12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country, Pt 3

Libraries level the playing field. Economists have cited a growing
inequity in America, with the gap between the richest and poorest citizens
becoming wider year by years. By making all its resources equally available
to all members of its community, regardless of income, class or other factors,
the library levels the playing field. Once users have access to the library's
materials, they have the opportunity to level the playing field outside the
library by learning to read, gaining employment, or starting a business.


from American Libraries

12 Ways Libraries Are Good for the Country

2. Libraries break down boundaries

Libraries provide free family literacy programs for low-literate, illiterate, and non-English speaking people. In additions hundreds of librarians across America lead outreach programs
that teach citizenship and develop multilingual and multicultural materials for their patrons. Libraries serve the homebound, elderly, prisoners and other institutionalized individuals, the homeless and the blind and hearing-impaired.

12 Ways Libraries Are Good For The Country

Our NEW Library sign

Libraries inform citizens. Democracy vests supreme power in the people. Libraries make democracies work by providing access to information so that citizens can make the decisions necessary to govern themselves. The public library is the only institution in American society who purpose is to guard against the tyrannies of ignorance and conformity and it existence indicates the extent to which a democratic society values knowledge, truth, justice, books, and culture.

American Libraries: 2000 revision
http://www.ala.org

A great quote from the Boston Public Library

The Commonwealth requires the education of the people as
the safeguard of order and liberty.

Inscribed on the main branch of the Boston Public Library