Okay, I'm letting my prejudices show here. After all, I'm married to a school librarian. I write about books, some of which have been out of print for so long that the only good reading copies are in libraries. As I say, I'm prejudiced. All the same, I don't think you'll find a better explanation for why public libraries are so very important today - at a time when, in far too many places, library budgets are being cut - than you'll find in this column by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez.
Turns out that his son is a librarian at a college in New Orleans. So I guess that means that, like me, he is prejudiced. But he's right. Libraries matter. They matter a lot. Read his column and see if you don't agree.
Hat tip: The Rap Sheet blog.
Thank you for posting this, Les. Since I am a librarian, I suppose that I, too, am prejudiced in this. However, I became a librarian because libraries matter to me, not the other way around. Anyway, thanks for spreading the good word. Here in the Chicago area, we are in danger of a serious service cutback at our libraries and need all the help we can get!
Posted by: Jennifer Lowe | November 12, 2011 at 07:37 AM
Jennifer, library cutbacks are all too common almost everywhere. Libraries remain an important part of my life; I used to haunt the public libraries as well as my school library when I was growing up. Information technology? A useful tool - but it takes a real librarian to show people how to use that tool wisely.
Posted by: Les Blatt | November 12, 2011 at 12:22 PM
A wonderful post, Les. And a scary one, too. Imagine a world where everyone is self taught by Google. I'm shuddering.
I posted the link on my Facebook page. :)
Posted by: Yvette | November 13, 2011 at 05:13 PM
Much to shudder at, Yvette!
Posted by: Les Blatt | November 14, 2011 at 04:19 PM