Thoughts for the day...

"I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries." ~Carl Sagan, Cosmos

I've been thinking about this quote quite a bit this past week while pouring over spreadsheets in an attempt to figure out how to absorb a potential major cut to the library's budget. Since the first libraries excavated from the Fertile Crescent dating back to 3000BC, libraries have been the repositories reflecting the history and culture of our civilization. The original subscription and public libraries in America contained volumes in Latin and Greek, versions of the Bible and other books thought to edify and educate the community. Now libraries have evolved to hold a wealth of materials in various formats working as a cooperative to satisfy the needs of the patron.

Far from being replaced by Google and eBooks, libraries are more relevant than ever in this economy. Last year alone our library offered 129 programs to over 1600 participants from the community, circulated an average of 250 items per day and answered 1,680 reference questions. The Board of Trustees and Friends of the Library have purchased several discount museum passes, saving families hundreds of dollars. If you're reading this now you probably think I'm preaching to the choir, but it's disturbing how an entity which gives back so much in value to the community can be forced to cut services to the people who need us most.

Please re-read the quote above. If you feel about libraries as I do, please add your voice. Support your local library.