries

Disclaimer: Yes, as a librarian, so I’m biased. They’re still awesome, though.

Public libraries are remarkable achievements. Everyone who pays taxes contributes a little bit of money to a fund for local, public libraries, and everyone has access to the resources for free. Regardless of whether your local library is small or large, like the New York Public Library (side note: their online exhibitions are quite neat and worth exploring), you have access to a wide range of resources, including access to physical items, like books, electronic resources, and services.

The average taxpayer in the U.S. contributes a mere $31 to public libraries each year (American Library Association, 2008). For this small sum, libraries contribute to economic development and help level the playing field between the have’s and the have-not’s (American Library Association, 2008). People without the money to have a computer at home can use computers at the library to do homework, fill out job applications, and generally become more technologically literate, which is a good thing for society as a whole as well as for the individual. One of the things that is most satisfying to me as a librarian is helping someone learn to use these resources, fill out online applications (job, education, etc) and gain a better understanding of the tools at her or her disposal. To watch an individual become more adept and improve his or her life is a beautiful, rewarding experience.

Not only can you check out books from your local library, but you can usually check out DVDs, CDs, and sometimes things like games. There are also electronic resources, including ebooks and audiobooks that you can download straight to your computer. Interested in reading Consumer Reports? Your library may have access to the electronic version. In North Carolina, public libraries are part of NC Live, a consortium that helps pool resources so that small libraries and large libraries can share resources rather than each having to buy resources separately. This helps increase access to a wider range of resources and helps stretch library funds even further while giving patrons (you) access to a lot of information that would be impossible to do if each library had to buy access individually.

If a library doesn’t have a book on the shelf that you’re

interested in, you can request that a copy be borrowed for you from another library, a process known as interlibrary loan. Suppose my library doesn’t have a copy of Jeanette Winterson’s Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? Instead of assuming that my only recourse is buying a copy, I can ask a librarian to see if they can get a copy from somewhere else. Most of the time, they can, though it can take up to a couple weeks for the book to arrive depending on where the lending library is. Just don’t wait to use this if you’re working on a term paper that’s due in a couple days. Most libraries don’t charge anything to do this, though I have heard of a couple charging a small fee. Check with your library to see exactly what policies are in place.

Besides just being a place to find information, libraries often serve as community spaces. There may be presentations on specific topics, like local history, dog training, adoption, or local authors. Libraries often hold classes on topics like helping people learn to use computers and storytime for children. Many libraries have started offering baby laptime for children as young as newborns, and that’s a great way to get everyone in the family used to going to the library and encouraging literacy and a love of reading. Also, community groups often use the library rooms as places to meet. These aren’t groups that are led by a librarian but are just using the public space that the library provides. There are the predictable book club gatherings, of course, but there are also meetings aimed at new mothers, people who knit or croquet (or have any other hobby in common, like gaming), grieving parents, tutoring, local issues, and more. There may be a calendar on your library website with details about what group is meeting when. If you have a student struggling in a class, there may even be a tutor available to help at no charge.

Do yourself a favor and spend 15–30 minutes browsing your library’s website. Don’t just look where you normally look. The online catalog may be very obvious, which is great, but what else do you see? My local library has information on the front page about upcoming events and announcements, things that are great to see at first glance rather than hunt for. Until a Research tab at the top, there are links to collections of electronic resources, including magazine databases, genealogy resources, audiobook and ebook collections, and more. There may be sections that are specific to your area, like a collection on local history. Teens and children may also have separate pages for information. Sometimes you can find some hidden gems you wouldn’t have known about otherwise just by browsing, like for learning a new language.

I am pleased that most adults seem to take some advantage of their local libraries. According to a 2011 poll,

• “65% of those polled said they had visited the library in the past year; women are significantly more likely than men (72% vs. 58%) to fall into this category, especially working women, working mothers, and women aged 18–54.
• Overall, 58% of those surveyed said they had a library card, and the largest group was, again, women, especially working women and working mothers. College graduates and those with a household income of more than $100,000 were also well-represented among card holders, according to the survey.
• 31% of adults rank the library at the top of their list of tax-supported services” (American Library Association, 2013).

If you aren’t taking advantage of your local library, why not?

Sources:

American Library Association. “Public Library Use.” June 2013.

American Library Association. “Libraries play a key role in learning and development.” 14 April 2008.

Gaiman, Neil. “Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming.” The Guardian. 15 October 2013.