I was at a meeting today of the ACLD Trustees, thanking our local legislative delegation for their work in keeping state library funding alive this year. The Representatives there, Democrat and Republican, got an earful about what our Library District is doing in tough times. It's way more than books. In some communities, the public library is the only place where people can get free broadband and access to computers. Librarians are trained to help people fill out their government forms online to receive state and federal assistance. At our Partnership branch library, which is located in one of the poorest zip codes in the county, children can pick up rolling backpacks on Thursday and Fridays so they have food to eat over the weekend when they're not getting free student lunches.
So if your lawmakers have worked to keep your public library going, thank them. They need the feedback. They need to know how important libraries are, and how this is a vital public service--especially when times are tough.
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