The local public library is the hottest place to be
By Macy BerendsenGoing to the public library during summer break during elementary school was extremely euphoric. Checking out 20+ books (which most are not read, but you can always check them out again so who cares!) and transitioning from the children’s section to the teen section are reading milestones in my head that I cherish greatly.
However, this was years ago before we entered the extreme digital age where a new piece of technology is introduced every minute of every day. When we think about the future of public libraries, it does not seem extremely promising, but public libraries cannot be lost to upcoming technology and the evolution of how we live because public libraries support communities and provide a safe haven that cannot be erased.
In an article for The Magazine of the National Endowment for the Humanities, writer Jennifer Howard says this— “There aren’t many truly public places left in America. Most of our shared spaces require money or a certain social status to access. Malls exist to sell people things. Museums discourage loiterers. Coffee shops expect patrons to purchase a drink or snack if they want to enjoy the premises. One place, though, remains open to everybody. The public library requires nothing of its visitors: no purchases, no membership fees, no dress code. You can stay all day, and you don’t have to buy anything. You don’t need money or a library card to access a multitude of on-site resources that includes books, e-books and magazines, job-hunting assistance, computer stations, free Wi-Fi, and much more. And the library will never share or sell your personal data.”
It’s a long quote, but cutting any of Howard’s opening to her article would be wrong. She puts it simply here. Public libraries have no expectations and require nothing in return. It’s a place for anyone to access information that may not have been available otherwise.
Public libraries in the United States are funded by state taxes, but many public libraries barely see any of these funds. In 2020, the Ohio Public Library reported they received less than one percent of the state’s taxes for library funds.
Library funding is used for more than just buying new books—it is used to pay the staff, provide free community events and support, fund archival research, subscribe to online databases so that more resources are accessible, upkeep the building and facilities, and so much more.
Offering a space for accessible education is so important, especially as schools continue to get underfunded and as college tuition grows. Public libraries provide computers for those who cannot afford their own or don’t have reliable internet, quiet workplaces for those who don’t have a safe and quiet space to study, educational books and online databases that normally cost money, but are free through a library card—all these things are luxuries many people take for granted. If we take public libraries away and continue to defund them, these resources will become less and less available.
Some public libraries throughout the United States offer unique options that will hopefully one day be available to all public libraries. Chattanooga Public Library in Tennessee has a fully functional recording studio with high quality recording equipment which library patrons can use for free—rare for the capitalist time we are currently living in.
Betty Welles
The Westport Free Library in Connecticut offers a “robot open lab” where library patrons can learn how to program robots and learn more about this new and upcoming technology.
The Chicago Public Library offers Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs so patrons can checkout hotspots so the internet is accessible from home, something not everyone has access to. They even have laptops for rent as well.
The Free Library of Philadelphia offers health care equipment for rent, such as blood pressure monitors. This library also offers support to help people find health care, federal benefits, and more. The Miami Library in Oklahoma has prioritized health literacy with diabetes prevention programs, yoga classes, healthy cooking demonstrations and a community garden.
The best part of public libraries is that anyone can utilize the resources, content and spaces the library offers. Signing up for a library card and supporting your library makes the world of a difference and allows you to access the hottest place to be—your local public library.
Not to mention, the public library has saved me SO much money. As an extremely avid reader, renting books from the library instead of buying a physical book/e-book is so financially smart because it’s literally free! If I don’t end up getting to a book I checked out, I can just renew it or check it out another day. A perfect solution.
I am able to get my hands on so many new releases (I dislike buying hardcover books because they are WAY too expensive) in many formats, which is great about library technology today. At my library, I can check out a physical book, the e-book copy, or even the audiobook copy—all at no cost to me.
One core childhood memory is going to the library and participating in the summer reading programs. Reading books and marking them off to earn prizes, partake in raffles, and more is a great way to celebrate children who are really active readers (like myself) and encourage children who struggle with reading or don’t find it as enjoyable and celebrate their accomplishments as well.
The good of public libraries could go on forever, which can not be said about all government-owned areas. The recent issues of banning books, defunding public libraries and not paying library staff enough is extremely dangerous and can result in huge losses in communities all over the United States.
Take a walk, grab a coffee, and head to your local library and sign up for a library card. Rent a book, a vinyl, a movie, a CD, or ask about the online opportunities if you don’t like leaving your home! The possibilities of the public library is truly endless and acts as an uplifting community center for those at all stages of life.