The opinions expressed in this article are the writerâs own and do not reflect the views of The University of Scranton.
Some of my earliest memories as a girl are within the yellowing walls of my elementary schoolâs library. Little gave me more excitement than sitting in an oversized wooden chair decades older than myself and flying through a book from the âolder kidsâ section. My childhood librarian taught me bits and pieces of the Dewey Decimal system (knowledge that has unfortunately been lost to time), how to scan âclient cardsâ to check out my classmatesâ books, how to alphabetize, etc. I learned so much just by lingering at her cardigan-cladden side as she worked, observing how she reorganized shelves and displays while pulling an ancient metal cart behind her.
I wasnât even 14 before it was gutted and replaced by an iPad âlearning labâ meant to support STEM-centric teaching. My school librarian was let go.
The COVID-19 pandemic proved tragic for thousands of public libraries nationwide. While some had enough community support to continue service remotely, most did not, resulting in a tragic wave of library closures across the country. I often hear the argument that libraries are outdated and unnecessary, that library services can easily be shifted to an asynchronous space. In the moment, I donât quite know how to verbalize that feeling I had as a girl, and later as a teen volunteer in my own public library, of standing on a stool to scan books in, of putting up posters for community events, of interacting with children from all walks of life who share the same vivid imaginations and excitements about learning.
What a lot of nay-sayers take for granted is the value a public library holds for its community. A library is much more than a place one can go to find a book or a magazine; today, libraries are gathering places, social havens, âthird spacesâ where people of any socioeconomic background can walk in and feel safe. Libraries additionally offer vital community services to its patrons, including Internet access, printing access, ESL classes, summer camps, information literacy classes, Internet literacy classes, the list goes on. Librarians are the unsung stewards of a communityâs social intellectual growth and success, and they just so happen to also be proficient in the DDC.
Growing up, reading in the middle school section of my public library was unequivocally my happy place. I would walk in having no idea what I wanted to read that week and walk out with five to ten novels that caught my eye on a display; Iâd finish them all in two weeks then repeat the cycle. I was there so often I had my own âjuniorâ library card. The stillness of the place, the size of it compared to myself, the feeling of knowledge surrounding me on all sides, was incredible for a young, nerdy girl like me. Iâd pick up resources compiled by librarians about community events, book clubs, workshops, and feel a resounding sense of belonging; not only did I feel I belonged, I felt I was valued and understood, wanted. Counter to what I had been feeling in elementary and middle school, there was a place for girls who liked to read and write.
When libraries are forced to close due to lack of funding, when they are crushed into oblivion by impossible regulations outlined in âbook bans,â everyone in their communities suffer. In the 21st century, places that are accessible to all, where one can exist, learn, and thrive without spending a dime, are few and far between, rendering them invaluable and worth protecting. They are one of the few institutions that remain from the direct intentions and work of our Founding Fathers (Benjamin Franklin, look it up). Libraries are not optional, they are not dispensable, they are not outdated; they are an integral part of our American tradition, particularly our commitment to democracy.Â
If you care about your community’s success, if you care about accessibility for all members of your community, if you truly believe that knowledge is power as I do, I implore you: support your local public library. They are the very fabric that holds our towns and cities together.
If you are a University of Scranton student with an address (mailroom or off-campus) in the state of PA, you are eligible for a free Lackawanna County Library System card, even if âhomeâ is out of state. You can find the brief application for one here. The nearest public library is the Albright Memorial Library at 500 Vine Street, Scranton, PA 18509, an under five minute walk from campus. It is absolutely beautiful, housing study spaces, books, magazines, and community resources.