essay on benefit of library

Why Are Libraries Important? (31 Reasons)

People who think libraries are old-fashioned haven’t seen how busy and helpful they are today. They’re not just about old books—they’re places that help you learn and do things, for free!

I like how libraries help everyone, from little kids to grown-ups. They give us knowledge, fun, and ways to connect with people. They’re important, and without them, our towns wouldn’t be the same.

Does this seem too good to be true? Stay with me as we go through all the reasons why libraries are so useful, now more than ever.

Table of Contents

Libraries Give Free Access to Books and Stuff

Libraries help us learn and read better, libraries have lots of research materials online, libraries make reading fun, libraries teach us about computers, libraries let us use computers and the internet, libraries are quiet places to study, libraries are safe spaces for everyone, libraries bring people together, libraries host community events and workshops, libraries are home to knowledgeable librarians, libraries preserve cultural heritage and history, libraries house rare and historical documents, libraries offer spaces for meetings and collaboration, libraries have books for everyone, libraries suggest good books, libraries help find jobs, libraries have programs for kids, libraries help with school work, libraries help us learn new languages, libraries are places to create and think, libraries support lifelong learning, libraries empower individuals with knowledge, libraries help us connect with others, libraries have movies and music, libraries know about local news, libraries make us think big, libraries provide resources for health and wellness, libraries support businesses, libraries offer volunteer chances, libraries promote environmental sustainability, frequently asked questions, final thoughts.

Libraries are amazing because they let everyone borrow books and other things without charging any money. This is great for people who can’t afford to buy a lot of books.

Whether you like stories, science, cooking, or crafts, you can find books about it in a library.

• If you want to learn how to bake a cake, the library has a recipe book for that.
• If you need to fix something at home, you can get a book that shows you how to do it.

Libraries are key places for helping people learn to read and read better. They have books for people of all ages, from young children to older adults.

Libraries have special activities to help with reading like:

• Storytime for kids.
• Reading classes for grown-ups.

If you like to read, there are lots of different types of books to try. This is helpful for people who want to improve their reading skills.

Libraries are full of information for studying. You can find books on so many topics like science, math, history, and art.

They also have special online resources that help you find really good information for school projects or just learn about something new. This is perfect for students who need trustworthy sources for their work.

Example : Imagine a student who needs to do a big project on space. They can use the library’s databases to find all kinds of cool facts and pictures.

Libraries are not just about studying; they also make reading enjoyable. They have a variety of books, from comics and fantasy to adventure stories ; there’s something for everyone.

By having so many options, libraries help everyone find something they like, which makes reading exciting. It’s like having an endless supply of stories to discover.

At libraries, you’re not just learning from books. They also teach us how to use computers and other cool tech. From the basics like using the internet to more tricky stuff like coding or making digital art, libraries have classes and workshops for all of it.

These tech lessons are free, and they’re a big help if you want to get better at computer skills but don’t know where to start.

Example : An older adult might go to the library to learn how to send emails to their family. A teen might learn how to make a presentation for school.

Libraries provide free access to computers and the Internet, which is a big help for many people. This allows everyone to:

• Search for information.
• Apply for jobs online.
• Just enjoy surfing the web.

People who don’t have a computer at home can come to the library and use one there.

Libraries offer a silent sanctuary for those looking to focus. They have special areas where noise is kept to a minimum so you can concentrate.

This makes libraries the ideal spot for students, writers, or anyone needing to think deeply without distractions. Plus, the calm atmosphere of a library can help you soak up information better.

Example : When you need to study for an exam or work on a big project, the library gives you a quiet space to do it.

Libraries are welcoming and inclusive spaces where everyone can feel secure. They provide a haven for people to enjoy books, learn, or simply spend time without worry.

It’s a community space where respect and safety are priorities, ensuring that all visitors can have a positive experience.

Example : No matter who you are or where you come from, you can expect to be treated with kindness in a library.

Libraries are a gathering place for the community. People meet here for all sorts of reasons: to chat about books, to join a study group, or just to enjoy being around others.

With different events happening, libraries encourage people to connect with neighbors and make new friends.

Example : You could join a book club at the library and meet people who love the same books as you.

Libraries aren’t just quiet spaces—they’re also full of fun! From storytelling hours for kids to author readings, DIY workshops, and tech tutorials for adults, there’s always something happening.

These events are not just entertaining; they’re designed to educate, inspire, and engage the community in unique ways. The best part? Most of these events are free, making it easy for everyone to join in the fun and learn something new.

Example : Your local library might be having a game night next week where you can play and learn new board games.

When you’re in a library, you have access to librarians who are smart helpers you can turn to for advice. They know how to help you find the book or information you need. They can also teach you how to use library resources like databases and online catalogs.

What it looks like:

• Librarians guiding you to the right section or book.
• Assistance with using library technology.
• Personal help with research or learning how to find reliable information.

Libraries are like guardians of the past. They store old and important documents that help us understand our history and culture.

This can include anything from ancient texts to letters written by famous people. Keeping these valuable items safe means we can learn from them for years to come.

Example : You might find an old map in your library that shows what your town looked like a hundred years ago.

Inside libraries, there’s a chance to see books and papers that you can’t find just anywhere.

Some of these might be so rare and special that they’re the only ones left in the world. Libraries share these treasures with us, letting everyone get a glimpse of rare knowledge.

• Protected displays of unique books.
• Access to materials that are hard to find anywhere else.
• Special viewing areas to see these rare items.

Groups of all kinds can use rooms in libraries to meet. These spaces are perfect for book clubs, study sessions, meetings, and even local events. By offering these rooms, libraries help bring people together for shared interests and community causes.

Example : If your hobby group needs a place to meet each week, your library might have the perfect space for you.

Libraries make sure that no matter what you like to read, there’s a book there for you. They have books for kids, teens, and adults, and books that are right for beginners as well as experts. This means that everyone can find a story or a subject they’re interested in.

Libraries work to include books from all over the world, in many languages, and about all sorts of topics.

• Shelves organized by age, interest, and reading level.
• Books in a variety of languages.
• A diverse collection that represents different cultures and perspectives.

When you’re not sure what to read next, libraries are there to help with suggestions for good books.

Librarians have a lot of experience in matching the right book with the right person. They also often create lists of popular or recommended books for different ages and interests.

Example : If you enjoyed a particular fantasy novel, a librarian can suggest other books you might like.

Libraries are useful places for job seekers. They offer resources to help find job listings, create resumes, and prepare for interviews.

Many libraries also have career workshops or one-on-one sessions with career counselors. This support is especially important for people who might not have access to these tools at home.

Example : Someone can go to the library to use a computer to look for job openings and print out their resume.

Libraries offer special programs just for kids that make learning fun and exciting. They have story times, arts and crafts sessions, and activities that help kids discover new things.

These programs are designed to spark children’s imaginations and encourage them to love reading and learning from a young age.

Example : Your library might have a reading hour where kids can listen to fun stories and sing songs together.

When students need help with their homework or projects, libraries are there to help. They have tons of books on different subjects and knowledgeable librarians who can help find the right information.

Libraries often have online resources, too, such as tutorials and databases, which are really helpful for school work.

Libraries are fantastic places to learn new languages. They have books, audio programs, and even language learning software that you can use for free.

This is a big deal because learning a new language can open up new opportunities and help you connect with more people.

• Language learning resources for various levels.
• Practice materials like books, CDs, and software.
• Events or clubs where you can practice speaking with others.

Libraries offer more than just books; they’re spaces where you can get creative and let your ideas flow. With areas dedicated to writing, drawing, and even digital creation with computers and software, libraries support all kinds of artistic and intellectual projects .

It’s a place where you can sit quietly and dream up your next big idea, write a poem, or sketch a masterpiece.

One of the most beautiful things about libraries is that they embody the spirit of lifelong learning. Whether you’re a kid just starting school, a young adult in university, or someone older wanting to learn something new, libraries are there for you.

Also, with workshops, classes, and access to online courses, libraries make it possible for anyone to keep learning and growing no matter their age or interests.

Libraries play a big role in making us smarter. They give us access to lots of knowledge and information that can help us understand the world better. Plus, they have programs and staff that encourage learning and curiosity.

Libraries are important places for meeting and connecting with people. They host clubs and groups where you can join others with similar interests.

This is where book lovers , crafters , gamers , or anyone looking for camaraderie can come together.

Libraries know that stories aren’t just in books. That’s why many offer a great selection of movies and music. You can find classic films , new releases , and all sorts of music genres , from jazz to pop, all available to borrow for free.

It’s a fantastic way to explore different cultures and historical periods or just enjoy some entertainment without spending money.

Libraries are excellent resources for staying informed about what’s happening in your community.

They often have local newspapers, community bulletins, and access to online news sources. This makes them a go-to place for finding out about local events, news, and issues that affect your neighborhood. 

Example : You can stay informed about town hall meetings or school events by checking the library’s bulletin board or website.

Libraries are places where big ideas come to life. They give us the chance to learn about the universe, explore different cultures, and consider new viewpoints.

Libraries offer books and resources that challenge us to think wider and deeper about the world and our place in it.

It might surprise you, but libraries play a big role in promoting health and wellness. Many offer resources and programs focused on physical and mental health, like:

• Exercise classes.
• Cooking demonstrations for healthy eating.
• Workshops on stress management.

Libraries provide reliable health information that can help us make better decisions about our care. 

Libraries are unexpectedly vital resources for businesses, especially small businesses and startups. They offer access to business databases, market research, and financial information that can help entrepreneurs plan and grow their businesses.

Libraries also host seminars and workshops on topics like marketing, business planning, and financial management.

Example : A small business owner can use the library’s resources to create a business plan and learn how to market their services.

Libraries are great places to volunteer and give back to your community. They have lots of opportunities, whether it’s helping with events, organizing books, or being part of reading programs.

Volunteering at a library can be fulfilling because you’re helping people and learning new things.

Example : A high school student might volunteer to help with the library’s summer reading program.

Libraries show they care about our planet by using resources wisely and teaching us to do the same.

They have books and programs on how to live an eco-friendly life, like:

• Conserving energy
• Protecting nature

Libraries often get involved in community green initiatives, too.

Can anyone get a library card?

Absolutely! Libraries are for everyone. Just go to your local library with some identification, and they’ll set you up with a free library card.

Can I donate books to the library?

Many libraries accept book donations, but it’s best to check with them first. They can let you know what kind of books they’re looking for and any donation guidelines.

What if the library doesn’t have the book I’m looking for?

No worries, you can often request a book through interlibrary loan, where your library borrows the book from another one for you.

Can I use library materials if I have visual or auditory impairments?

Yes, many libraries have materials like large print books, audiobooks, and special reading devices to assist those with impairments.

Now you get that libraries are fun, lively places, not just quiet rooms. They help us learn, dream, and find new adventures. Going to the library is like discovering a new world.

Want to know what your library is up to? Stop by and check it out. And if you have questions, just ask the librarian. Be part of the library community—it’s full of surprises, and you’re a big part of it.

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Jessa Claire

Jessa Claire is a registered healthcare provider. Music lover. Daydreamer. Thalassophile. Foodie. A hardworking Capricorn. Most days, an incurable empath. An old soul. Down-to-earth. Vibrant.

When she's not writing, she can be seen relaxing with headphones on or engrossed in her favorite fan fiction book.

Community Centered: 23 Reasons Why Your Library Is the Most Important Place in Town

by Julie Biando Edwards, Melissa S. Rauseo, & Kelley Rae Unger on April 30, 2013

As librarians, we know the value of our community services, and our patrons appreciate their importance as well. But in an increasingly digital world, we see the role of libraries as community and cultural centers at times undervalued, and occasionally under fire. When shrinking municipal budgets combine with the nonstop technological revolution, public library services that focus on building community face-to-face, inspiring and educating patrons about art, literature, and music, and helping patrons engage in civil discourse can seem quaint. But it is precisely those shrinking budgets and the onslaught of technologically mediated life that make public libraries’ cultural and community offerings more important than ever.

David Morris wrote a stirring piece last May in which he argues for the value that public libraries bring to their communities. [1] More than just books and banks of computers, libraries are still places where individuals gather to explore, interact, and imagine. We decided to take a look at some of the specific ways in which libraries add value to our communities and serve as cultural centers for our patrons. We separated library services into five very broad categories: (1) libraries as community builders, (2) libraries as community centers for diverse populations, (3) libraries as centers for the arts, (4) libraries as universities, and (5) libraries as champions of youth. Under each of these we highlighted specific ways in which libraries serve in these capacities, and included examples of unique or exemplary library services that support the notion that libraries are about more than just information.

In building this list we had two goals. First, we wanted to highlight some of the incredible work in which libraries are engaged. From tiny public libraries to huge city institutions with multiple branches, libraries across the United States are building community and supporting local culture in exciting ways. Take a look, the examples are inspiring. Hopefully, they will encourage librarians interested in community services and cultural outreach to make connections with each other, share ideas, and build partnerships. We believe that reading these examples will spark some new ideas for public librarians and prompt them to try a new program or service, or to expand upon the great services that are already in place at their libraries. Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, a strong supporter of libraries as community builders, addressed librarians saying, “Unless you are out there changing neighborhoods, you are not completing the work you are to do.” [2] Strengthening neighborhoods and championing the cultural lives of communities are big responsibilities. We think librarians are up to the challenge.

Second, we hope that this list will not only inspire librarians to become more active in creating services and programs that are community focused, but will give them some tools with which to advocate on behalf of public libraries. As we said, we all know the value of our libraries. It’s time to take the value we add and use that to advocate for better funding and more resources. Those who argue that libraries are becoming obsolete don’t know what public libraries do in the twenty-first century. We hope you use the examples that follow to help educate stakeholders, making them aware that libraries are more than books and technology. Libraries build citizens. They educate individuals and foster thoughtful communities. They are essential components of communities—worth fighting for and worth funding. Hopefully, the presentation of these examples to city governments, library boards, and the community at large will help us demonstrate our worth and become increasingly valued partners in our communities.

Libraries as Community Builders

• Place-based economic development stresses the importance of offering attractive, functional, and community-based places, such as libraries, in town squares and depressed neighborhoods. Like a major department store in a mall, libraries attract large numbers of people, creating economic opportunities for a myriad of businesses and organizations in the surrounding area. Large cities (such as Chicago [3] ), medium-sized ones (Hudson, Ohio), and even small towns (Putney, Vermont) have successfully transformed their libraries into the hubs of vibrant neighborhoods. [4]
• As key municipal agencies, and focal points for community education, libraries are major players in creating livable, environmentally friendly cities and towns. The Urban Libraries Council released a report detailing the unique ways in which libraries can further sustainability at the local level. [5] Beyond ensuring that library construction projects consider environmental impact, libraries can take a lead in supporting local foods and artisans, like the Peabody (Mass.) Institute Library’s (PIL) partnering with local businesses to pioneer a farmers’ market in their courtyard, or the Richmond (Calif.) Public Library’s (RPL) seed lending library which “nurtures locally-adapted plant varieties, and fosters community resilience, self-reliance and a culture of sharing. [6] ”
• In addition to RPL’s seed lending library, there are other examples of libraries that provide circulating collections of everything from cake pans to fishing rods to bike locks. The Iowa City (Iowa) Public Library circulates framed posters and original artwork through its Art-to-Go collection [7] . The Temescal Branch of the Oakland (Calif.) Public Library literally builds the community through its Tool Lending Library, which was created in 1991 to help rebuilding efforts after a disaster [8] . Libraries that start such unique collections show how locally responsive and flexible a truly community-centered library can be.
• Communities lucky enough to have archivists have a great advantage when it comes to organizing historical records and artifacts. An organized archive is a place where people can research genealogy and immigration history, do environmental research, and more. An archivist is an advocate for preservation who, among other things, coordinates the restoration of maps and paintings, the digitization of vital records, and the creation of oral history projects. With projects like the Mass. Memories Road Show [9] and the Veterans History Project, [10] evidence of the importance of archives is everywhere.
• In the words of Robert Putnam, “People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.” [11] New moms connect at baby story-times; elderly people, often facing difficult life transitions, attend events and find that they make new friends; teenagers meet up in libraries’ teen spaces after school; and readers discuss current events in the periodicals room. In libraries, community-building connections are happening all the time.
• Public librarians know their communities firsthand, and are often the first to recognize a pressing local need, simply because they interact on a daily basis with patrons from all walks of life. This puts libraries and librarians in the best position not only to bring local issues to municipal governments and social agencies, but also to partner with local governments and agencies to address the needs of a community. PIL’s “Library Lunches,” [12] part of the Summer Food Service Program, is a compelling example of how a library recognized a social need, brought it to the attention of the community, and partnered with local agencies to address an important issue—how to provide meals for hundreds of hungry kids.
• Libraries can, should, and do play an important role in the political life of a community. From Banned Books Week displays, [13] which combat the perils of school and community censorship efforts, to programs such as the September Project, [14] which gathers community members and encourages them to talk about issues of freedom, justice, and democracy, libraries are pivotal in encouraging informed political involvement. Libraries also help citizens learn how to become advocates for themselves and their communities.
• From gorgeous old Carnegie buildings to modern marvels like the Seattle Public Library, library buildings are rich in symbolism and meaning. Whether it is architecturally grand or the simplest of rooms tucked into a city government building, the physical space of the library communicates to the public our underlying values: that libraries, information, and shared community space matter, something that the American Library Association (ALA) recognizes each year with its Library Design Showcase in American Libraries. [15]
• With the recent collapse of many big corporations, it has become more widely acknowledged that small businesses provide most of the new jobs in our current economy. Libraries have a long history of serving local entrepreneurs and businesses, but some, like the District of Columbia Public Libraries (DCPL), are taking their business services to a new level. The Urban Libraries Council report, “Making Cities Stronger,” describes several library initiatives, including DCPL’s Enchanced Business Information Center (e-BIC) project. Located at the main branch library, e-BIC includes not only business resources, but also a state-of-the-art video conference room, full-time librarian, and staff-training workshops. [16]

Libraries as Community Centers for Diverse Populations

• Multilingual library websites, like those at the San Francisco [17] and Queens (N.Y.) public libraries, [18] are just one of the ways in which libraries help non-English speakers see themselves represented in their communities. Public libraries often collect books in languages other than English, incorporate appropriate signage, and hire librarians and staff members who are multilingual. Additionally, some libraries offer bilingual book clubs. [19] Services like these help all community members recognize the depth of diversity that exists in their communities.
• Not only are libraries gateways to the community, they provide a place where new immigrants and their families can connect with resources, learn new skills, and meet new people. The San Diego Public Library offers a specific webpage highlighting area and library services for new Americans. [20] The New York Public Library (NYPL) offers English As a Second Language (ESL) classes, provides citizenship information, and celebrates Immigrant Heritage Week. [21] PLA offers an online learning module for librarians interested in providing new or improved services to new immigrants. [22] Services like these make libraries essential for new immigrants, as they provide services and information about their new community and government while at the same time meeting the needs of these new patrons in an accessible and appropriate way.
• For gay teens, libraries are much-needed safe spaces and supportive librarians are allies and mentors. NYPL offers programs for LGBTIQ adults and teens, [23] including an annual anti-prom designed for high school students who may not feel welcomed and included at a traditional school-based prom. The NYPL also maintains a blog that connects  readers with LGBTIQ resources and information. [24]
• Recognizing that diversity isn’t just about ethnicity, language, or culture, public libraries provide unique and adaptable spaces and services for patrons with disabilities. In 2001, ALA adopted a policy on library services for people with disabilities, [25] and many libraries, including the Denver [26] and Chicago [27] public libraries, offer a variety of tools and services, from software and equipment to special collections and homebound programs. The Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library has “several staff members fluent in American Sign Language.” [28] Going one step further, some libraries develop creative programs to partner with patrons with disabilities. For example, PIL’s Bookworm Café, [29] a partnership with a high school life skills program, allows the library to offer a morning coffee cart to patrons, while providing valuable work experience for students with special needs.

Libraries as Centers for the Arts

• Public libraries strive to provide collections and services that represent various points of view, and often work closely with local artists to do so. In many communities, local authors seek out public libraries as places to promote and make their new books available, and library services like Overdrive [30] allow local musicians to upload and distribute their work. From the art gallery at the Newton Free Library [31] in Massachusetts to NYPL’s collection of zines, [32] local arts abound in public libraries.
• Providing opportunities for children and adults alike, library arts programs range from the simplest of crafts to the finest of fine arts. Picturing America programs, [33] with their focus on American art and art history, creative writing workshops, and painting classes, are just a few examples of the ways that libraries offer a wealth of opportunities to explore and understand art.
• As Keith Richards said, “The public library is the great equalizer.” [34] Despite the rising costs of concert and theater tickets, public library events (including concerts, author visits, and gallery displays) are often offered free of charge, enabling people of any income level to attend. In addition, library book groups allow people to explore and discuss the literary arts, and the Great Stories Club [35] introduce at-risk youth to literature. The best part: it’s all free and open to the public.

Libraries as Universities

• In a time when education is increasingly expensive, public libraries provide information and educational opportunities free for all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Offered by libraries across the county, ALA’s Let’s Talk about It programs [36] are wonderful examples of scholar-facilitated learning opportunities in libraries. In addition, many libraries present classes and discussion programs, and some even provide online continuing education courses such as the Universal Class database. [37]
• In addition to bookmobiles and databases, many libraries go above and beyond to make their services available to everyone. Polk County (Fla.) Library System offers B-Mail, [38] a free book-by-mail delivery service, and in Zimbabwe donkey-drawn carts deliver library services to remote villages. [39]
• Librarians know that patrons aren’t just information consumers, they’re information producers. Patrons use the library to gain knowledge in order to create their own new and independent works. Increasing numbers of libraries provide spaces and services that meet the needs of people who want to learn how to edit Wikipedia, set up blogs or podcasts, create their own zines, and so much more. Many libraries offer art or writing workshops and groups, and some provide music practice rooms for patrons. Programs like ImaginOn [40] in Charlotte (N.C.) provide exciting models that take community partnership, creativity, and creation to a new level.
• The decline of civil discourse stems in part from the fact that it is so easy for people to watch news about, buy products from, and engage—in both the virtual and real worlds—only with those of similar backgrounds and ideologies. Public libraries, through such programs as The Human Library [41] and Socrates Café, [42] can help build small communities of difference that encourage people to interact with and learn from each other through dialogue. By both actively promoting civil discourse through these programs, and by modeling and upholding the principles of free inquiry and expression for all, libraries help individuals rediscover the importance of and increased need for civil discourse in American life.

Libraries as Champions of Youth

• The skills that teens pick up from teen advisory boards, volunteer opportunities, programs, and jobs can prepare them for success in high school, college, and the workforce. Brooklyn Public Library’s Multicultural Internship Program provides teens with positive work experiences, while also providing the library with a diverse staff that more closely mirrors the demographics of its community. [43]
• The cost of hiring a private tutor is well beyond what many library patrons can afford, so libraries offer homework help and tutoring online, by phone, in person, and even through social media and homework apps. [44] Annual summer reading programs also have a positive impact on student performance and, according to a 2010 study conducted by Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science, students’ reading skills get a boost from these popular nationwide events. [45]
• Through library collections, programs, and physical spaces, children learn to share, to be engaged in their communities, to participate in the arts, and to explore their immediate world and the world at large. There are surely endless examples of innovative library services for children, including the Middle Country Public Library’s (in Centereach, N.Y.) Nature Explorium, which engages children in learning about the natural world. [46]

These examples are just a few of the many amazing things that public libraries around the United States (and the world) are doing to build and maintain strong community connections. We encourage you to try some of these ideas in your own libraries, and we hope that these ideas will help you be better able to convince your community leaders of the important role that public libraries play in communities large and small.

[1] David Morris, “ The Public Library Manifesto: Why Libraries Matter, and How We Can Save Them ,” YES! Magazine , May 6, 2011, accessed June 17, 2011. [2] Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 42. [3] Ibid., 34–54. [4] William M. Senville, “ Libraries Bring Value to Our Communities ,” Planning Commissioners Journal 75 (Summer 2009), accessed June 7, 2011. [5] Urban Libraries Council, “ Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and Local Governments Creating Sustainable Communities ,” 2010, accessed June 7, 2011. [6] Richmond Public Library, “ Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library ,” accessed June 15, 2011. [7] Iowa City Public Library, “ Unique Collections: Art ,” accessed June 6, 2011. [8] Oakland Public Library, “ Temescal Tool Lending Library ,” accessed June 7, 2011. [9] University of Massachusetts Boston, “ Mass. Memories Road Show ,”accessed June 7, 2011. [10] Library of Congress American Folklife Center, “ Veterans History Project ,” accessed June 7, 2011. [11] Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 49. [12] Matthew K. Roy, “ New Summer Program Provides Free Lunch to Peabody Youth ,” Salem News , June 25, 2009, accessed June 21, 2011. [13] See American Library Association, “ Banned Books Week ,” and “ Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read ,” both accessed June 21, 2011. [14] The September Project blog , accessed June 21, 2011. [15] Greg Landgraf, “ Library Design Showcase 2011 ,” American Libraries, Mar. 23, 2011, accessed June 21, 2011. [16] Urban Libraries Council, “ Making Cities Stronger: Public Library Contributions to Local Economic Development ,” Jan. 2007, accessed June 7, 2011. [17] San Francisco Public Library, “ United States Citizenship Resources ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [18] Queens Library, “ Citizenship and Immigrant Services ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [19] Stacie N. Galang, “ Peabody Public Library Starts First Bilingual Book Club ,” Salem News, May 10, 2010, accessed June 25, 2011. [20] San Diego Public Library, “ Resources for New Americans ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [21] New York Public Library, “ Immigrant Services,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.nypl.org/help/community-outreach/immigrant-services. [22] Public Library Association, “ Welcome to the United States: Services for New Immigrants ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [23] New York Public Library, “ Public Programs ,” accessed June 7, 2011. [24] ———, “ LGBT@NYPL ,” accessed June 7, 2011. [25] The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, a division of the American Library Association,“ Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [26] Denver Public Library, “ Services for Persons with Disabilities ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [27] Chicago Public Library, “Find Services for People with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.chipublib.org/howto/lib_disability.php. [28] Nashville Public Library, “ For People with Disabilities ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [29] Stacey N. Galang, “ Cafe Launches in Peabody Library’s Young Adult Section ,” Salem News, Dec. 19, 2007, accessed Sept. 27, 2011. [30] OverDrive homepage , accessed June 7, 2011. [31] Newton Free Library, “ Calendar of Events: June 2011 Art Exhibits ” accessed June 7, 2011. [32] New York Public Library, “ Zines ,” accessed June 7, 2011. [33] Picturing America for Public Libraries , accessed June 7, 2011. [34] New York Public Library, “ Live from the NYPL: Keith Richards ,” accessed June 7, 2011. [35] ALA Public Programs Office, “ Great Stories Club ,” accessed June 7, 2011. [36] ———, “Let’s Talk About It,” accessedJune 7, 2011, www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ppo/programming/ltai/letstalkaboutit.cfm. [37] UniversalClass homepage , accessed June 7, 2011. [38] Polk County Library System, “ Books by Mail ,” accessed June 27, 2011. [39] Lewis Jones, “ ZDDT Appeal: Supporting the Donkey Library ,”Aug. 1, 2011, accessed Sept. 27, 2011. [40] ImaginOn homepage , accessed June 21, 2011. [41] The Human Library homepage , accessed June 21, 2011. [42] Society for Philosophical Inquiry, “ Socrates Café ,” accessed June 21, 2011. [43] Brooklyn Public Library, “ Multicultural Internship Program ,” accessed June 6, 2011. [44] Homework NYC homepage , accessed June 6, 2011. [45] Susan Roman, Deborah T. Carran, and Carole D. Fiore, “ The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap ,” Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science, June 2010, accessed June 7, 2011. [46] Middle Country Public Library, “ MCPL Nature Explorium ,” accessed June 7, 2011.

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Why Are Libraries Important? We’ll Give You 5 Reasons

What is “The Breakfast Club’s” timeless story without a school library? Who is Hermoine Granger without the magical stacks of books in the Hogwarts library? Where would “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” Paul Varjak tell Holly Golighty that he loves her — if not in the New York Public Library? 

Where does a community gather safely, find free and necessary resources, preserve the heart of a culture — without a library? 

You guessed it: I’m on my Dewey Decimal System soapbox. 

Libraries are at the crux of both social and physical American infrastructure; a crossroads where intellect and information meet space and access, a place where social services are actualized, and people are put above profit. 

However, our libraries are in dire need of funding, support, and maintenance.

How do libraries make money?

Most of us are aware that the literary world has changed dramatically in recent years, as the Amazon monopoly rears its many heads: bookselling, publishing, reading device development, and audiobook sales among them. Both independent booksellers and libraries have been impacted, even so far that books published under Amazon are not sold to libraries for folks to read for free. 

So, how do libraries even make money to operate? 

Public libraries are supported with state tax revenues, just like your local public school or road projects. Treated as a public good, libraries get a portion of this revenue to maintain their operations. However, this portion is often a very small percentage of the total tax revenue a state sees every year. 

For example, the Ohio Public Library reported that they received less than 1 percent of Ohio’s state tax revenue in 2020 (.53 percent, to be exact). In fact, the amount they received from the state was less than half of their total funding revenue.

This funding is crucial for more than just buying new books, but the upkeep of buildings, paying staff livable wages, providing ongoing community support and programming, and funding archival research and projects. The San Diego Library Master Plan framework outlines a $50 million library maintenance backlog . 

This deficit leaves many public library boards to do what they do best: get creative.

Many libraries will keep all operations free to patrons, but will charge late fees or book fines. This practice, however, is becoming less common, as libraries work to best serve low-income communities . 

Libraries also offer other “paid-for” services, as well as read-a-thon events, summer camps, book signings, book sales, or rentable spaces like conference rooms. 

Strategic partnerships and corporate sponsorships also allow libraries to raise funds, but as staff and board members struggle to maintain the integrity of their library systems,  the clear solution altogether is to prioritize government funding for libraries. 

How many libraries are in the United States?

There are over 16,000 public libraries in the United States , according to the American Library Association. 

While this may seem like a lot (there are more public libraries in America than McDonald’s or Starbucks restaurants!) the U.S. is 62nd on the list of countries with the most libraries per capita. 

These statistics indicate that, while libraries are plentiful (although perhaps not always spread out equitably), they are not prioritized or funded in the same way as other countries. 

This begs the question: do Americans truly not value their libraries, or do we just not know why they are so important? 

5 Reasons Libraries Are Important 

1. libraries support educational opportunities.

Libraries are commonly considered educational institutions, providing students and researchers the tools and resources they need to learn and study. 

In fact, libraries have long been dubbed “the people’s university,” for their equitable nature, bringing information and education to all people, regardless of socioeconomic status. 

Many of us envision our libraries full of books , encyclopedias, computers, and workspaces, but what we often neglect to include in that description is offerings like film and music, access to other learning avenues like local zoos or botanical gardens, 3D printers, WiFi hotspot lending programs, art lending programs , recording studios, or even blood pressure monitors . 

Libraries are not just spaces to borrow creative tools, but to make one’s own. Many institutions will hold writing workshops or other community events to teach patrons new skills or develop work in collaboration with other community members. Libraries have become spaces for people to set up a new podcast, write a zine , practice music, and more. 

Like the beloved cartoon aardvark Arthur Read says: “having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.”

Educational opportunities also manifest through the encouragement of civil discourse and dialogue. The Human Library project, developed in Denmark, is an initiative that “publishes people as open books” and allows members of the public to meet and communicate with people outside of their communities. 

This initiative has gone global , and many American libraries participate in this social program to keep people from judging each other “by their covers.”

Libraries are also increasingly expanding access to digital resources . As of 2018, over 90 percent of libraries offered digital loans , and resources like Libby , OverDrive , and Hoopla make these loans even more accessible.

Although many of us cherish the “old book smell” of a historical library setting, it’s valuable to keep in mind that libraries are continuously evolving to meet the needs of learners of all backgrounds. 

2. Libraries preserve cultural heritage and history

Speaking of people from all walks of life, libraries play a key role in preserving the cultural heritage and history of their communities. 

While not all libraries have archival services, those with professional archivists give patrons access to valuable historical stories and records that add tremendous value and context to their people. 

Organized archives allow people to research genealogy and immigration history, do environmental research, find maps, digitize records, and more. 

The National Archives funds a number of archival research projects across the country. 

3. Libraries provide access to necessary resources for marginalized communities

Access to archival resources is only a small portion of what libraries do for marginalized communities. Libraries have long been institutions for social good, gathering members of a community together to fill a need or find solutions. 

One basic service of a library is providing helpful materials to diverse populations, assisting non-English speakers, immigrants, LGBTQ+ youth , and disabled community members.

From American Sign Language and English As A Second Language courses, to citizenship information, or an anti-prom that welcomes LBGTQ+ high schoolers, libraries serve as gateways to new and welcoming communities and give marginalized folks the tools they need to become empowered.

Resources often extend beyond educational materials and into direct action, as libraries across the country host free library lunches for kids in need, farmer’s markets , seed lending programs , and even tool lending libraries , to give patrons access to items they otherwise may not be able to afford. 

Youth are also able to utilize libraries in creative ways, benefiting from tutoring services, afterschool programming, homework help, outdoor learning initiatives , and summer reading programs. 

Libraries are community-centered in a way few other institutions are; helping folks rebuild after disaster, feed their families, start a business, or simply feel seen and included for who they are.

4. Libraries are integral to the political and social life of a community

Public life and political discourse has long been a value of America’s libraries, as these institutions proudly advocate against banned books , and develop special collections to support niche groups. Libraries are hubs for democratic debate, social justice, and community action.

For example, an initiative in Baltimore aims to raise collective consciousness to decrease crime in the area. Librarians are training to learn de-escalation practices as a non-police avenue to reduce violence, aiming to train all Baltimore city employees with the same tools. This, along with avenues like the Baltimore Community Mediation Center for community members to work through disputes, serve as a case study for the social and political landscape libraries offer. 

Libraries are also used as polling places or ballot drop-off locations during elections, and often offer voting guides or public debates and forums, encouraging civic engagement . 

Students may participate in workshops or mock elections, and many public libraries hold voter registration events for community members. The American Library Association says: “informed citizens are engaged voters.”

5. Libraries are a safe and reliable space for all

While we’ve examined how libraries offer specific resources and offerings, one of the most valuable things libraries contribute to their communities is space. 

While libraries are not substitutes for shelters, counseling centers, or long-term systemic solutions to homelessness, they are vital to public health and safety, offering people experiencing homelessness a safe and dignified space throughout the day. 

Libraries are also integral for unhoused folks to find empowerment, using computers to apply for jobs and seek further assistance. While some folks may be unable to get a library card due to a lack of a permanent address, more resources are becoming widely available as public libraries work on the frontlines of the housing crisis. 

In addition to serving patrons experiencing poverty and homelessness, libraries are simply safe and meaningful spaces for all members of the community. 

Whether a library boasts grand architecture or modest design, the physical space of a library has a way of communicating our underlying values, The Public Library Association suggests: that libraries, information, and shared community space matter.

Libraries are at the heart of American infrastructure. They deserve better.

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Why Are Libraries Important? (18 Reasons)

Libraries provide access to books, periodicals, and other materials to help people learn, grow, and develop new interests. Libraries also offer a wide range of services, such as research assistance and technology training, that can help people of all ages and backgrounds.

In addition, libraries often serve as community hubs, providing a space where people can come together and share everyday experiences. In short, libraries are important institutions that play a critical role in promoting education, knowledge, and community.

Libraries Provide Access to Information and Knowledge

Libraries are essential to our communities, providing access to a wealth of information and knowledge. They’re a place where anyone can learn, discover and develop, regardless of age, education, or income.

In a library, you can find books on almost any subject you can imagine, from the latest bestsellers to classic literature, from non-fiction to children’s books. But that’s not all – libraries also offer access to online databases, e-books, audiobooks, and other digital resources so that you can access information anytime, anywhere.

In addition to books, libraries also provide access to other valuable resources such as research materials, reference guides, and educational resources. They also offer programs and events such as book clubs, workshops, and lectures so people can learn new things and interact with others.

Furthermore, libraries are a valuable resource for those who cannot access information or knowledge elsewhere. For those who don’t have internet access at home or can’t afford to buy books, libraries provide a free and inclusive space to access the information and knowledge they need.

Libraries Can Provide a Sense of Community

Libraries provide a space where people can socialize and interact with others with similar interests. Many libraries offer events such as book clubs and story hours where people come together to discuss books and ideas and provide an opportunity for individuals to learn from each other.

Also, libraries are great places to volunteer their time and talents. Whether helping with book sales or organizing events, volunteering at the library can be a rewarding way to connect with others and contribute to the community.

Libraries also provide a supportive and inclusive learning environment. Libraries are often quiet and peaceful, providing a perfect space for reading and learning. And because librarians are available to answer questions and offer advice, libraries are a great place to ask for help and get advice. Whether you’re looking for information on a specific topic, need assistance with research, or just want to chat with someone about books and ideas, librarians are happy to help.

Libraries Can Help Save Money

Libraries can be an excellent resource for people who want to save money on books. If you’re someone who loves to read, the library is a fantastic place to borrow books for free. You don’t have to worry about purchasing expensive books, and you can enjoy a wide selection of reading material without spending any money.

In addition to traditional books, many libraries now offer digital materials that you can download to e-readers or other devices. This is a great way to save money on e-books, which can often be quite expensive. You can enjoy the same great reading experience when you download books from the library without spending much money.

Libraries also offer a range of other resources that can help you save money. For example, you can use the library’s computers and Internet access to learn about products and services before you make a purchase. You can also borrow DVDs and CDs, which can be a good alternative to buying these products outright.

Libraries Can Preserve History

Libraries have long been recognized as essential centers for the preservation of history. By collecting and storing materials such as books, documents, and photographs, libraries provide researchers and historians with a wealth of information. These materials can help us understand the past and how it has shaped the present.

One of the most important ways libraries preserve history is by carefully cataloging and preserving the materials to ensure their longevity. This includes using special techniques and materials to protect items from damage and deterioration. In addition, libraries often digitize their collections so that people worldwide can access the materials.

Another way libraries preserve history is by making these materials available to the public. This allows researchers and historians to access the information they need to study the past. It also allows the general public to learn more about their history and the history of their communities.

Libraries Can Help People Learn New Things

Libraries are a valuable resource for people who want to learn something new. With a wealth of knowledge and information at their fingertips, libraries can help people expand their horizons and acquire new skills.

One of the most obvious ways libraries can help people learn by providing access to a wide range of books on various topics. From science and technology to history and literature, libraries offer something for everyone. And with the advent of e-books and online databases, it’s easier than ever to access these resources from anywhere.

Libraries Provide a Quiet Place for People to Study and Work

Libraries are one of the few places left in the modern world where people can find peace and quiet while working or studying. They provide a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and allow people to focus on their studies or work without distraction. 

Libraries also create a conducive environment for concentration and creativity. Many libraries are equipped with comfortable chairs or couches, as well as tables and desks of various sizes. These public spaces also have strict rules that ensure noise levels remain low so patrons can concentrate on their work uninterrupted.

Modern libraries also have free Wi-Fi access and other technological amenities that enable patrons to conduct research more efficiently. Ultimately, libraries are invaluable resources that promote the pursuit of knowledge and academic excellence.

Libraries Are Free and Open to Everyone

One of the best things about libraries is that they are free and open to everyone. This means you do not have to pay any fees or join a membership to use the library and its resources. All you need is a library card, which you can quickly obtain by showing a valid ID at the library’s front desk.

Once you have a library card, you can borrow books, CDs, DVDs, and other materials for free. You can also use the library’s computers and the internet to research, learn and share with others. Many libraries also offer educational programs, workshops, and events that are open to the public.

Libraries not only provide access to information and resources, but also serve as community centers where people can gather, learn, and socialize. They provide a safe and welcoming space for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together and learn from each other.

Libraries Promote Literacy and a Love of Reading

For children, libraries can be a fun and exciting place to discover the joy of reading. Many libraries offer read-aloud sessions, book clubs, and other programs geared specifically toward young readers. These programs can help foster a love of reading at a young age and lay the foundation for lifelong literacy.

For adults, libraries can provide access to books and other materials not readily available elsewhere. This is especially important for people who do not have the financial means to purchase books on their own. Libraries can promote literacy and lifelong learning by providing free access to a wide range of reading materials.

In addition to providing access to books and other reading materials, libraries often offer events and workshops that promote literacy and a love of reading. These can include author readings and signings, writing workshops, and other educational programs. By offering these events, libraries can help create a sense of community and encourage people to discover their love of reading.

Libraries Provide a Safe and Welcoming Space

Libraries are significant to our society because they provide a safe and welcoming space for people from all walks of life. They offer an escape from the pressures of everyday life, a respite to read and study in peace, and a chance to connect with others in a positive environment.

In addition, access to libraries is entirely free, so everyone has access to knowledge and culture, regardless of their financial means. Moreover, librarians are always ready to help patrons find what they are looking for, recommend books on any topic imaginable, or simply point the way to helpful resources 

The atmosphere is usually calm and welcoming. Visitors can easily converse with those around them or relish the quiet if they wish. All members of the community can benefit from having a library nearby—an invaluable asset that promotes creative development, lifelong learning opportunities, and increased literacy rates.

Libraries Inspire Creativity and Imagination

Libraries have long been an impetus for community members’ creativity and imagination. With a wide range of stories, books, and other materials available to patrons, imagination can be unleashed.

Libraries are safe havens for young minds to explore new concepts and push their boundaries through engaging content. These materials not only foster creativity but also provide access to all areas of knowledge, from science and technology to history and culture.

Furthermore, libraries are open spaces where readers can unite and share stories and ideas in a communal setting. This creates an even greater sense of imagination within library walls. From literature circles to robotics clubs, there’s something for everyone in the library—regardless of age or background—inspiring all ends of the creative spectrum.

Libraries Provide a Place for People to Find Themselves

Libraries are places where people can discover and explore their interests, learn new things, and connect with others who share similar passions. At their core, libraries are about providing access to information and resources, but they also serve as community centers where people can come together and participate in activities and events.

Beyond the resources and materials libraries offer, they also provide a sense of community and belonging. Libraries often host events such as book clubs, game nights, and workshops that allow people to connect with others who share their interests and build relationships.

Libraries Provide a Place for People to Connect With Others

Libraries are important because they provide a way for people to connect with others. In today’s world, it can be easy to feel isolated and disconnected from our communities. Libraries provide a welcoming and inclusive space where people can come together to learn, explore, and socialize.

At the library, you will find a variety of programs and events tailored to different interests and age groups. These programs allow people to meet with others who share similar interests and learn and grow together.

In short, libraries are important because they provide a place for people to connect with others, learn and grow together, and access resources that help them stay informed and engaged in their community. Whether you are looking for a quiet place to read, an entertaining program, or a way to stay connected, the library is the perfect place.

Libraries Are Often Free to Access and Use

One of the best things about libraries is that they are often free to access and use. This means anyone can visit a library and borrow books or use library resources without paying a fee.

There are several reasons why libraries are usually free to access and use. For one, libraries are often funded by local governments or nonprofit organizations, which means that taxpayers or donors cover the cost of operating the library. Also, many libraries are considered public facilities, which means they are intended to serve the needs of the community and are, therefore, open to everyone.

Another reason libraries are often free is that they play an important role in promoting education and lifelong learning. By providing access to a variety of information and resources, libraries help encourage people to learn new things and expand their knowledge. This can have a positive impact on individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

Libraries Are a Cornerstone of Democracy

Libraries are a cornerstone of democracy because they provide access to information and knowledge for all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status or personal beliefs. In a democratic society, everyone must have the opportunity to learn and develop, and libraries provide a safe and inclusive space for this development.

Additionally, libraries often serve as a platform for free expression and the exchange of ideas. They provide a space for people to express themselves and engage in dialog with others. This is essential for a healthy democracy, as it allows different perspectives and opinions to be heard and considered.

In short, libraries are a cornerstone of democracy because they provide access to information and resources, foster community engagement, and support the free expression and exchange of ideas. They are an indispensable part of any society that values equality and inclusivity.

Libraries Are an Important Part of the Education System

Libraries are essential to the education system because they provide access to a wide range of information, resources, and services that support learning and inquiry. They provide a safe and welcoming space for students to study, read, learn, and explore new ideas.

Libraries are often the first place students seek information for a project, research paper, or assignment. They provide access to an extensive collection of books, journals, magazines, newspapers, and other print and digital materials covering a wide range of topics and subjects. Libraries also provide access to databases, online resources, and other specialized tools to help students find and evaluate information quickly and accurately.

In addition to providing access to information, libraries also offer a variety of services and programs that support student learning and development. Many libraries have dedicated staff who can help students with research, skills learning, and other academic needs. They also offer workshops, classes, and other learning opportunities that can help students develop new skills and interests.

Libraries Help to Preserve Our Cultural Heritage

Libraries play a critical role in preserving our cultural heritage by collecting and maintaining a diverse range of materials. These materials include books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, and other artifacts that reflect our society’s history, culture, and values.

By collecting and preserving these materials, libraries provide access to a wealth of information and knowledge that would otherwise be lost or forgotten. For example, a library may hold a rare collection of books documenting a particular community’s history or manuscripts that shed light on the customs and traditions of a specific culture. These materials provide insight into the experiences and perspectives of individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds and help us understand the complex social, political, and cultural forces that have shaped our world.

In addition to collecting and preserving materials, libraries also work to make them available to the public. For example, a library may digitize its collections and make them available online or offer resources and programs that help people engage with materials in meaningful ways. This helps ensure that the knowledge and wisdom contained in these materials are not only preserved but also shared and valued by future generations.

Libraries Provide Access to Technology and Support Digital Literacy

One way libraries support digital literacy is by providing access to computers and other technology. This can be especially important for people who do not have access to these resources at home.

Many libraries also offer classes and workshops on technology-related topics, such as how to use a computer, create a website, and use social media. These classes and workshops can help individuals learn new skills and gain confidence in their ability to use technology.

Libraries Offer Programs and Events

Libraries are a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn something new. Many libraries offer a wide selection of books on a variety of subjects but also programs and courses that can help people acquire new skills and knowledge. These programs range from computer classes to workshops on crafts and hobbies to language courses and much more.

The best part about library programs and classes is that they are often free or low-cost, making them accessible to people of all income levels. This means that anyone can take advantage of the learning opportunities offered by their local library, regardless of their financial situation.

Another great feature of libraries is that they provide a supportive and welcoming environment for learning. Many libraries have dedicated spaces for classes and workshops, and the librarians and other staff are often knowledgeable and willing to help people learn new things.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main types of libraries.

There are many different types of libraries, but some of the most common are public libraries, academic libraries, and special libraries.

Public libraries are open to the general public and usually have a wide selection of books, magazines, and other materials available for checkout.

Academic libraries are associated with schools and universities and support students and faculty teaching and research needs.

Special libraries focus on a particular subject or industry and are located in places like hospitals, law firms, or museums.

Are libraries still helpful today?

Yes, libraries are still incredibly useful today! While it’s true that information is readily available online, libraries serve a crucial role in preserving books and providing a space for reading and learning.

Libraries not only house physical books but also offer a variety of digital resources, such as e-books and databases, that can be used for free with a library card. In addition, libraries often offer resources and programs such as tutoring and workshops that support lifelong learning and personal development.

Furthermore, libraries serve as community centers that bring people together and give them a sense of belonging. In an increasingly digital world, libraries provide a tangible, physical space where people can connect with each other and with information.

In short, while the way we access, information may have changed, the importance of libraries has not. Investing in libraries is still a worthwhile investment in our communities education, enrichment, and well-being.

Why is the library better than the internet?

There are several reasons why the library is better than the internet when it comes to finding information. First, the information you see in the library has been carefully compiled and checked for accuracy by trained librarians. This means that you can trust that the information you find in the library is reliable and up-to-date.

Second, the library offers a wider range of resources than the internet. In addition to books, you can find journals, newspapers, and other materials that are not easily accessible online. This means you can explore a variety of perspectives and sources to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a topic.

Third, the library provides a quiet, focused learning and research space. You can work without distractions or interruptions to concentrate and learn more effectively.

Finally, the library offers a wealth of assistance and support in finding the necessary information. The librarians are experts at finding and organizing information and are always available to assist you in your research.

What would happen if there were no libraries?

Without libraries, we would lose access to a wealth of knowledge and information vital to our personal and societal growth. Libraries provide a vast collection of books, periodicals, and other essential resources for learning and research.

Without libraries, many people would have difficulty finding accurate and reliable information on a variety of subjects, including science, history, and literature. This would severely limit our ability to learn and develop as individuals and in society.

Additionally, libraries provide valuable services such as access to computers, the internet, and other technologies, as well as community programs and events. Without these services, many people would be disadvantaged and unable to access the resources they need to succeed.

In a world where everything is digitized and available at the click of a mouse, it would be easy to forget the value of libraries. Libraries offer much more than just books—they’re hubs for community gathering, learning, and growth. They provide equal access to information and knowledge for everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status. So the next time you’re looking for somewhere to study or meet with friends, don’t disregard your local library—it’s an integral part of our society that deserves our support!

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Essay on Library and Its Uses for Students and Children

500 words essay on library and its uses.

A library is a place where books and sources of information are stored. They make it easier for people to get access to them for various purposes. Libraries are very helpful and economical too. They include books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, manuscripts and more. In other words, they are an all-encompassing source of information.

A public library is open to everyone for fulfilling the need for information. They are run by the government, schools , colleges, and universities. The members of the society or community can visit these libraries to enhance their knowledge and complete their research.

Importance of Libraries

Libraries play a vital role in providing people with reliable content. They encourage and promote the process of learning and grasping knowledge. The book worms can get loads of books to read from and enhance their knowledge. Moreover, the variety is so wide-ranging that one mostly gets what they are looking for.

Furthermore, they help the people to get their hands on great educational material which they might not find otherwise in the market. When we read more, our social skills and academic performance improves.

Most importantly, libraries are a great platform for making progress. When we get homework in class, the libraries help us with the reference material. This, in turn, progresses our learning capabilities and knowledge. It is also helpful in our overall development.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Uses of Library

A library is a very useful platform that brings together people willing to learn. It helps us in learning and expanding our knowledge. We develop our reading habits from a library and satisfy our thirst and curiosity for knowledge. This helps in the personal growth of a person and development.

Similarly, libraries provide authentic and reliable sources of information for researchers. They are able to complete their papers and carry out their studies using the material present in a library. Furthermore, libraries are a great place for studying alone or even in groups, without any disturbance.

Moreover, libraries also help in increasing our concentration levels. As it is a place that requires pin drop silence, a person can study or read in silence. It makes us focus on our studies more efficiently. Libraries also broaden our thinking and make us more open to modern thinking.

Most importantly, libraries are very economical. The people who cannot afford to buy new books and can simply borrow books from a library. This helps them in saving a lot of money and getting information for free.

In short, libraries are a great place to gain knowledge. They serve each person differently. They are a great source of learning and promoting the progress of knowledge. One can enjoy their free time in libraries by reading and researching. As the world has become digitized, it is now easier to browse through a library and get what you are looking for. Libraries also provide employment opportunities to people with fair pay and incredible working conditions.

Thus, libraries help all, the ones visiting it and the ones employed there. We must not give up on libraries due to the digital age. Nothing can ever replace the authenticity and reliability one gets from a library.

FAQs on Library and Its Uses

Q.1 Why are libraries important?

A.1 Libraries help in the overall development of a person. They provide us with educational material and help enhance our knowledge.

Q.2 State some uses of the library.

A.2 A library is a great platform which helps us in various things. We get the reference material for our homework. Research scholars get reliable content for their papers. They increase our concentration levels as we read there in peace.

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• How Americans Value Public Libraries in Their Communities
• Section 2: Public Libraries’ Importance and Impact

Table of Contents

• About this Report
• Section 1: An Overview of Americans’ Public Library Use
• Section 3: Perceptions of Public Libraries
• Acknowledgements

Importance of public library services

Overall, 91% of Americans either have ever used a public library or said another household member uses a public library. 4 We asked these respondents who have personal or family experiences with libraries a series of questions about how important they consider various library services, including various library resources and activities.

There are notable patterns in many of the answers about the importance of library services among those who have personal or family experiences with public libraries. In general, women, African-Americans and Hispanics, adults who live in lower-income households, and adults with lower levels of educational attainment are more likely than other groups to say these services are “very important.”  Those ages 30-64 are more likely than younger or older respondents to say many of the services are “very important,” as are parents with minor children. Urban residents with library experiences are more likely than rural residents to say some services are “very important” to them.

Adults 65 and older are the age group most likely to say that none of these library services are very important to them, and generally rate most services as less important overall. For instance, among those ages 65 and older with some public library experience,65% say that having a quiet and safe place to spend time at the library is important to them and their families overall, compared with 75% of all respondents who say this is important.

Even in cases where a majority or plurality of seniors say the services are important to them, their level of enthusiasm is considerably lower than younger Americans. For example, senior citizens with library experience by a 72%-26% margin say that access to free books and media is important to them – a 46-point spread. On the other hand, those ages 30-49 say such access is important by an 85%-14% margin – a 71-point gap.

Individual library services

In addition to our basic demographic analyses, we also explored responses based on a variety of life situations and technology use factors, many of which are strongly correlated with lower households incomes and lower levels of education. These include searching for a job, living with a disability, or lacking home internet access, and are discussed in further detail below.

Using the internet, computers, or printers at a public library

• 42% of those who are currently looking for a job say this is “very important” to them and their families, and 68% of job-seekers say it is either important or very important overall.
• 43% of those living with a disability say this is “very important” (67% say it is important overall), as well as 48% of those with a health problem that makes reading difficult (69% say this is important to them and their families overall). 5
• 56% of internet users without home access say this is “very important” to them and their family, and 77% say it is important overall.

Having a quiet and safe place to spend time, read, or study at the library

• 61% of job seekers say this having a quiet and safe place to spend time, read, or study at a library is “very important” to them and their families, compared with 49% of respondents who are not currently looking for a job.

Library assistance in applying for government programs, permits, or licenses

• Among those with recent library experience who are unemployed but not retired, 37% say library assistance in applying for government programs, permits or licenses is “very important” to them and their families.
• 40% of those living with a disability say library assistance is “very important,” compared with 27% of those without a disability.

Help finding or applying for a job

• 47% of job seekers say receiving help at the library in finding or applying for a job is “very important” to them and their families.
• 42% of those with a health problem that makes reading difficult say receiving help at the library in finding or applying for a job is “very important” to them and their families.

Getting help from a librarian finding information

• 49% of those not in the workforce say receiving assistance from a librarian in finding information is “very important” (including 47% of retired respondents).
• Those living with a disability (56%) or with a health problem that makes reading difficult (59%) are also more likely than others to say that librarian assistance is “very important” to them and their families.

Finally, internet users who lack home internet access are more likely than other respondents to say all of these services are “very important” to them and their families. Non-internet users are also more likely than internet users with home access to say that many of these services are “very important.”

Impact of a local public library closing

About two-thirds (67%) of Americans ages 16 and older said that if their local public library closed, it would affect them and their families . Some 29% of Americans said that such a closer would have a “major” personal impact, and 38% said it would have a “minor” impact. Another 32% said their library’s closing would have “no impact” on them and their families.

Women, adults ages 30-64, and parents are among the groups most likely to say that their local public library’s closing would have a “major” impact on them and their families. Many other groups are also more likely to say their library’s closing would have a major personal impact:

• Adults who have not graduate high school are particularly likely to say that their library’s closure would have a major impact on them and their family (35%).
• Adults living in households earning less than $30,000 per year are the most likely of any income group to say that their library’s closure would have a major impact on them and their family (34%).
• 37% of those living with a disability say it would have a major personal impact, compared with 28% of other respondents.
• Unemployed respondents are more likely than employed respondents to say that their local public library’s closing would have a “major” impact on them and their families (31% vs 28%)

The vast majority (90%) of Americans said that the closing of their local public library would impact their community as a whole , with 63% saying it would have a major impact and 27% said it would have a minor impact. Just 7% said it would have “no impact” on their community.

Women are more likely to say their local public library’s closing would have a major impact on the community than men (70% 55%), and adults ages 30 and older are more likely than younger respondents to say there would be a major impact.

Meanwhile, parents are more likely than non-parents to say their library’s closure would have a major impact, and adults with at least some college experience are more likely to say there would be at least a minor impact overall, compared with those with lower levels of education.

• This includes the 86% of Americans ages 16 and older who have ever visited a library or used a library website, and the 54% of Americans who say other members of their household are library users. ↩
• Overall, 16% of Americans ages 16 and older say that they have a physical or health condition that makes reading difficult or challenging for them. ↩

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How public libraries help build healthy communities

Subscribe to the economic studies bulletin, marcela cabello and marcela cabello former research analyst - economic studies stuart m. butler stuart m. butler senior fellow - economic studies @stuartmbutler.

March 30, 2017

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. Increasingly in the United States, you also can’t judge a library’s value to its community by simply its books. Let us explain.

In a previous blog post, we’ve noted the importance of “third places” in strengthening communities – meaning those places that are neither one’s home (first place) nor workspace (second place). A range of such third places, from churches to beauty salons, play an important role in community building. They are the informal spaces that are often mainstays in a neighborhood, places where both random and intentional in-person relationships are made.

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Several things are necessary for a particular place to play this role. Location and accessibility are important, of course. But so are trust and a sense of neutrality; they are usually the keys to success, whether the place is a house of worship, a family-owned diner, or a barbershop.

As the earlier piece explained, public spaces and buildings can become important and successful third places. And one particularly interesting, emerging and important example is the public library.

Public libraries exist in urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods, and typically they have a long history in their community. According to a 2015 Pew survey, almost two-thirds of adult Americans say that closing their local library would have a major impact on their community . As Pew found, over 90 percent of adults think of public libraries as “welcoming and friendly places,” and about half have visited or otherwise used a public library in the last 12 months.

Reimagining the Librarian

A reason public libraries are seen as such important third-place institutions is that they and their librarians have gradually taken on other functions well beyond lending out books. In many communities, librarians are also ad hoc social workers and navigators. They help local people figure out the complexities of life, from navigating the health system to helping those with housing needs. This “go-to” role has influenced library programming and events, with libraries providing advice and connections to health, housing, literacy, and other areas.

Other sectors, such as health care, increasingly see public libraries as a critical link to a community. For instance, the National Library of Medicine is helping local librarians to be more effective local navigators by regularly hosting webinars and training sessions for local librarians on how to navigate social services, aging, mental health, welfare and public assistance, housing resources, health care, and education and employment resources.

A reason public libraries are seen as such important third-place institutions is that they and their librarians have gradually taken on other functions well beyond lending out books.

Of course, most librarians were not trained to handle many of the issues and requests they now encounter, such as providing guidance on resources for substance abuse and mental health issues. In response, some libraries have hired in-house social workers to help address the needs of visitors. San Francisco Public Library, where an estimated 15 percent of the library’s visitors are homeless, was one of the first . A case worker is able to do a full assessment, and help arrange case management and housing assistance, in a respectful and neutral safe space.

Addressing Population Health

Other cities have followed suit. A recent study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania explains how Philadelphia’s libraries, as a trusted local institution, have partnered with the University to address population health and social determinants of health. With librarians now trained as “community health specialists,” the libraries offer programs and assistance for people of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. In 2015, almost 10 percent of the libraries’ 5.8 million in-person visitors accessed specialized programs and assistance in such areas as nutrition, trauma and mental health resources, youth leadership and healthy behaviors. As the researchers conclude, “Libraries and librarians contribute two particular strengths to advance a culture of health: accessibility and trustworthiness.”

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Many libraries have become front-line institutions in addressing the needs of the homeless. For instance, the Dallas Public Library in 2013 launched a Homeless Engagement Initiative . The emphasis is on making all library visitors feel welcome. The library runs a Homeless Engagement and Leadership Program (HELP) Desk where customers can obtain one-on-one assistance with job applications and resumes, food and housing referrals, legal aid, and library music and arts programs.

Libraries focus on a wide range of populations with particular needs, including seniors, veterans, and immigrants. The Hartford Public Library in Connecticut, for instance, has created The American Place (TAP), a free program that supports and assists new immigrants acclimate to their new city. TAP partners with community leaders and organizations to provide employment services, English as a new language classes, legal orientation programs, Know-Your-Rights forums, and referrals to other services, in five different languages. Meanwhile the Queens Borough Public Library in New York, has partnered with the Queens Health Network, the largest healthcare provider in the area, to design health-related and community-centered programming targeting the needs of its immigrant populations.

Libraries as Key Hubs

In health care and other areas, libraries are combining the access and trust characteristics of a third place with a hub role in the community – using partnerships with other institutions to connect people with services and help. There are plenty of challenges with this role. Community needs and the requests of visitors are increasingly straining or overwhelming library funds; and although many libraries are retraining staff, achieving the appropriate mix of skills is difficult. But as the University of Pennsylvania study found, “public libraries are dynamic, socially responsive institutions, a nexus of diversity, and a lifeline for the most vulnerable among us.” More policymakers and government officials need to recognize this, and incorporate libraries into budgets and plans to build a culture of health and upwardly mobile communities.

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Libraries Are Even More Important to Contemporary Community Than We Thought

And they should be funded accordingly.

Libraries are not the kinds of institutions that social scientists, policy makers, and community leaders usually bring up when they discuss social capital and how to build it. Since Tocqueville, most leading thinkers about social and civic life have extolled the value of voluntary associations like bowling leagues and gardening clubs without looking closely at the physical and material conditions that make people more or less likely to associate. But social infrastructure provides the setting and context for social participation, and the library is among the most critical forms of social infrastructure that we have.

It’s also one of the most undervalued. In recent years, modest declines in the circulation of bound books in some parts of the country have led some critics to argue that the library is no longer serving its historic function as a place for public education and social uplift. Elected officials with other spending priorities argue that 21st-century libraries no longer need the resources they once commanded, because on the Internet most content is free. Architects and designers eager to erect new temples of knowledge say that libraries should be repurposed for a world where books are digitized and so much public culture is online.

Many public libraries do need renovations, particularly the neighborhood branches. But the problem libraries face isn’t that people no longer visit them or take out books. On the contrary: so many people are using them, for such a wide variety of purposes, that library systems and their employees are overwhelmed. According to a 2016 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, about half of all Americans aged sixteen and over used a public library in the past year, and two-thirds say that closing their local branch would have a “major impact on their community.” In many neighborhoods the risk of such closures is palpable, because both local library buildings and the systems that sustain them are underfunded and overrun.

In New York City, where I live, library circulation is up, program attendance is up, program sessions are up, and the average number of hours that people spend in libraries is up too. But New York City doesn’t have an exceptionally busy library culture, nor is it a national leader. The distinctions belong to other places: Seattle leads the nation in annual circulation per capita, followed by Columbus, Indianapolis, San Jose, San Francisco, Jacksonville, and Phoenix. Columbus has the highest level of program attendance: five of every 10,000 residents participate in library activities there each year. San Francisco and Philadelphia are close behind, as are Boston, Detroit, and Charlotte. New York City trails them all.

New York City also ranks low in per capita government spending for the system. The New York Public Library receives $32 for every resident, on par with Austin and Chicago but less than one-third of the San Francisco Public Library, which gets $101 per resident.

Urban library systems in the United States have long been public-private partnerships, and city governments have long relied on philanthropists to fund much of the library’s work. Still, it’s hard to understand why most cities give so little public support to their libraries. According to recent reports from the Pew Research Center, more than 90 percent of Americans see their library as “very” or “somewhat” important to their community, and in the past decade “every other major institution (government, churches, banks, corporations) has fallen in public esteem except libraries, the military, and first responders.” Despite this support, in recent years cities and suburbs across the United States have cut funding for libraries, and in some cases closed them altogether, because political officials often view them as luxuries, not necessities. When hard times come, their budgets get trimmed first.

Doing research in New York City, I learned that libraries and the social infrastructure are essential not only for a neighborhood’s vitality but also for buffering all variety of personal problems—including isolation and loneliness. And while these problems may be particularly acute in struggling neighborhoods like East New York, they’re hardly confined to them. Consider Denise, a fashion photographer in her late 30s whom I met in the Seward Park Library children’s floor on a chilly April morning. She’s wearing jeans, a long black coat, and large tortoiseshell glasses. As she sits, she scans the room and quickly decompresses. The children’s floor might not be a second home anymore, not since her daughter started preschool, but during her first few years of being a mother Denise was here almost every day.

“I live close,” she tells me. “We moved here six years ago. I didn’t think about what it would mean to live by a library, not at all. But this place has become very dear to me. So many good things have happened because we come here.” Denise stopped working when her daughter was born, but her husband, an attorney, didn’t. On the contrary, the demands on his time increased, and he worked well into the evening, leaving her in a small Manhattan apartment with a baby she loved intensely but also with a feeling of loneliness beyond anything she’d experienced before. “I had a pretty bad case of postpartum depression,” she tells me. “There were days when getting out of the apartment was just a huge struggle. I suddenly went from working in this job I loved to spending all my time at home trying to take care of things that really matter but that I didn’t know how to do. I felt like I was in the trenches, you know? You can go crazy like that. I had to get out, but it was hard. And I didn’t know where to go.”

At first Denise tried taking the baby to coffee shops, hoping she’d nap or rest quietly while she went online or read. That didn’t happen. “I’d go to Starbucks and there would be all these people there working or having meetings. It’s a place for grown-ups, right? When the baby starts crying everyone turns around and stares at you. It’s like: ‘What are you doing here? Can’t you take her away?’ It’s definitely not kid-friendly.”

Denise had spent time in libraries as a child in California but hadn’t used the system much since moving to Manhattan. On one especially stressful day, though, she put her daughter in the stroller and brought her into the Seward Park Library, just to see what  was there. “An entire world opened up that day,” she remembers. “There were the books, of course. You can’t have a lot of them when you live in a small apartment, but here there are more than we could ever read. And then I discovered that there’s a whole social scene going on between everyone who comes here. The parents, the nannies, the children, people in the neighborhood. The librarians! They are so kind here.”

Immediately, Denise found herself surrounded by other first-time mothers who shared her struggles but could enjoy the fun parts of parenting too. She saw that her baby wasn’t the only one crying when everything seemed fine, refusing to eat or nap. She realized that she wasn’t alone. Denise also found more experienced mothers and babysitters who could answer most of her questions. “You just kind of start chatting,” she explains, “and it’s amazing but you wind up having these really personal, really intense conversations.” I ask if something similar happens in parks and playgrounds, and Denise says that it does, to some extent, but that it’s easier here in the library, especially on the children’s floor. The room is warm and open, the children are protected, and there’s an ethos that makes it easy for parents to connect with one another. “It’s like you become part of the mommy tribe here,” Denise explains, “and that makes parenting a lot less lonely.” The tribe endures, even when the kids go to school and mothers spend less time in the local branch. Some of the people Denise and her daughter met during those early years in the library remain close friends.

The accessible physical space of the library is not the only factor that makes it work well as social infrastructure. The institution’s extensive programming, organized by a professional staff that upholds a principled commitment to openness and inclusivity, fosters social cohesion among clients who might otherwise keep to themselves. Friendships develop quickly in the library in part because the place sponsors so many shared activities for children and, by extension, for caretakers too. Denise and her daughter did lap-sit classes for early literacy, bilingual song and story hours, magic shows, and classes for music and art. “In those first years there’s a lot of unstructured time that you’re just looking to fill,” Denise tells me. “You can pay to take classes in some places, but it’s expensive, and sometimes you just can’t get there, the schedule that day doesn’t work out. The library is great because you can pop over and there’s always something happening. You just check out the calendar and make it part of your week, or just show up and jump in.”

Librarians, Denise discovered, play an important role helping parents and children feel comfortable in the library. Sometimes, she says, they provide even greater service. “At one point, you know, our cat was not doing very well. I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, my daughter is so attached to this cat. What happens if it dies?’ Our librarian had recommended a lot of children’s books to me, so I asked her for a book that would help my kid understand death. And you know what? She actually had a few books about pets who die. She knew what I needed! She knew!” In the end Denise’s cat recovered. “She really does have nine lives,” she says, laughing. “But I learned about the kind of resource I have in the library. And I felt lucky to have that help.”

The help at the library made a difference in the way Denise felt about herself as a mother, and eventually she gained enough confidence to return to work. That meant hiring a nanny, and entrusting her daughter to a stranger wasn’t easy. “That’s such a big emotional hurdle,” she says, “but there was this one nanny I saw at the library a lot, and I loved the way she was caring for this little girl. She was really involved and really sweet and really loving. I knew that’s what I needed for my daughter too. I told the nanny I was going back to work and she referred me to the woman who became, like, not only my nanny, but my favorite person in the world.” Denise now calls the library “a lifesaver,” and though that may be an exaggeration, there’s no question that the institution proved valuable in ways she’d never imagined.

Why have so many public officials and civic leaders failed to recognize the value of libraries and their role in our social infrastructure? Perhaps it’s because the founding principle behind the library—that all people deserve free, open access to our shared culture and heritage, which they can use to any end they see fit—is out of sync with the market logic that dominates our time. (If, today, the library didn’t already exist, it’s hard to imagine our society’s leaders inventing it.) But perhaps it’s because so few influential people understand the role that libraries already play in modern communities, or the many roles they could play if they had more support. In New York, as in cities across the United States and around the world, neighborhood libraries and librarians do all kinds of unexpected things for surprisingly large numbers of people. Their core mission is to help people elevate themselves and improve their situation. Libraries do this, principally, by providing free access to the widest possible variety of cultural materials to people of all ages, from all ethnicities and groups.

For older people, especially widows, widowers, and those who live alone, libraries are places for culture and companionship, through book clubs, movie nights, sewing circles, and classes in art, music, current events, and computing. When Library Lanes scales up to the city level, no old person in the five boroughs need bowl alone again. The elderly can also participate in some of these activities in senior centers, but there they can only do them with other old people, and often that makes them feel stigmatized, as if old is all they are. For many seniors, the library is the main place they interact with people from other generations. It’s a place where they can volunteer and feel useful. It’s where  they can be part of  a diverse and robust community, not a homogeneous one where everyone fears decline.

Libraries provide different benefits to young people. They expose infants and toddlers to books and stories that would otherwise be inaccessible. They help youths inch toward independence, giving them library cards and letting them choose how to use them. Libraries offer refuge and safe space to teenagers who’d rather study or socialize than hang out in the streets. Librarians help students with homework and offer after-school programs in art, science, music, language, and math. They recommend books, authors, even entire genres to young people who are searching for something different but can’t yet name it. Libraries help children and teenagers feel responsible, to themselves and to their neighbors, by teaching them what it means to borrow and take care of something public, and to return it so others can have it too.

By doing all this, libraries also help families and caretakers.

They provide a social space and shared activities for new parents, grandparents, and nannies who feel lonely, disconnected, or overwhelmed when watching an infant or a toddler by themselves. They help build friendships and support networks among neighbors who’d never met before taking a library class. They teach parenting skills to people who want or need them. They watch children, sometimes very young ones, whose parents work late or on weekends and who can’t afford childcare. They give families confidence that their kids are in good hands.

——————————————

Excerpted with permission from Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg. Published by Crown, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2019 by Eric Klinenberg. Portions of this excerpt have previously appeared in  The New York Times .

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I grew up down the street from my local library, so I spent a lot of my childhood there, either hidden away in the stacks reading books, using the internet to access Myspace, or meeting up with friends to work on school projects. I've always understood the value of such an institution, but in today's current climate of untruths, intolerance, and ignorance, it's becoming clear that libraries are essential, now more than ever .

2017 has been dubbed by many the year of resistance , and over the past three months, the country has seen that play out in an increasingly interesting number of ways. There's been no shortage of protests, marches, and strikes, but aside from the traditional demonstrations of civil disobedience, people across the country have come up with new and surprising ways to speak out against the dangerous political agenda of the current administration and stand up for their rights and the rights of others. There have been movements to bury the White House in books , a nationwide call to action for women to get involved in politics , and so much more. While millions of individuals have gotten involved in the resistance, entire institutions have dedicated themselves to it, too, including many libraries around the U.S.

Despite what you may hear about the death of print books and the lack of interest in libraries, there are actually more public libraries in the U.S. than there are Starbucks. More than just storage spaces for books, libraries are important community hubs that serve as centers of learning, professional development, healthcare, and now, resistance.

In today's political climate, libraries have become centers for the movement that supports women, immigrants, people of color, the LGBTQ community, and those facing religious persecution. They are free public spaces that allow everyone to feel safe and to find opportunity. Now, more than ever, they are vital American institutions, and here are seven reasons why:

They offer free educational resources to everyone.

Public libraries in the United States play an essential role in providing safe, accessible, and 100% free educational resource centers for every member in communities across the country. At a library, it doesn't matter how much money you make, because every resource there is free of charge, including books, internet access, and educational and professional training programs. Individuals and families, no matter their socioeconomic status, can count on their libraries to provide them with the resources they need to succeed and the answers to important questions they can't otherwise find.

According to the ALA, librarians in public and academic libraries across the country answer nearly 6.6 million questions every week . If everyone who asked a question formed a line, it would span all the way from Miami, FL, to Junot, AK. These questions aren't just about card catalogs and book recommendations, either. Librarians help their patrons not only find their next reading selection, but they also answer questions about computer and internet training, job applications and resume writing, and filling out government forms, including tax and health insurance paperwork, all of it for free.

Libraries are safe refuges for the homeless and underserved populations.

Libraries in the United States provide a crucial service for poor and homeless people across the country. Not only do they offer a safe and free refuge for those who need shelter, but they offer support to those in need. Each morning when public libraries open their doors, they become shelters, learning centers, and employment centers for the most underserved population.

In many areas, homeless shelters partner with libraries and provide transportation between the two locations every day. At locations like Washington, D.C.'s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library , which to the dismay of its patrons will be closing for renovations for three years, hundreds of homeless men, women, and children visit every day, and most of the time all day, to seek shelter and take advantage of the resources the library has to offer. For the homeless or the very poor, libraries provide them with access to the internet for job searches, books for educational and job training, and essential programs designed to bring them up from poverty.

They help boost local economies.

Because they are free for patrons, not many people consider the role they play in the economy, but libraries play a key role in financially strengthening local community. They provide a work space for telecommuters, supply free internet access for people looking for employment opportunities, and offer job and interview training for those in need.

According to the ALA , 73% of public libraries assist their patrons with job applications and interviewing skills, and 48% provide access and assistance to entrepreneurs looking to start a business of their own. In many cases, like the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County , local governments work together with libraries to help small business owners by providing them with online and in-person resources, including financial guidance, contract opportunities, market information, business plans, and much more.

In helping individual community members financially succeed in their lives and small businesses, libraries help entire communities succeed at boosting their economy and growing their local wealth.

They play an important role in English language learning.

The diversity in America, one of the things that makes this country so great, continues to grow more and more every year, and libraries play a key role in that development. People from all over the world come to the U.S. looking new opportunities for them and their families, and often times, English is not their first language. Before they can find success, they need to find a place to learn a new language.

Libraries provide English language learners with the opportunity to immerse themselves in their new language, whether it be through periodicals, books, audiobooks, or resources online. Many libraries also offer multilingual books for adults and children that are designed to help new English learners master the language in a fun and engaging way. Increasingly, libraries are also expanding their collection of non-English books to help create a more inclusive environment for every kind of reader, no matter where they are from.

In addition to the physical resources libraries offer ESL learners, they also provide educational ones, including free language classes, bilingual housing and employment help, resource and contact information for adult education courses outside of the library.

Libraries make communities healthier.

When you think of a library, you probably don't think of it as a center for health and wellbeing, but in many cases, it is exactly that. Through their community programs, direct librarian assistance, fitness classes, and basic internet access, libraries provide important equal access opportunities to those seeking health information and services.

According to a study by the Institute of Museum and Library Services , 59% of libraries help patrons find health insurance resources, 18% bring in healthcare providers to offer free limited screening services, and 23% provide free fitness classes. Together with local governments, healthcare providers, and medical professionals, libraries keep communities healthier and increase their vitality in a way that makes a serious impact.

They preserve history, and more importantly, truth.

The preservation of truth is important, now more than ever. Libraries, which house centuries of learning, information, history, and truth, are important defenders in the fight against misinformation.

By providing free access to educational, news, and historical resources, libraries help keep the public informed with facts, rather than confused with fiction. They act as a hub of information, and their leaders, the librarians, torch bearers for facts. While they might have a robust fiction section, libraries are still some of the greatest champions of truth.

Libraries help connect communities.

More so than a community center, town hall, or public park ever could, libraries connect their communities in a way that benefits everyone. They pool local resources — from educational offerings to job training to homeless outreach to ESL learning — and put them all under one welcoming roof for everyone to share.

Whether you're a family looking for a fun story time, an immigrant in need of language resources, an unemployed individual searching for job help, or a community member who needs help on their taxes, you can all go to one place: the library. There, communities come together to learn, share, and celebrate where they live, who they are, and what they want to become.

Libraries truly are remarkable places, and in today's world, we need them now more than ever. Find out how you can support your local library and get to work protecting one of America's most important public institutions. The country needs it.

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Ten Reasons Libraries Are Still Better Than the Internet

By Marcus Banks | December 19, 2017

“Thanks to the internet, we no longer need libraries or librarians.” You most likely hear some variation on that theme pretty regularly.

Sixteen years ago, American Libraries published Mark Y. Herring’s essay “Ten Reasons Why the Internet Is No Substitute for a Library” (April 2001). Technology has improved exponentially since then—social media didn’t even exist yet. But even the smartest phone’s intelligence is limited by paywalls, Twitter trolls, fake news, and other hazards of online life. Here are 10 reasons why libraries are still better than the internet.

• Libraries are safer spaces. The internet brings people together, often in enjoyable and productive ways, such as over shared interests (pop culture blogs, fanfic sites) or common challenges (online support groups). But cyberbullying and trolling can leave people reluctant to engage with folks they disagree with or to share their ideas in the first place. Libraries are places where people can gather constructively and all are welcome.
• Libraries respect history. Web pages are ephemeral, and link rot is a real problem. The content of library collections is much more stable. Printed materials are generally published on acid-free paper, which will not disintegrate. And librarians are leading the way to bring similar stability to the web through services like the Internet Archive and perma.cc .
• Librarians digitize influential primary sources. While looking at historical artifacts is valuable, repeated physical handling can damage them. Making digital versions of important works available online—as in the National Library of Medicine’s Turning the Pages project —is one solution. Library digitization projects also provide information to people who do not have the resources to travel to a particular library. Librarians are using the emerging technology of the internet to further the timeless mission of providing better access to information. The internet is the platform that enables this progress, but librarians are doing the work.
• Librarians are leaders in increasing online access to scholarly information. The open access movement makes scholarly articles available to all readers online, and librarians have been strong advocates of the movement for more than a decade. This access is especially critical when reporting the results of medical research, which is often funded by taxpayer dollars.
• Librarians are publishers. Scholarly publishers still provide the journals and books that researchers develop. But librarians have joined these efforts by becoming publishers themselves. New librarian-led publishing initiatives take full advantage of the web and generally make new work available on an open access basis. One example of library publishing, which is common in academic libraries, is the institutional repository . These repositories collect and preserve the broad range of a college or university’s intellectual output, such as datasets gathered in research studies, computer code used in software development, and conference proceedings.
• Libraries host makerspaces. Given that makerspaces provide venues for creativity, learning, and community, it only makes sense that libraries champion them. The maker movement has grown rapidly— in 2016 there were 14 times as many makerspaces as in 2006 . Both public and academic libraries host makerspaces . You can learn about makerspaces online, of course. But to visit one you have to venture into the physical world.
• Librarians can help you sort the real news from the fake. While a plethora of useful, accurate, and engaging content is available online, the web is filled with inaccurate and misleading information. “Click bait” headlines get you to click on the content even if the underlying information is superficial or inaccurate. Misinformation is the spread of deliberate falsehoods or inflammatory content online, such as the Russian-backed ads placed on social media during the 2016 US presidential election . Librarianship has always been about providing objective, accurate, and engaging information that meets the needs of a particular person. This has not changed, and it is why librarians are experts in information literacy .
• Librarians guide you to exactly what you need. Google is an impressive search engine, but its results can be overwhelming, and many people do not know to filter them by content type (such as .pdf) or website source (such as .gov). Google offers many search tips , which are useful but generic. A conversation with a librarian can clarify exactly what you are looking for and figure out the best way to use Google—or many other resources—to find it.
• Librarians do not track your reading or search history to sell you things. Amazon’s book purchase recommendation feature is useful for learning about new books. But this usefulness comes at the expense of your privacy because your reading data is valuable business intelligence for Amazon. The same is true for your web searching history, which is why you often see ads for a product for weeks after searching for it just once. Librarians value and protect your privacy .
• Librarians do not censor. One core value of librarianship, as exemplified by the work of ALA’s Freedom to Read Foundation , is thwarting censorship and allowing the free and full exchange of ideas. The internet is a powerful tool for information sharing, but it takes human advocates to stand for information freedom.

Libraries continue to provide benefits that are both tangible—such as community spaces and human interaction—and harder to quantify—access, privacy, intellectual freedom. The internet is an indispensable and irreplaceable tool for modern living. But it is not a library and will not replace the work of librarians.

MARCUS BANKS is a journalist with prior experience as an academic library administrator.

Tagged Under

• information literacy
• intellectual freedom
• makerspaces
• open access
• privacy rights

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Libraries are often seen as a thing of the past. However, they are more important than ever before!

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Last Updated on May 12, 2024 by BiblioLifestyle

Libraries are often seen as a thing of the past.  However, they are more important than ever before, and libraries, I believe, are one of the most important institutions in our society.  They provide everyone access to information and education, regardless of socioeconomic status or location, and they are often hubs for our local communities. I have very fond memories of going to the library as a child. My grandad would take me at least twice a week, and on Saturdays, I would be dropped off for more extended periods. I also remember the library being the first place where I made independent decisions. I had no control over the clothes I could wear, what activities I would participate in or events I could attend, but I had free reign at the library and the books I wanted to read. Plus, the library had so many fun activities; it also helped to make reading fun! As an adult, the library has so many wonderful programs and benefits for adults, too. So in this article, I will discuss the importance of libraries and why they are so vital to our communities.

First, what are libraries?

Libraries are institutions that provide access to information and resources for all members of the community.  Libraries exist in physical and digital forms and offer various services, including but not limited to books, magazines, newspapers, movies, music, ebooks, audiobooks, databases, and more.  Most public libraries also provide computers and other services such as internet access, faxing, photocopying, printing, and scanning.  Some libraries also have children’s areas, meeting rooms, and reading rooms.  So the importance of libraries can be experienced by all community members.

Why do libraries exist?

Libraries exist to serve the community’s needs by providing access to information and resources, regardless of an individual’s and community’s socioeconomic status or location.

Why are libraries important?

Libraries are important because they provide everyone access to information and education, regardless of socioeconomic status or location.  Libraries offer knowledge and entertainment through books and videos, children’s programming, access to the internet, tutoring services, materials for lifelong learning, and countless other resources that would otherwise be difficult to find or afford.  Just think of libraries as a great big information superpower anyone can benefit from!  On top of that, libraries also provide a welcoming atmosphere where anyone can talk to people in their communities, gather and learn, or even have a moment’s peace with a good book.  Libraries are also one of the few places you can go without paying, and you won’t be asked to leave until closing.

I LOVE libraries!  While I agree with all the sentiments I shared above as to why libraries are important, I have fond memories of the library being the first place I could make a choice without the input of my parents or grandparents.  I had no say in the clothes that were purchased for me or the food I ate, BUT inside the library, I had free reign.  My family were firm believers that reading was so important, so even though they purchased lots of books for me, the library helped to satisfy my voracious appetite for books!

What are the benefits of going to the library?

Going to the library can have many benefits, including:

• Access to information and resources that might otherwise be unavailable or unaffordable.
• It’s a safe space for self-study, learning, and socializing.
• Library services are often free or have extremely low or minimal fees.
• Libraries provide a unique opportunity to explore and learn from different cultures around the world.
• Libraries often have special collections, such as rare books, documents, and artifacts.
• Libraries are great places to discover new hobbies or interests.

Importance of Libraries: 10 Reasons Why Libraries Are Important

– libraries are free, and they offer a variety of resources that are accessible to everyone..

These resources include books, magazines, newspapers, computers with internet access, and more.  Libraries are also one of the only places to go online without paying anything.

– Libraries provide a sense of community.

They’re a place where people can meet friends, study for exams, or relax.  In today’s society, it’s more important than ever to have places where people can come together and connect.

– Libraries are important for education.

Most public libraries offer free classes on everything from computer skills to cooking.  They also have extensive collections of books, movies, and music that you can borrow for free.

– Libraries help promote literacy.

According to the National Institute of Literacy, 32 million adults in the United States cannot read well enough to do everyday tasks like reading medication labels or filling out job applications.  Libraries offer resources like tutoring programs and early childhood literacy activities that help promote literacy and encourage people to read for pleasure.

– Libraries are a safe place for kids.

According to the American Library Association, public libraries are one of the few places where kids can go without an adult.  In addition, they offer activities and programs specifically designed for children, and most libraries have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and harassment.

– Libraries help preserve our history.

Libraries are home to some of the world’s oldest manuscripts and documents.  They also have extensive collections of photographs, maps, and other historical artifacts that would be otherwise unavailable to the public.

– Libraries provide access to technology.

In addition to computers, most libraries now have e-readers, tablets, and other devices you can borrow or use in the library.  They also offer free Wi-Fi and internet access.

– Libraries are a great place to find jobs and career advice.

Most libraries have databases of job listings and resources like resume writing classes and interview tips.

– Libraries help support the local economy.

Libraries often partner with businesses and organizations to offer discounts, free events, and programs for the public.

– Libraries provide a place to learn new things.

Libraries offer more than just books and movies; they also have classes, workshops, and other activities you can participate in for free.

More about why libraries are important

Why are libraries essential to local communities.

Libraries play an essential role in local communities by providing access to information and resources, supporting literacy and education, promoting lifelong learning, and serving as a community gathering space.   So the importance of libraries can be experienced by all community members.

Why are libraries important for students?

Libraries are an essential part of the educational system for students of all ages.  Libraries provide access to resources and materials that might not be available or affordable, allowing students to further their learning, understanding, and research.  Furthermore, libraries provide a safe and welcoming space for students to study and interact with other students and community members.

More information on libraries

The history of libraries.

The history of libraries dates back to ancient times when libraries were first created in Mesopotamia and Egypt.  In recent history, libraries began appearing in Europe during the Renaissance.  Today, libraries can be found all over the world.

What are the main types of libraries?

There are four main types of libraries: public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries, and special libraries.

Public libraries

Public libraries are libraries that are open to the general public and typically funded by taxpayers.

School libraries

School libraries are libraries that serve the students and staff of a particular school.

Academic libraries

Academic libraries are libraries that serve the students, staff, and faculty of a college or university.

Special Libraries

Special libraries are libraries that serve a specific population or need, such as medical libraries or law libraries, children’s libraries, or libraries for differently-abled individuals.

What are the other types of libraries?

There are many other types of libraries, including but not limited to:

• government libraries
• corporate libraries
• non-profit libraries
• museum libraries
• digital libraries

Importance of Libraries in Today’s Societies

Challenges libraries are facing today.

Libraries today are facing a number of challenges in today’s society.  Firstly, there’s the issue of funding.  Many libraries are funded by local governments, and when budget cuts occur, libraries can be greatly affected.  This can result in reduced hours of operation, a decrease in the number of services offered, and even closure.  Secondly, the digital age has brought with it new challenges.  While the advent of e-books and digital resources has expanded the reach of libraries, it has also necessitated that libraries keep up with technology and maintain digital collections, which can be a significant expense.  Lastly, libraries are often not recognized for the vital role they play in communities.  This lack of recognition can lead to a lack of support, both in terms of funding and patronage.

Advocating for Libraries

Advocacy for libraries is critical in addressing these challenges. Here are a few ways you can advocate for your local library:

• Support Library Funding: Stay informed about your local library’s funding situation. Attend local council or school board meetings and voice your support for library funding.
• Raise Awareness: Spread the word about the importance of libraries and the services they offer. Use social media, community events, and personal conversations to highlight the essential role libraries play in your community.
• Volunteer: Donating your time and skills can make a significant difference. Volunteer to help with events, run programs, or assist in everyday library operations.
• Donate: Donations can greatly help libraries, especially those struggling with funding. This could be a monetary donation or the donation of books, equipment, or other resources.
• Join the Friends of the Library Group: Many libraries have a Friends of the Library group that advocates for library support. These groups often run fundraisers and awareness campaigns.

Remember, libraries provide valuable services to everyone in the community. Your support can ensure they continue to do so for years to come.

What is your relationship with your library?

Do you volunteer or donate to your library?  Are you a member of your local library?  What do you think is the importance of libraries? Let’s talk all about libraries in the comments below.

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YES! I LOVE THIS. As someone who works in a public library, I appreciate the conversation that this article generates.

I’m so happy to hear that Hannah, especially from a public library worker! Hopefully, it will remind people why libraries are important, help others see libraries in a new light, and start meaningful conversations!

Can I quote you all for a research presentation? We are researching about libraries.

Hi Amelia, Can you please email [email protected] with your quote for approval? Thank you so much.

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Short Essay on Importance of Library [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

Libraries play an important role in the lives of readers and learners alike. In this lesson, you will learn to write essays in three different sets on the importance of libraries. It will help you in articulating your thoughts in the upcoming exams.

Short Essay on Importance of Library in 100 Words

A collection of books is called a library. It is a place that plays many primary and functional roles in the lives of both readers and learners. Many people like to visit libraries weekly, and book aficionados pay their visit religiously every day. A bookworm’s favourite location is the library.

Extroverts explore the unexplored territory in the numerous novels the library offers, while introverts take sanctuary in its quiet nooks. A person with resources goes to the library to improve their talents, while a person with limited resources goes to the library because books are the most cost-effective way to learn new skills. It is the only place that provides something to all who seek comfort under its roof.

Short Essay on Importance of Library in 200 Words

A library is a place that maintains a collection of all forms of literature and important journals. The importance of a library in the lives of both readers and learners cannot be overstated. Many people go there once a week, while book enthusiasts go there every day. For a bookworm, the library is the best place to be.

Extroverts explore the unexplored territory in the numerous novels it has to offer, while introverts take solace in its snug corners. A person of means goes to the library to improve their talents, but a person of limited means goes to the library because books are the most cost-effective way to learn new skills. A student visits the library searching for reference books to boost his confidence for impending tests. A teacher, on the other hand, goes to the library to find latent information that isn’t readily apparent in the set curriculum. 

Libraries are gaining more importance in the lives of one and all with digitalisation. As more and more things become digitised, several libraries have created their digital versions. It is user-friendly and simply accessible. It is even less expensive than a traditional library’s annual subscription. The value of libraries cannot be adequately expressed in words. It also has something to do with aesthetic enjoyment. Readers enjoy reading, learners enjoy learning, and educators enjoy exploring, yet neither can get enough of the library as a whole.

Short Essay on Importance of Library in 400 Words

A library is a place that maintains a collection of all forms of literature, reference books, periodicals and important journals. It plays a vital role in the lives of readers and learners alike. It is the most favourite place for a bookworm. While introverts seek refuge in its cosy corners, extroverts explore the uncharted territories in the many books it has to offer.

A student looks for reference books in the library to earn more confidence for the upcoming exams. In contrast, a teacher picks up reference books from the library to discover the latent knowledge that is not easily found in the prescribed curriculum. A keen learner wants to leave no book untouched, whereas a writer wants to read and write all the books at once. A person with obsessive-compulsive disorder visits the library to adore its different sections and, in the process, picks up new ways to or organised reorganise their bookshelves

Library memberships make reading economical and help one in taking up reading as a hobby. It makes one more informative, wise and knowledgeable. It also makes us more disciplined and gives our minds a place to think. The silence maintained in the library helps one focus and concentrate on the right things.

It channelises and re-channelises our thoughts by bringing us new ideas. It is an escape from reality. Under its roof, the old and the young come together to read the celebrated classics. It maintains a record and helps us understand the importance of keeping a journal. A library, most importantly, makes one fall in love with the pages of books time and again.

Libraries charge membership fees and take late charges if the book is not returned on time. This makes the borrower time-bound, and they try to complete the entire book within the given time interval. It makes one time-efficient and improves time management skills. It also nurtures self-discipline and teaches us to value all the resources such as time, money and knowledge alike.

Many libraries, such as the British Council, conduct important seminars and sessions that expose keen academicians. It acts as a venue for exchanging creative ideas and helps one with their respective career goals. Some libraries also conduct English speaking sessions to improve speaking skills and vocabulary. These days, as everything is getting digital, many libraries have come up with their digital version too.

It is user friendly and accessible easily. It is even cheaper than the annual membership of the physical library. One cannot estimate all the importance of libraries in words. It has got to do with aesthetic pleasure as well. Readers like to read, learners like to learn, educationists like to explore, and neither can have enough of the library as a whole.

Hopefully, after going through this lesson, you have a holistic idea about the importance of libraries in our lives. I have tried to cover every aspect of a library’s need and significance within and outside the lives of learners within limited words. If you still have any doubts regarding this session, kindly let me know through the comment section below. To read more such essays on many important topics, keep browsing our website. 

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Benefits of libraries for college students.

BY SEBASTIAN MILLER

Libraries were perceived to be sources of information. However, this has changed over the years with information being avoidable from anywhere and at any time. As a professional thesis writer, you are likely to struggle wondering whether libraries are still important or relevant for students.

Before dismissing these important structures, it is worth looking at the importance or value of a library to students.

• Encourage Curiosity, Problem Solving And Innovation

Students are in school to learn about particular subjects. This is likely to leave them with a closed down mentality about education. The library claims to have books and materials on all subjects you can imagine in the world. When a student is looking for a solution, wants to develop something or is pinched by the bug of innovation, he or she will turn to the library. It, therefore, becomes the go-to place whenever you want to be innovative.

• High Quality Reference Materials

Libraries stock quality reference materials for academic purposes. There are numerous books, articles, journals, and magazines, among other publications in the world. Their quality cannot be ascertained. However, a library never stocks any material without vetting. This is a guarantee that you will get the best quality reference materials.

• Supports Reading And Literacy

The library supports reading and literacy among students and the community. The idea of a library signals nothing else but reading and pursuit of knowledge. It forms a habit and tradition of reading among students and members of the society.

Open spaces for reading are becoming increasingly difficult to find. This leaves students with only the library to run to. Further, the library gives you a feeling of formal learning. This perception is important if a student is to achieve academic goals and a community produce literate persons.

• The Best Place To Study

People can ready anywhere, but there is no guarantee that they will comprehend the text. You can study in the house, under a tree, in the vehicle and so many other places. However, no place will defeat the suitability of a library when you need to study.

A library is a quiet place for a thesis writer to produce the best academic paper. This allows the reader to concentrate and therefore produce well thought out ideas. This boosts the quality of paper you get.

A library is also a comfortable place to read and write. The seats and tables are designed in a way that you can concentrate long hours and focus on academics. Other students are also within the premises. In case you need to consult, they will assist. Further, there are books of all kind in the library. You do not spend all day searching for them. With the assistance of experienced librarians, these books will be easy to find.

• Safe Place For The Quiet Students

Students exist in different personalities and calibre. Some are loud and jumpy such that they spend their free time in the field. Provision is made for such personalities. However, there are quiet academic-focused students in every school. Their main activity is taking to books even though they may be allocated time to play. These students find a comfortable place to explore and execute their ideas.

Some of the students are sharp and working on dynamic projects beyond school work. There are others who need extra time to work on class projects and exercises. Other than work from the class where their concentration can easily be distracted, the library provides a solution.

• Dynamic Resources For Students To Test Their Knowledge

Students have their academic work to complete. However, they have other ideas and are curious about what is in the world around them. The library provides a safe place where they can test these ideas and knowledge.

The reference materials available are not restricted to a single subject. This gives an opportunity for students to explore more ideas using credible materials stocked in the library. It helps to boost their confidence and also enables them to be innovative in their learning process.

The library is not about to be replaced, not even by technology. Thesis rush provides high-quality academic materials that will make writing easy and fast. You will also get quality writing services on different topics to boost your academic performance.

Sebastian Miller is a former Calling Lake School science teacher. After 4 years of teaching, he decided to become a freelance writer. In Sebastian’s opinion, math is the core of all science and his goal is to enlighten as many schoolers as possible through writing.

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6 Benefits of the Library: It’s Not Just a Place With Books

When was the last time you went to the library? Do you know how you can use the library right from your own home?

In today’s digital age, where information is readily available at our fingertips, the humble library might seem like a relic of the past. But, libraries continue to play a crucial role in society, offering a wealth of benefits that extend far beyond just books.

Continue reading to discover six benefits of the library that you should be taking advantage of.

6 Benefits of the Library

From fostering a love for reading to providing access to diverse resources and creating vibrant community spaces, libraries are invaluable institutions that deserve recognition and support. Let’s explore the remarkable benefits of the library and how they contribute to personal growth, empowerment, and community engagement.

#1: Access to a World of Knowledge

Libraries are treasure troves of knowledge, housing a vast collection of books, periodicals, reference materials, and more. They serve as repositories of human history, culture, and wisdom. Whether you’re seeking information for academic purposes, personal enrichment, or simply the joy of reading, libraries offer a wealth of resources in various formats. From classics to contemporary works, from fiction to nonfiction, libraries cater to a diverse range of interests and learning needs.

#2: Lifelong Learning Opportunities

Libraries are not just places to consume knowledge; they’re also spaces for continuous learning. Many libraries offer workshops, seminars, and educational programs for people of all ages. These initiatives cover a wide range of topics, such as computer literacy, language learning, arts and crafts, and financial literacy. By providing free or affordable access to educational resources and programs, libraries empower individuals to acquire new skills, enhance their employability, and foster personal growth throughout their lives.

#3: Digital Resources and Technology

While libraries are known for their printed materials, they have successfully adapted to the digital age. Most libraries now offer e-books, audiobooks, online databases, and digital resources, expanding access to information beyond the physical confines of the library itself. By embracing technology, libraries ensure that patrons can access information anytime, anywhere—catering to the needs and preferences of a tech-savvy generation. Additionally, libraries often provide public computers, internet access, and technological assistance, bridging the digital divide and promoting digital literacy within communities.

#4: Cultivating a Love of Reading

Libraries play a crucial role in nurturing a love of reading among people of all ages. By offering a wide selection of books and creating inviting reading spaces, libraries become havens for book lovers. They inspire curiosity, encourage exploration, and instill a lifelong habit of reading. Research has shown that regular reading improves vocabulary, critical thinking skills, and empathy. By promoting literacy and fostering a love of reading, libraries contribute to personal development and intellectual growth.

#5: Community Engagement and Social Connection

Libraries are vibrant community hubs that foster social interaction and engagement. They provide spaces where individuals from all walks of life can come together, share ideas, and connect with others who share similar interests. Libraries often host book clubs, author readings, lectures, and other events that encourage dialogue and the exchange of knowledge. These activities create a sense of belonging and community cohesion—promoting social integration and combating isolation.

#6: Cost-Effective Resource Access

For many individuals, purchasing books, magazines, or research materials can be financially challenging. Libraries bridge this gap by offering free or low-cost access to a wide range of resources. They allow individuals to explore various subjects without the burden of expensive purchases. Libraries also provide access to subscription-based databases, academic journals, and research materials that would otherwise be inaccessible to the general public. In this way, libraries ensure that knowledge and information are accessible to all, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

Wrapping Up

The benefits of the library extend far beyond the confines of its physical space. Libraries are invaluable institutions that promote knowledge, personal growth, empowerment, and community engagement. They provide access to a wealth of resources, cultivate a love of reading, offer lifelong learning opportunities, and serve as social hubs that bring communities together. In a world overwhelmed with information, libraries remain steadfast in their mission to curate and disseminate knowledge while creating inclusive spaces for all. Let us cherish and support libraries as they continue to inspire, educate, and empower generations to come.

• American Library Association
• Public Library Association

Note: This post was created in partnership with artificial intelligence.

• ← Beyond the Pumpkin Patch: 10 Fun Family Activities for Fall
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Elizabeth Whitworth

Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books—and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a blog and is writing a book about the beginning and the end of suffering.

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Essay on Library for Kids

A library is a fantastic place for kids to read and learn effectively and play an important role in the kids learning phase. It is a place where they can find academic books, novels and journals to keep them engaged in learning. It is also a place where they can learn new things. A library is where people borrow books, check out magazines, and search for information. Libraries are essential because they provide access to knowledge that people might not find elsewhere. In addition, libraries serve as community centres, providing social interaction and learning opportunities. BYJU’S importance of library essay helps children learn the significance of libraries in this digital age.

Table of Contents

The role of libraries in a digital world, library services, benefits of libraries.

The library is a valuable resource in today’s world of technology . Libraries offer books, music, movies, and even computer software. They are also where people can get help with homework and research. Libraries are essential for access to information about the world around us and their role in helping people access research activities. A short essay on library helps kids understand the role of libraries in a digital world.

Libraries have always been important in the digital world. However, with the advent of the internet influence on kids and digital technology, libraries have become even more critical.

For example, many people now rely on libraries to access information online. According to a study, 76 per cent of adults ages 18 and older say that they use the internet at least occasionally for research. This means that many people turn to their local library to find information online through the digital library system.

A library is not just a room with books, it is a place that provides access to information and community service . A library offers its members resources to help them better understand the world around them in their educational pursuits. Libraries also provide programmes and services to help people meet their personal needs, such as book clubs and computer classes. After understanding the role of libraries in this digital era, let us now know about library services by reading BYJU’S essay on library in English.

Libraries are essential to a community because they allow people to come together and learn. They provide a space where people can find information on anything they want, from history to science to literature. Libraries are also important because they offer programmes and services to help community members. Libraries often offer book clubs that allow members to discuss various books together. Moreover, libraries provide computer classes, which would enable people to learn how to use the internet safely.

When it comes to finding information, a library is one of the best places to look. There is no doubt that the library has played a significant role in the history of civilisation. From providing information on everything from ancient world history to current events, libraries have been instrumental in helping people learn and grow. BYJU’S essay on library allows kids to understand the advantages of a library:

• Libraries provide access to information and resources not available anywhere else.
• Libraries are often a place where people can come to know new things.
• Libraries offer free programmes and services to help people stay ahead of the curve.
• Many libraries have Wi-Fi, so patrons can access the internet while in the library.
• Libraries often offer literacy tutoring, business support, and computer lab access to use their resources in the most efficient way possible.
• Libraries are spacious and well-lit.
• Libraries typically have comfortable chairs and tables for reading.
• Library staff are always happy to help you find what you are looking for.
• Many libraries offer free or discounted admission to members.
• Libraries usually have different floors with different sections.

Libraries are essential parts of our society and should be maintained and supported in any way possible. They are an excellent resource for everyone and should not be taken lightly. For more kids learning activities like worksheets , poems and stories , visit BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the first library in the world.

The Library of Ashurbanipal is the first library in the world.

Why should kids go to the library?

A library is an excellent place for children to explore their learning and discovery needs. They can learn new skills and interests with the help of many different library resources. They can also go to libraries to borrow books they cannot afford.

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The Complicated Role of the Modern Public Library

Something for everyone.

A homeless patron, Allen Barkovich, sits in the Woodmere Branch of the Traverse Area District Library in Michigan, 2013.

—AP Photo / Traverse City Record-Eagle , Keith King

There aren’t many truly public places left in America. Most of our shared spaces require money or a certain social status to access. Malls exist to sell people things. Museums discourage loiterers. Coffee shops expect patrons to purchase a drink or snack if they want to enjoy the premises.

Pratt Library President and CEO Heidi Daniel reads at story time.

—Enoch Pratt Free Library

Pima County Health Department Library Nurse Daniel Lopez takes the blood pressure of homeless man Jim Truitt at the Main Joel D. Valdez Pima County Public Library in Tucson, Arizona.

—© Pima County Public Library

One place, though, remains open to everybody. The public library requires nothing of its visitors: no purchases, no membership fees, no dress code. You can stay all day, and you don’t have to buy anything. You don’t need money or a library card to access a multitude of on-site resources that includes books, e-books and magazines, job-hunting assistance, computer stations, free Wi-Fi, and much more. And the library will never share or sell your personal data.

In a country riven by racial, ethnic, political, and socioeconomic divides, libraries still welcome everyone. “We are open spaces,” says Susan Benton, the president and CEO of the Urban Libraries Council, whose members include public-library systems serving cities large and small across the United States. “We certainly are without judgment about anybody’s characteristics.”

That commitment to inclusivity, along with a persistent ability to adapt to changing times, has kept public libraries vital in an era of divisive politics and disruptive technological change. But it has also put pressure on them to be all things to all people, and to meet a vast range of social needs without correspondingly vast budgets. These days, a branch librarian might run story hour in the morning, assist with a research project at lunchtime, and in the afternoon administer life-saving medical aid to a patron who’s overdosed on the premises.

If the idea of libraries as frontline responders in the opioid crisis sounds far-fetched, look no further than the Denver Public Library. In February 2017, a twenty-five-year-old man suffered a fatal overdose in one of its bathrooms. That prompted the library to lay in a supply of Narcan, a drug used to counteract opioid overdoses. Other libraries, including the San Francisco Public Library, have followed suit and begun to stock the life-saving drug.

Such interventions indicate the expanded role our public libraries now play in a fraying social network. Eric Klinenberg, a sociologist based at New York University, spent a year doing ethnographic research in New York City library branches for his latest book,  Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life . Klinenberg borrowed the title from Andrew Carnegie, the Gilded Age industrialist-turned-philanthropist who funded some three thousand public libraries—“palaces for the people”—in the United States and abroad.

In an update of Carnegie’s idea, Klinenberg describes public libraries as “social infrastructure.” That means “the physical spaces and organizations that shape the way people interact,” he wrote in a 2018 op-ed in the  New York Times . “Libraries don’t just provide free access to books and other cultural materials, they also offer things like companionship for older adults, de facto childcare for busy parents, language instruction for immigrants and welcoming public spaces for the poor, the homeless and young people.”

Klinenberg’s book is just one of a series of recent high-profile tributes to America’s public libraries. The  New Yorker  writer Susan Orlean’s most recent book, called simply  The Library Book , begins with a personal love song to the subject before diving into the rich, troubled history of the Los Angeles Public Library and its iconic building in downtown L.A. In 2014, the photographer Robert Dawson published a book-length photographic essay that lovingly documents the astonishing variety of the seventeen thousand or so public libraries across the United States, from one-room shacks in the tiniest of towns to branches in strip malls to breathtaking, Carnegie-era book palaces in center cities. And a forthcoming NEH-funded documentary,  Free for All: Inside the Public Library , brings to life some of the history and personalities that have shaped this major force for public good.

All of these projects confirm how libraries have proved over and over again, through decades of rapid change and predictions of obsolescence, that they remain essential to Americans’ lives. In an era of extreme weather events and other disasters, they’re becoming even more necessary.

The journalist Deborah Fallows and her husband, James Fallows, road-tripped across the country to report their 2018 book  Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America , in which public libraries play a starring role. “In Ferguson, Missouri, the public library stayed open when the schools were closed after the riots, to offer the kids a safe place and even classes taught by volunteers,” Deborah Fallows wrote in a May 2019 dispatch for the  Atlantic . “After the hurricanes in Houston, some library websites were immediately up and running, announcing that they were open for business. After Hurricane Sandy, some libraries in New Jersey became places of refuge. And in the Queens Library’s Far Rockaway branch, which didn’t have heat or light, the librarians set up shop in the parking lot to continue children’s story hours.”

Beyond Books

There are limits to the civic responsibilities public libraries can shoulder. “We’re not the police, we’re not social workers,” says Monique le Conge Ziesenhenne, the director of the Palo Alto City Library system in Silicon Valley and the 2018–19 president of the Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Association. “We do provide an important thread to a community’s well-being and health.”

In calmer times, public library systems offer a staggering array of programming that goes well beyond the books-and-story-time model many of us remember from our childhoods.

Ziesenhenne rattles off a list of some of Palo Alto’s offerings: a seed-lending library, home-brewing tutorials, a “Knack 4 Knitting” club, bilingual story hours, programs designed to help immigrants learn how to live in the United States. Keeping up with a national trend, the library recently created a makerspace with 3-D printers. In July, one branch hosted a workshop on how to use “graywater” from inside a house to sustain native-plant landscaping in the yard.

The list goes on and on. There’s something for almost everyone at the local library, whether you’re a parent who needs literacy support for your preschooler, an immigrant working on language skills or bureaucratic forms, a mystery fan in search of the latest whodunit by a favorite author, or someone experiencing homelessness who needs assistance with social services or access to a computer and the Internet.

Or you could just check out a book, as generations of library patrons have done before you. As extra-literary programs and digital offerings have expanded, the codex has not faded away. “We are still crazy busy with the basic printed materials,” Ziesenhenne says. “In Silicon Valley you would not necessarily expect that, but it’s absolutely true.”

Being located at the wealthy epicenter of the tech revolution doesn’t mean that the library has bottomless funds, though. Like most libraries, “we never have enough money for what we want to do,” Ziesenhenne says.

Even as print thrives, public librarians everywhere spend a lot of time wrangling with the great digital shift and how to adapt to it. In Palo Alto and elsewhere, they’re seeing an increase in the use of digital content as patrons become more familiar with how to use streaming media.

To keep up with changing technology and user expectations, public libraries have invested in more computer terminals and Wi-Fi capability. They have upgraded and expanded facilities to provide more outlets, meeting rooms, study spaces, and seating that patrons can use for extended periods of time as they take advantage of free Wi-Fi.

New, bigger, brighter coworking spaces see high usage among millennials, according to Ziesenhenne. “We are the original sharing economy, I like to say.”

The explosion of information online hasn’t sidelined librarians. It’s only made them more essential at a time when too few of us know how to distinguish real news from the fake variety. “We’ve worked very hard to think about media and how information is presented and ways we can equip people going forward to look for clues on a website,” including asking how old the content is and who’s providing it, Ziesenhenne says.

Librarians have an advantage in making themselves heard through the noise and confusion: Along with nurses and firefighters, they’re among the few groups and institutions Americans still trust, according to Lee Rainie, director of Internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center.

From 2011 until 2016, Pew did a number of deep-dive studies of public libraries, work funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In those surveys, researchers found that trust in librarians remained high because of their proven ability to curate and share reliable knowledge. “That’s become one of the more precious skills in a world where gaming the information ecosystem is an everyday reality,” Rainie says.

Pew’s library research generated other findings that grabbed media attention: Millennials grew up loving libraries and continue to support and make use of them, Rainie says. Now that they have families of their own, they’ve remained loyal. Having a child under the age of six is the biggest predictor of library use, Rainie adds; parents of young children like the family-friendly programs libraries run.

Pew’s research also found that families often see libraries as sanctuaries. “They were zones of peace, sometimes, in neighborhoods and communities where that was a precious commodity,” notes Rainie.

Formerly homeless high school student, Tinesheia Howard studies at the library of Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois.

—AP Photo / Seth Perlman, 2008

For many teens and adults, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds or without computer access at home, the local branch also functions as an on-ramp to the Internet. “Libraries have rebranded themselves as tech hubs without a lot of fanfare,” he says. They allow customers to learn and experiment with new digital resources such as 3-D printers without having to invest in them at home. “People treat libraries as petting zoos for new technology,” as Rainie puts it.

All of those activities require staff time and/or money. As they decide where to spend finite resources, libraries rely on survey data and on detailed conversations with their communities to keep content and programming up to date and adjust what they offer as times and needs change. Library staffers often act as community liaisons even when they’re not on duty, bringing back grassroots knowledge that helps the library add or adapt services in response.

“The library of my youth made all the rules,” says Patrick Losinski, CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Library in Ohio. The mantra of today’s library, he says, is: How do you meet people where they want to be?

To get answers, the Columbus library recently hired a survey firm to gather information on patrons’ use of and views on the library. The results revealed a virtual town square of activity, with visitors dropping by to check out and return books (41 percent), bring their kids to play area (13 percent), do research (14 percent), read and relax (13 percent), study (9 percent), and use Wi-Fi, computers, printers, or copiers (about 27 percent combined). “Our customers also checked out more than fifteen million items last year, so we’re still a library,” Losinski says.

The survey confirmed that the community views its library as a force for social good. Ninety-one percent of respondents said helping kids by working more closely with schools should be one of the library’s top priorities; 50 percent said that should be its highest priority. Losinski reports that over 50 percent of the area’s youngsters do not have the literacy skill set they need for kindergarten, including basics such as how to hold a book and how to pronounce words they encounter.

Being able to read well gives kids a leg up in schooling and in life, but many children do not have the resources—books at home, parents with time and literacy skills and good child care—to help them master that skill. Public libraries around the country are stepping up to the challenge.

Children participate in 37,000 sessions a year in the Columbus library’s reading-buddies program, which helps kids prepare for a reading-proficiency test in third grade. In Los Angeles County, libraries have recast traditional story time as “school readiness time” and rebranded bookmobiles as “Reading Machines” to visit day care centers and bring parenting-support strategies out into the community.

“Libraries are not about books, they’re about people,” says Skye Patrick, who since 2016 has been the director of the Los Angeles County Library system. When Library Journal named Patrick its Librarian of the Year for 2019, it saluted her “efforts to eliminate barriers and increase access to services for her residents.”

Compton Library holds a Microsoft Digi Camp for students in 2018.

—Los Angeles County Library System

“Equity means different things for different people,” Patrick says. “We wanted to challenge our staff to have a better awareness both of the experience of their colleagues and the experience of their customers.”

Patrick’s strategy to improve library access included putting in place a program called iCount, which provides tools and training for supervisors and staff on how to recognize inherent biases in programs and services. Thinking hard about equity and a wide range of patron experiences and needs is a must for L.A. County’s librarians, who work in one of the four largest and most diverse public library systems in North America. (The other three are the Toronto Public Library, the New York Public Library, and the Los Angeles Public Library system that serves the city of L.A.) The county has 86 library facilities (plus three bookmobiles) that collectively serve about 3.4 million residents; the system covers some 3,000 square miles and 49 cities.

Statistics for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2018, give a sense of the scale at which it operates: annual circulation—10,857,015; e-book circulation—1,184,289; reference and information questions handled—5,908,474; number of Wi-Fi sessions—4,388,244.

Patrick is no stranger to large library systems; she ran the Broward County Library in Florida before she took her current job. In her experience, there is no workable one-system-fits-all model for public libraries. When she arrived in L.A. County, she set up a listening tour to meet with some of the county’s 3.4 million residents to hear what they wanted from their library.

“I called it a community visioning system, because I wanted the community to actively participate in the creation of the library they needed,” she says. One of the biggest takeaways: “a resounding desire for more hours.” Along with money constraints, “that’s always the issue for every library,” she says.

In response, the system added fifteen thousand more public service hours with some creative strategies that included the use of self-checkout technology, staggered staff schedules, and an additional 1 to 4 service hours per branch per week. “It was low-hanging fruit for us, and it garnered some true goodwill from the community,” Patrick says.

Other requests, such as a kindergarten class’s request to install slides and serve ice cream every day, weren’t feasible—“although we did think about it!” Patrick says. But “based on that response, they associated us with fun, and that’s a big win.” The kids didn’t see the library as stuffy and rule-bound.

Beyond being fun, libraries create sanctuaries for patrons who have few safe spaces in their lives. “There’s a tremendous amount of comfort and safety for people experiencing mental health issues,” Patrick says. “When they’re here, they’re not on the street.”

That inclusivity brings challenges. Some are minor, as when patrons wash up in library bathrooms because they’ve been living on the streets without access to personal-hygiene essentials. But if mental illness is at work, a library user may need a lot more than a place to clean up.

The vast majority of library users do not represent a danger to other patrons or staff, but libraries’ openness carries risks. Librarians have been threatened or killed in the course of doing their jobs. In January 2019, while getting ready for a book sale, the director of the Fort Myers Beach library in Florida was targeted and stabbed to death by a homeless man. A month earlier, in December 2018, the supervisor of the North Natomas branch of the Sacramento Public Library was shot to death in her car in the library’s parking lot by a man she had banned from the library for bad behavior. Her widower wrote an op-ed in  American Libraries  magazine to call attention to the dangers that library workers face. But security measures like metal detectors or monitoring systems don’t align well with libraries’ commitment to maintaining patron privacy and creating truly open spaces.

Pew’s Lee Rainie describes libraries as “early warning systems for broad cultural phenomena.” Those phenomena can be positive, such as the thirst to experiment with new technology and the desire to broaden access to good information and social services. But they can also be negative. Tensions between different social groups can arise when people who otherwise rarely interact rub elbows at the library.

Skye Patrick identifies a fracture point between what she calls “our two customer bases.” Some patrons ask for more security at library branches or express dismay about disruptions created by homelessness. Her job involves trying to educate one group about the rights of the other. The bottom line for all patrons: “As long as they are adhering to our code of customer expectations, they have the right to use the library,” she says.

The L.A. County bureaucracy, of which the library is a part, can help smooth the way for the disenfranchised. For instance, the Department of Social Services will provide an address for homeless patrons to use in order to get a library card. The library also offers fine-free cards for young people under 21, eliminating one common barrier to full access. (The system hasn’t dispensed with fines altogether yet, although like many libraries it is moving away from fines and has held amnesty periods in which patrons can return overdue materials without penalty.)

Librarians have long helped users navigate life challenges like finding a job, studying for an exam, or applying to school. More and more they play a crucial role in connecting patrons in need of social or mental health services with relevant agencies. “Our branch staff has been trained to at least point to the kinds of services that are available,” Patrick says.

Along with a growing number of libraries, it joined forces with the mental health department to bring social workers on-site to work with patrons in need. Beyond such partnerships with other county agencies, the Los Angeles County Library focuses on fostering what Skye Patrick calls “protective factors”: meaningful social connections, positive parent-child interactions, positive cultural identity, literacy support, and school readiness.

“Time will tell, but I feel really confident that it’s working,” Patrick says, adding that library staff also feel safer with that extra support in place. “That does not mean it solves everything.” Even an institution as resourceful, flexible, and resilient as the public library has its limits.

Jennifer Howard is a writer based in Washington, D.C. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post , the Chronicle of Higher Education , the Times Literary Supplement , Bookforum , VQR , and elsewhere.

Funding information

The National Endowment for the Humanities has had long and productive partnerships with libraries of all kinds across the country: public libraries, research libraries, specialized libraries and collections, university libraries, and school libraries. NEH library projects—from infrastructure to outreach—help these vital institutions stay current and inclusive.

In 2018, NEH launched a new program for Infrastructure and Capacity-Building Challenge Grants to support brick-and-mortar library projects as well as other efforts to strengthen the institutional base for the humanities in America. For example, the Hartford Public Library in Michigan received a 2019 NEH grant of $400,000 to construct a new library and community center, making available cultural and educational resources for the southwest area of the state.

Free for All: Inside the Public Library  is an upcoming documentary on the history of the public library in America. Video Veracity received $540,000 from NEH to plan and produce the film, which looks at past and current uses of libraries and examines the library’s role in American democracy.

With an NEH grant of $315,000 , the University of California, San Francisco, Library, collaborating with San Francisco Public Library and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society, will digitize 150,000 pages from 49 archival collections related to the early days of the AIDS epidemic in the Bay Area and make them accessible online.

NEH has awarded $1,250,000 to the Digital Public Library of America , an online resource for materials in America’s libraries, archives, and museums. From its launch in 2013, the all-digital library has grown from 2.4 million items in its collection to more than 35 million images, texts, videos, and sounds.

The Newberry Library in Chicago has received 183 grants from NEH since 1970 , totaling $53,698,333 to support collection building, exhibitions, research, workshops and institutes for teachers, and public programming. This year, with a $200,000 NEH grant , the library offers a series of citywide public programs and digital resources exploring the history of the July 1919 Chicago race riots.

Since 1970, the American Library Association has received 66 NEH grants , totaling $32,006,701 for projects ranging from bookshelf programs such as Muslim Journeys to traveling exhibits on topics such as the Dust Bowl and the African-American baseball experience, to reading and discussion series such as the Federal Writers Project and the Columbian Quincentenary. In 2018, ALA received an NEH grant of $397,255 to conduct the Great Stories Club, a nationwide program for at-risk teens on themes of empathy, heroism, and marginalization.

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The text of this article is available for unedited republication, free of charge, using the following credit: “Originally published as “Something for Everyone” in the fall 2019 issue of  Humanities  magazine, a publication of the National Endowment for the Humanities.” Please notify us at  @email  if you are republishing it or have any questions.

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Essay on Library and Its Uses in English for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Essay on Library and Its Uses: Library is the physical building or a room with the collection of books and resources accessible to a community. It consists of books and resources on diverse genres and subjects. Libraries are important for healthy development of society. It provide valuable services to meet the learning needs of the people. Libraries also benefit the economy of our nation as people use them for research purposes and to improve their job skills. They play an essential part in overall educational development of people and community.

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Almost every educational institute around the world has a library, with facilities of reading and issuance of books at very low charges. Many communities or societies also have their own libraries, open for membership to all. Libraries play a significant role in spreading knowledge and keeping the reading habit alive in people.

Long and Short Essay on Library and Its Uses in English

Here are long and short essay on library and its uses of varying lengths to help you with the topic in your exams/school assignments.

After going through the essays you will understand the advantages of a library and role that it plays in the overall mental and educational development of an individual as well as a community.

You can select any Library and Its Uses Essay according to your need:

Short Essay on Library and Its Uses – Essay 1 (200 words)

Library is a storehouse of books. It also provides various other sources of information for reading in its premises as well as borrowing for home. The collection of library can include books, manuscripts, magazines, periodicals, videos, audios, DVDs and various other formats. Wide range of books are stored in a library and well organized in book shelves.

It is not possible for an individual to have such a wide collection of books at home. One can get access to diverse genres of books and other resources in library. It shuns the need to buy expensive books and resources. If there were no libraries many students who love to read would have been deprived of reading mostly due to financial difficulties.

Library is an important part of every educational institute such as schools, colleges and universities. Such a library is open for students of the particular institute it forms a part of. Therefore it contains a wide range of resources vital for the students.

Libraries attract people to read and develop habit of reading and learning. It increases their thirst for reading and expands knowledge. Library is also essential for any kind of research on different subjects.

Thus, libraries are important for research, information, knowledge and pleasure of reading. Libraries provide perfect environment to enjoy read peacefully.

Essay on Library Uses and Importance – Essay 2 (300 words)

Introduction.

Library is a place where there is huge collection of books and various other resources that are made accessible for reading and reference purpose. People of every age group can find resources such as books, magazines, periodicals, audios, videos and materials in other formats as per their reading interests and tastes.

Uses of Libraries

Library provides access to various books, materials, resources and digital media for research, information and knowledge. Libraries also provide services such as assistance in finding books of one’s interest which can be done with the help of librarians.

Besides, they provide space and environment to facilitate individual or group studies and collaboration. Libraries are extending their services by providing access to digital means and services by librarians in navigating and assisting with various resources of information. Libraries are becoming a center where people can engage in learning, enjoy reading and explore their interest in different subjects.

Importance of Libraries

Libraries play a vital role in encouraging and promoting the process of learning and gaining knowledge. People who love reading can have access to a wide range of books and resources. Libraries provide educational resources to everyone. Reading improves social skills, knowledge, mental health, academic performance and offers numerous other benefits. Library is a common platform for people with diverse reading interests and capacities. People get an opportunity to learn and progress as per their interests and capabilities. Library is the best place to spend leisure time wisely that leads to the overall development and well-being of an individual.

Thus, libraries are important and have different uses for different individuals. Libraries cultivate reading habits and promote progress of knowledge. However library is a perfect place to indulge in the pleasure of reading and for researching. Nowadays, librarians provide complete assistance and guidance with researching and navigating information.

Essay on Pros and Cons of Library – Essay 3 (400 words)

Libraries are buildings filled with stacks of books and resources. Modern day libraries also consist of electronic resources. Libraries offer wealth of knowledge, resources, space and environment to discover the world of books and enjoy studying or just reading for pleasure. The benefits of libraries are countless as they play a vital role in helping people by providing access to information, knowledge and entertainment resources. However, they do have a downside too. Here we have discussed few pros and cons of libraries:

Pros of Libraries

• Virtual libraries provide immediate access to wide range of books and resources. Libraries provide materials in all formats such as books, periodicals, magazines, videos, audios and digital media. The resources are customized and tailored to meet the needs of learners’ community. The wide range of resources meets the need of diverse users with diverse needs.
• Whether in educational or public library people benefit from the assistance of librarians and staff members. There is head librarian in every library and a team of professional staff who helps people with queries and also recommend books as per their interest.
• Libraries are always catalogued by trained staff. They are catalogued to meet the needs of the community. The catalogue is also entered and stored in computers so that it becomes easy for the users to search.
• Libraries have positive impact on the development of our society. They open a world of books and resources of information and knowledge to people for free.

Cons of Libraries

• Libraries require lot of staff and real estate to house various books and resources. It becomes really expensive to maintain libraries and the library staff. Since they are not seen as crucial, they are likely to bear budget cuts.
• Since a wide range of books and resources are to be maintained and updated in old libraries the useful resources may be limited due the time it takes to update. So, the libraries may not sometimes have access to the current information.
• Some limited edition books and journals from centuries ago may not be available in every library. People looking for such resources must visit traditional libraries for the same.

Some argue that there is technology to read online and do research so what is the need to visit library. Yet libraries have served the communities since centuries by providing original and quality resources. People who have the habit of visiting and using libraries understand the value and importance of libraries. In addition to it, there are people who love reading but cannot afford to buy many books and resources. They can get easy access to valuable resources in libraries.

Essay on School Library and Its Benefits for Students – Essay 4 (500 words)

School library is the library within the school where students, teachers and other staff members have access to books and other resources. Therefore the purpose of school library is to ensure equitable access to books, resources and information technology to all the members of the school. Over the history libraries have played essential role in imparting knowledge. They develop social, educational and cultural growth of the students.

School libraries are different from other public and private libraries as they mainly support and extend school curriculum. School libraries support students’ learning and have positive impact on students’ academic achievements. Teachers and students need library resources and services for knowledge and success. School library supports both teachers and students and is vital for teaching and learning process.

Benefits of School Library for Students

• School library supports students by providing various study materials and encouraging them to read. School library is an important source of knowledge for the students. Reading frequently in libraries improves vocabulary and develops reading and writing skills of the students.
• Students get access to wide range of books and resources essential for reference, knowledge, learning and entertainment. Therefore they can choose from diverse books as per their own interest and learning purpose.
• School libraries encourage students for independent learning and help them explore their interests.
• Libraries are essential for the educational and personal development of the students. It impacts positively on the academic performance and achievements of the students.
• Besides assisting teachers in research and supporting the students in their studies, libraries help in developing reading habits and provide information and knowledge to enrich learning experience. Libraries encourage fiction reading that helps students develop habit of reading for pleasure and enhances students’ intellectual, cultural, artistic and emotional growth.
• Library is an appropriate place for the students to study and research without any disturbance. It also provides the perfect environment for students to read for pleasure. Reading is important for the overall growth and mental development of the students.
• Books can be borrowed for further reading to get in depth knowledge on subjects of interest or simply to enjoy reading. There are general knowledge books that students can read to develop their mind. Reading is a good habit that boosts confidence in students.
• Students can take reference from the books and resources to complete their school projects and assignments. They can refer books to make notes for learning and to prepare for exams.

The purpose of school libraries is to support students in learning process. Not only students but libraries also facilitate teachers with access to relevant sources and information for reference and research. Library staff collaborates with teachers to plan, implement and evaluate study programs that will ensure students acquire necessary skills to compete and progress in this fast paced world. Libraries are important part of every educational institute as they provide the right support to students and teachers. However education and library go hand in hand and are inseparable. Library is the essential leap in the development of literacy provided to students in classrooms.

Long Essay on Library and Its Uses – Essay 5 (600 words)

Library is the collection of books and sources of information made accessible to people for borrowing or reference purpose. The collection of libraries can include books, magazines, newspapers, films, audios, DVDs, maps, manuscripts, e-books and various other formats. Library is organized and maintained by individual, institution or public body. Public and institutional libraries provide their collection of resources and services to people who need material they cannot otherwise have access to. Those who require help for their research can seek the same from the librarian.

A personal library is the one owned by an individual with adequate means. Such libraries are created as per the knowledge and interest of person. Thus public library is open for all to cater to the interest and taste of all people and contains books on diverse subjects. An institutional library refers to a library that belongs to an institution such as school, college, university or a club, etc. Such library is open to the members of community and caters to their needs and interest.

• Libraries play a vital role in imparting knowledge. Libraries help in learning and expansion of knowledge. Therefore it develops the habit of reading and boosts the thirst for more and more knowledge. It adds to what an individual has already learnt and leads to his personal growth and development in life.
• Libraries are especially essential for people who cannot afford costly books and resources for reading and acquiring information. They are the ones who truly understand the value and importance of library.
• Libraries do not only provide resources but also offer service by professional librarians who are experts at searching, organizing and interpreting information needs.
• Libraries provide virtual space for individual and group studies. They also facilitate access to digital resources and internet.
• Modern libraries are extending services by providing material accessible by digital media. Librarians provide assistance in navigating and also analysing large amount of information through digital resources.
• Library is the place with absolute silence where one can concentrate on reading. Even though it is open for all people the basic rule for all those who enter the library is to read peacefully and also the maintain silence.
• People who love reading create their own private libraries. Such ambiance at home has a positive impact on the members of the family. However it helps in developing reading habit in children and contributes to their growth and development. It broadens the outlook of the people.

Uses of School Libraries

• Education and libraries go hand in hand. Libraries create and provide flexible learning space and environment. School library is essential to support teaching and learning process.
• Facilitates the work of teachers by providing access to various curriculum resources and information. Therefore it equips students with skills vital to succeed in this competitive world. It encourages students to read quality fiction to develop the habit of reading for pleasure and enhances social, cultural, artistic and emotional growth.
• School libraries and the study programs incorporated by librarians, teachers and administrators cater to the educational growth and also development of the students.
• School libraries have a positive impact on the students’ academic performance. The students with access to well supported libraries with professional services perform and score better regardless of their socio-economic status.

Any kind of library is an asset to our community. However it is the leap in advancement of knowledge and well-being of a person. Reading is always the good habit. Visiting the library and reading can be the best way to spend leisure time and to learn something new. Libraries play important role in progress and development of the society. Thus, library is a valuable resource for the society.

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The Importance of Academic Libraries by Natasha Cooper

As an academic librarian, news about studies such as the recently reported  ERIAL (Ethnographic Research in Illinois Academic Libraries) project always pique my curiosity. When I read brief summaries about this kind of report, I want to know more details. For example: where did the observations take place? At what time of the semester were the observations done? How was the data analyzed?

For more traditional surveys, I usually want to know more about the context of the questions and the larger issues – what measures of quality apply? After visiting the website , I eagerly await the publication of the book about the project (College Libraries and Student Culture: What We Now Know) and the insights it provides.

Contacting Academic Librarians

There are several reasons why you might want to find an academic library near you, physically or virtually. An academic librarian with expertise in your subject area can help you:

• Find the full text of an article you have only bits and pieces of
• See who is writing about a particular subject
• Find news coverage of an event from historic times to today
• Find content that isn’t given away for free – resources libraries pay for so that you may use them
• Find a brief overview or in-depth scholarship about a subject
• Look at historic manuscripts, maps, writings, and images or footage, or find audio
• Identify legislation, hearings, or other government publications about a subject
• Plot and visualize data
• Find background information about a company or institution before your job interview
• Produce a well-researched business plan, and identify useful market research resources
• Follow a chain of research – conversations building on past research, and expanding it into the future.

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Librarians at Syracuse University are available to meet with you and help you find resources to support your scholarly, creative, professional, and course-related assignments. We provide one on one consultations, as well as meet with small groups or classes. Here’s a list of subject librarians who can help .

Online tutorials like the Productive Researcher and email/IM help options are available, too. In addition to providing online search assistance, we increasingly offer collections online, giving you access to journal articles, ebooks, music and more, available on and off-campus.

The Perks of Academic Libraries

For those who are on campus, an academic library offers laptops, work stations, multimedia stations, study space, collections, an environment for study and collaboration, and in Bird Library, a place to get a cup of coffee.

Academic libraries offer the same services to faculty, students, staff, or to anyone facing new terrain and to those who are unfamiliar with how the system works at an academic library. If you are teaching a class and wonder which databases are available for class projects, or need an update on new resources – or if you are embarking on a new research project – please do get in touch.

Many academic librarians have created helpful guides for classes or general fields of study. Academic librarians may also be involved in data use and management. We welcome hearing about your scholarly and teaching needs, and your collection suggestions.

An Environment of Learning

Finding articles and searching for information is one part of learning about the world of learning, and part of the experience of coming to a college or university. We learn from and with others during our four (or more years) of connectedness with an institution. We learn about the research process from instructors, peers, and the recorded and preserved work of others, much of which is available in libraries. We are all part of a larger environment that promotes learning, now and in the future – and we work together on this.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this entry, I usually have questions about studies (who wrote/created the study, why and when) – but I am also eager to see solutions. What is the impact of this study? What can we apply in our own settings? How can we enhance our work together? What conversations need to occur in order to ensure that students are prepared for coursework and for lifelong learning? What additional research can support our work? I welcome continuing dialog on this topic.

Natasha Cooper is a subject specialist and bibliographer at the Syracuse University Library . To contact Natasha with suggestions or questions, email her at [email protected] .

Your Article Library

Essay on the importance of library.

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The library occupies a very important place in school. With its books suited to the interests and aptitude of students of different age group, with its magazines, periodicals, news papers and with its calm and tranquil atmosphere it has a special call to the students who go there and quench their thirst for reading the material which cannot be provided to them in the class room. Here they find an environment which is conductive to the building up of habit of self learning. The library is the center of the intellectual and social activities of school. The library has got very wholesome effect over the work of school.

Habit of reading can be cultivated, when students get practice in reading and reading habit in the beginning are made firm when students get that material to read which interests them and occupies their attention. In the class room the books that are prescribed may not serve the purpose, some students may not be in a position to purchase all books that they want to read, while others may not find books that are of interest to them.

Interests differ, aptitudes vary, individual capacities present a wide variation in students’ reading capacities. In the library each has what he wants, each goes at the speed to which his capabilities allow him to go. The library is thus, a common platform upon which all students meet on a common level with equal opportunities. It is the nucleus of the school environment, the center of the intellectual activities of the school.

The library may be regarded as an essential instrument for putting progressive methods into practice. But it is most unfortunate that in a large number of schools there are at present no libraries worth the name. The books are usually old, out-dated, unsuitable, usually selected without reference to the students’ tastes and interests.

They are stocked in a few book shelves, which are housed in an inadequate and unattractive room. The person in charge of the library is often a clerk or an indifferent teacher, who does the work on a part-time basis and has neither love for books nor knowledge of library technique. What makes this situation particularly difficult is the fact that most teachers and headmasters and even the educational administrators and authorities do not realize how unsatisfactory this position is and, therefore, hey have no sense to take necessary steps for improving the condition.

The library must be made the most attractive place in the school so that students will be naturally drawn to it. It should be housed in a spacious well lighted hall. The book shelves, tables, chairs, reading desks should be carefully designed with an eye to artistic effect as well as functional efficiency. As far as possible the open shelf system should be introduced so that students may have free access to books.

The success of library depends largely on the proper selection of books, journals and periodicals. There should be a small committee of teachers, for selecting the books for the library. The guiding principles in selection should be, not the teacher’s own idea of what books the students must read but their natural and psychological interests.

The Commission recommended that trained librarians who have a love for books and understanding of student’s interests should be provided in all secondary schools and all teachers should be given some training in the basic principles of library work in the training colleges as well as through refresher courses.

As the proper use of well equipped school library is absolutely essential for the official working of every educational institution and for encouraging literary and cultural interests in students, every secondary school should have such a library. Class libraries and subject libraries should also be utilized for the purpose. The subject teachers should be in charge of subject library. Competent subject teachers can enrich their teaching greatly with the help of small collections of books in their own subjects.

This should not be confined to text books only. Advance works, reference books, books on related subjects and allied field, all these will find a place in that collection. Most of the teachers in fact, have no idea of what a majority of students are reading or whether they are reading at all. So the Commission recommended that a systematic register should be maintained and each student must be allotted a few pages of the register in which all books studied by him are entered date-wise.

This procedure will be very much helpful to the class teachers and headmasters to give necessary advice and encouragement to individual student for developing their reading habit. On the other hand each student is expected to maintain a diary in which he may enter date-wise, the names of all the books (with the names of the Authors) which he has read together with brief quotation or extracts that may appeal to him.

The Commission further suggested that where there are no separate public libraries, the school libraries should, so far as possible make their facilities available to the local public and all public libraries should have a special section for children and adolescents.

Function of a School Library :

(i) It supplements class work by increasing students’ vocabulary, quickening their intelligence and extending their general knowledge;

(ii) It enables the students to prepare themselves for taking part in the various co-curricular activities of the school. They get information which is very helpful to them in taking part in debates, giving lectures and writing for the school magazine;

(iii) It develops habits of the students to derive pleasure and information from recreational and informative books;

(iv) It broadens their outlook by placing a vast sphere of information before them;

(v) It imparts training to the students for the proper use of books;

(vi) It gives students training in punctuality by impressing ‘ upon them the necessity of returning and borrowing books at a fixed time;

(vii) It provides suitable books to the students to satisfy their hunger of reading books and saves them from the harmful effects of reading unsuitable and injurious literature;

(viii) It inculcates in the students the habit of silent reading ;

(ix) It provides an opportunity to make the best use of leisure time thereby lessening the chance of indiscipline in the school.

Criticism :

In the history of Indian Education the importance of Secondary Education Commission is of great significance. Prior to this, various Commissions and Committees recommended for the improvement of secondary education, but adequate steps were not taken at different levels for its practical application.

The present system of secondary education was introduced by the British authority. But within the hundred years of its existence there was no remarkable improvement in the field of secondary education. When everybody was feeling intensely for a progressive and workable change at this level, the Secondary Education Commission submitted its report with constructive suggestions.

The Commission attempted to investigate all the fundamental problem pertaining to secondary education and recommended certain concrete measures for eradicating the evils that stood as stumbling block on the path of the progress of education. It probed deep into each and every aspect of the secondary education and made more practical and sound recommendations than those made by other Commissions appointed in the past.

The government took initiative to implement some of the recommendation only because those were befitting to the time and made in the light of the recommendations of other Commissions and Committees. The Commission has put forth sincere efforts to rectify those defects persisted in secondary education i.e. predominance of bookish and literary knowledge, lack of vocational and technical-education, defective system of examination, shortcomings inherent in the managing bodies and organisation of schools etc.

Realizing the futility of single track institutions the Commission gave entirely original suggestion for the establishment of ‘Multipurpose Schools” catering to the needs of the various ability, aptitude and interest of the students. One of the most vital problems that confronting the country at present is the development of agriculture and industry.

Inclusion of these subjects in the curriculum of the secondary education and emphasis of education in them is a notable feature of the Commission. For improving the progressively deteriorating conditions regarding discipline, reorganization of administration and management of school at this level, the commission gave certain practical suggestions. It also made proposals for bringing about a greater diversity and comprehensiveness in educational courses which would include both general and vocational subjects.

Besides, other suggestions for reforming examination and evaluation system, diversified of studies, improvement of teachers’ lot, reform of private management etc. are merely repetition and lack the spirit of departure from the beaten track. Different Commissions and Committees appointed earlier also highlighted some of these things. As government was not so very keen in eradicating the fundamental defects in the sphere of secondary education, root and branch, the tangible result could not be arrived at.

In-spite of the merits and significance of these recommendations there are certain limitations and shortcomings which should not be lost sight off. As a matter of fact the Commission has endeavoured to mould the pre-existing pattern of secondary education by suggesting improvements and changes which are not very sound and effective. Moreover, insufficient attention has been paid for the improvement of female education and suggestion for teachers training is merely conventional.

Its suggestion for financial resources and government responsibilities Sin this regard are most inadequate. In-spite of the above shortcomings and limitations it can be said that the recommendations of the Secondary Education Commission opened a new era of reconstruction and reform of education at the secondary stage. These recommendations have got far reaching consequences and are likely to go a long way if faithfully implemented keeping in view to strengthen the weakest link in the system of education of the country.

Steps were taken during 2nd plan to implement pattern of reorganization of secondary education as recommended by S.E.C.” Accordingly financial allocation was made in the budget. Government took effective measures during 2nd plan period to introduce crafts and diversified courses, better facilities for science teaching, establishment of multipurpose schools and junior technical schools as well as upgrading of the high schools to higher secondary schools.

In the 1st plan about 250 multipurpose seconds were established. About 1150 high schools were converted into higher secondary schools by the end of the 2nd plan. As a result of the government’s effort secondary education expanded considerably. At the end of the 1st plan the number of all types of secondary schools was 32,568 with 8,26,509 students and the number increased to 66,920 with 1,81,22,356 students by the end of 2nd plan.

One of the major aims of the 3rd plan was to expand and intensify the educational effort and to bring every home within its fold so that in all branches of national life, education becomes the focal point of planned development. Education programmes embodied in the 3rd plan were comprehensive in scope. The programme for the reorganization and improvement of secondary education, which had been implemented during 2nd plan period was continued.

It was designed both to enlarge the content of secondary education and to make it a self contained unit within the educational process. During 3rd plan measures were taken for the conversion of high schools into higher secondary schools, development of multipurpose schools with provision of a number of elective subjects, expansion and improvement of facilities for the teaching of science, provision of educational and vocational guidance, improvement of the examination and evaluation system, enlargement of facilities for vocational education, increased facilities for the education of girls and the backward classes and encouragement to merit through scholarships. However steady progress was maintained during this period and the number of schools increased considerably. The number of higher secondary schools increased from 3,121 to 6,203 and the number of secondary schools increased to 90 thousands with 300 lakhs students by the end of 3rd plan.

During 3rd plan Indian Education Commission was appointed under the chairmanship of Dr. D.S. Kothari, which is popularly known as Kothari Commission, 1964-66. The Commission aimed at an entire overhauling of the existing setup.

Besides many other things it pleaded eloquently for the improvement of secondary education and recommended that:

(i) Enrolment in secondary education should be regulated during the next twenty years by proper planning of the location of secondary schools, maintaining adequate standards and to that end, by determining the enrolment in terms of facilities available and selecting the best student;

(ii) A developmental plan for secondary education should be prepared for each district and implemented in a period of ten years,

(iii) The best students should be selected for admission into secondary schools, through a process of self selection at the lower secondary stage, and on the basis of external examination results and school records at the higher secondary stage;

(iv) Secondary education should be vocationalised in a large measure and enrolments in vocational courses raised to 20 per cent of total enrolment at the lower secondary stage and 50 per cent of total enrolment at the higher secondary stage by 1986.

(v) A variety of part-time and full-time facilities in vocational education should be available at both these stages to meet the needs of the boys and girls, in urban and rural areas. Special sections should be set up in the education department to help young pupils who drop out after class VIII or VII to obtain training on a full time or part time basis, and to be in overall charge of the organisation of these courses;

(vi) The central government should provide special grants to state governments in centrally sponsored sector for the vocationalisation of secondary education;

(vii) Facilities for part-time education should be provided on a large scale at the lower and higher secondary stages in general and vocational courses. Special emphasis will have to be placed on agricultural courses or those who have taken to farming as a vocation and on courses in home science or household industries for girls;

(viii) Efforts should be made to accelerate the expansion of girls education so that the proportion of girls to boys reaches 1 : 2 at the lower secondary stage and 1:3 at the higher secondary stage in 20 years ;

(ix) Emphasis should be placed on establishing separate schools for girls, provision of hostels and scholarships and part-time vocational courses;

(x) a national policy for the location of new institutions for each category should be adopted so as to avoid waste and duplication;

(xi) Vocational schools should be located near the industry concerned;

(xii) In non-vocational schools, a common curriculum of general education should be provided for the first ten years of school education and diversification of studies and specialization should begin only at the higher secondary stage;

(xiii) At the higher secondary stage courses will be diversified in such a manner as to enable pupils to study a group of any three subjects in depth with considerable freedom and elasticity in the grouping of subjects. In order to ensure the balanced development of the adolescents, total personality the curriculum at this stage should provide half the time to the languages and one-fourth to physical education, arts and crafts, moral and spiritual education.

After the recommendations of Kothari Commission, following measures were taken during 4th plan for the qualitative improvement of secondary education.

(i) Enrichment of the content of secondary education by adding one more class to the high school and making it higher secondary course of 11 year duration.

(ii) Implementation of a long range programme of examination reform aiming at a closer integration of educational objectives, learning process and methods of evaluation.

(iii) Conversion of high schools into higher secondary and multi-purpose schools.

Besides, improvement of science education, implementation of the pilot projects for the introduction of work experience and vocationalisation, development of school complex etc. were some of the measures undertaken during 4th plan period. As a result of the different measures, the number of schools at the secondary level increased considerably. By the year 1973-74, 74.40% boys and 29.60% girls were reading at the secondary stage.

Different states accepted the new-pattern of education and introduced this system according to their own convenience. Though there is a lot of confusion and feeling of anxiety in the minds of the people regarding the practical application of the new pattern, yet in the overall interest of the student population and for national integration there is great need of a uniform pattern of education.

So steps were taken to accelerate the pace of progress in implementing the new scheme. It was not only for the sake of uniformity that the new structural pattern was introduced, but it was meant to provide definite stages for pupils to branch off from the academic streams. If provision would not be made for students to branch off to vocational courses after completion of the particular stage of education, the change of pattern would only partially achieve the objectives and students who would do better in vocational courses would tend to go in for general education.

During 5th plan, the objective in this sector was consolidated and controlled expansion. In order to raise the standard of education reorganisation of the curriculum, improvement of the methods of teaching, reforms in the system of examination, development of instructional materials and text books were undertaken during 5th plan period.

Even then the achievement in this sector was not encouraging. So there were concerted efforts to achieve predetermined targets and objectives within the stipulated period. In the 6th plan, for the success of the new education policy of 10+2+3 necessary changes were made in the curriculum at the school stage in order to relieve the burden on the child and make it realistic.

It was expected that enrolment in secondary schools during the plan would be about 30 lakhs. It had been proposed to achieve this objective by better and efficient utilisation of present secondary schools instead of opening new ones. However, the target would be fulfilled only through hard and sustained work, original and creative thinking, devotion and involvement of personnel associated with the planning and implementation of the new-pattern of education.

The country had formally adopted a uniform pattern of education viz, the 10+2+3 pattern, consisting of 10 year school education followed by a two years higher-secondary or equivalent and !a three year degree course. Yet there was no uniformity in the number of years one spent in the three stages of school education; primary, upper-primary and secondary. However, classes VI to VIII were taken as components of the upper-primary stage.

When the first and second All India Educational Surveys were conducted in the years 1957 and 1965, respectively, a distance of three miles or approximately 5 kilometers was considered to be a convenient walking distance for children in classes VI to VIII. Gradually, the distance limit was brought down to three kilometers. Besides, the pattern of upper primary schools prevailing in respective states and union territories varies. Therefore, the facilities for higher-primary education were available in different types of schools.

Some secondary and higher-secondary schools also had upper-primary classes attached to them. Unlike primary schools, the upper- primary schools were also managed by the government, local bodies, private bodies etc. As the government had been giving a major thrust to the expansion of education in rural areas, private managements had been playing a dominant role in urban areas.

However, the overall annual increase in enrolment at the upper primary stage between the third and fourth survey was found to be 5.75 percent while that of between the fourth and fifth survey was 6.8 percent. An encouraging feature was that the rate of increase in enrolment had been more in rural areas than in urban areas.

The period between the first and the second survey witnessed a sharp increase in the percentage of habitations which had access to secondary stage education either within the habitation or up to a distance of eight kilometers (five miles). But it was reduced to five kilometers by the time of the third survey. The fourth survey (1978) revealed that 72.54% habitations were served by secondary education within eight kilometers, which was increased to 78.92% by the fifth survey.

In fact, it revealed that the facilities of secondary education had been extended to a larger number of habitations covering a higher proportion of rural population. As such, there were 52,560 secondary schools in India by 1986. Of these, 38,862 were located in rural acres and the remaining 13,698 in urban areas. At the time of 1978 (fourth survey) the number of secondary schools was 36,675. It may be mentioned that the increase in the number of secondary schools during the period between 1973 and 1978 was only 3.5%.

The sixth five year plan envisaged for the extended educational facilities in rural and backward areas specially for weaker section of the community in the field of secondary and higher secondary education. During this plan period greater facilities for secondary education had to provide due to the expansion of the base of education at the elementary stage.

Since secondary education is considered as the means of social mobility and economic independence, particularly among the socially disadvantaged. Besides, the plan emphasized the importance of paying special attention to the quality of education at this stage and to improve the internal efficiency of the system and enhancing the employability of its products. Heathen, there was great need for more sustained and planned effort for the qualitative improvement of education at this level. Gradually the demand for secondary education had been growing.

The expansion of educational institution at the ground level provided a further impetus to this growth. For instance the number of upper-primary schools had increased from 1.35 lakhs to 1.46 laks from 1985-86 to 1990-91, respectively. Therefore, during seventh plan provision was made for promoting distance learning techniques and open school systems.

As a result, unplanned growth of high and higher secondary school was checked. Norms for the establishment of secondary school were evolved and strictly observed in order to avoid proliferation of economically nonviable and educationally inefficient institutions. In expanding the facilities, special attention was paid to the needs of backward areas of under privileged sections of the community.

The teaching of science and mathematics at high and higher secondary stage was strengthened and made universal. Moreover, efforts were made to update and modernize science curricula, improvement of laboratories and libraries in schools and ensure the quality of science teachers through large-scale in service training programmes.

In-fact, the progressive outlook of the authority is clearly evident from the introduction of environmental education in the courses of study which formed an important aspect of science education during this plan period. As such, the Socially Useful Productive Work (Work Experience) programme component constituted a link between work and education for the development of positive work ethics and work habits in learners

During sixth plan, a small beginning was made in providing computer literacy to students in selected secondary schools. Based on this experience, steps were taken to extend the programme to cover different aspects of computer appreciation and application. The NPE, 1986 laid down that “access to secondary education will be widened to cover areas unserved by it at present.”

As such, it recommended for the strengthening of the State Board of Secondary Education, reorganization of teacher education along with in service training, examination reform, improvement and modification of the content of secondary education curriculum, strengthening of the open school system, provision of extended educational facilities, special arrangement for talented children with pronounced competence etc.

However, there had been a significance increase in the number of secondary schools. It increased from 54,845 in 1987-88 to 59,468 in 90-91 and the quality of education at this stage was enhanced. Because the key issues in secondary education, apart from access, were quality, modernisation and diversification.

Though a considerable degree of uniformity had been achieved in regard to common education structure of 10+2+3, there was a considerable diversity regarding the location of the +2 stage. In quite a few states it was not a part of the school system. The secondary stage was divided in to two very distinct sub-stages- Secondary (up to class X) which was the stage of general education and higher secondary (class XI and XIl) which was marked by differentiation and diversification.

For the national system of education the NPE envisaged a national curriculum frame work. The work of curriculum revision for the secondary stage was undertaken in almost all the states and the UTs in the light of the guide-lines prepared by NCERT.

Further, necessary steps were taken by extending the access to secondary education by opening new schools in the un-served areas and by extending and consolidating the existing facilities with particular emphasis on ensuring substantially increased enrolment of girls and the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Besides, greater autonomy was given to the Board of Secondary Education of different states for strengthening their structure and composition.

Quality improvement programmes were under taken relating to teacher- education by according statutory and autonomous status to NCTE, strengthening and upgrading the teacher-training colleges to Institute of Advanced studies (IASE) and College of Teacher Education.

Moreover, pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes were designed and open school system at this level was extended. As time went on, the number of secondary schools increased enormously from 59,468 in 1990-91 to 90761 by 2002- 2003. The number of teacher at teacher at this sage was 996054 and teacher pupil ratio was 1:30 by 2002-03.

Related Articles:

• Suggestions by Mudaliar Commission to Improve Secondary Education in India
• Origin of Higher Secondary Education in India

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For immediate release | May 15, 2024

ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom to benefit from new book of essays

CHICAGO — A new book of essays, “Why Books Still Matter,” inspired by the late First Amendment champion Joyce Meskis, has been released this month, with proceeds going to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF).

Meskis, who owned the celebrated independent bookstore Tattered Cover in Denver, was a fierce opponent of book banning, and 16 luminaries in book-related fields and the U.S. Senate have contributed to the book, which is edited by Karl Weber and published by Rivertowns Books .

“The topics of the essays in ‘Why Books Still Matter’ are some of the most important in our country right now, from freedom of speech and censorship to representation so people can see themselves reflected in books and to build empathy,” said ALA President Emily Drabinski. “We are deeply thankful that the proceeds of the book will be donated to ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom to champion libraries in this current landscape of increasing book challenges throughout the country.”

The ALA saw a record 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023, a 65 percent increase from 2022, when 2,571 titles were challenged. OIF tracked 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials and resources in 2023. For additional information about book challenges and how to fight them, visit the Unite Against Book Bans website.

Here are a few of the contributing essayists to the book:

• U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado lauds the mission that Meskis embraced: “The more books we can put in people’s hands, the better the world will be.”
• Nick Higgins and Amy Mikel of the Brooklyn Public Library discuss an award-winning program to make banned books available to young people in communities across the country.
• Civil liberties attorney Steve Zansberg describes a new way to think about the right to free expression and its role in a democratic society.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org .

Jean Hodges

American Library Association

Communications, Marketing & Media Relations Office

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Two decades of studies suggest health benefits associated with plant-based diets

But researchers caution against broad diet recommendations until remaining knowledge gaps are filled.

Vegetarian and vegan diets are generally associated with better status on various medical factors linked to cardiovascular health and cancer risk, as well as lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and death, according to a new review of 49 previously published papers. Angelo Capodici and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on May 15, 2024.

Prior studies have linked certain diets with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. A diet that is poor in plant products and rich in meat, refined grains, sugar, and salt is associated with higher risk of death. Reducing consumption of animal-based products in favor of plant-based products has been suggested to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the overall benefits of such diets remain unclear.

To deepen understanding of the potential benefits of plant-based diets, Capodici and colleagues reviewed 48 papers published between January 2000 and June 2023 that themselves compiled evidence from multiple prior studies. Following an "umbrella" review approach, they extracted and analyzed data from the 48 papers on links between plant-based diets, cardiovascular health, and cancer risk.

Their analysis showed that, overall, vegetarian and vegan diets have a robust statistical association with better health status on a number of risk factors associated with cardiometabolic diseases, cancer, and mortality, such as blood pressure, management of blood sugar, and body mass index. Such diets are associated with reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, gastrointestinal and prostate cancer, and death from cardiovascular disease.

However, among pregnant women specifically, those with vegetarian diets faced no difference in their risk of gestational diabetes and hypertension compared to those on non-plant-based diets.

Overall, these findings suggest that plant-based diets are associated with significant health benefits. However, the researchers note, the statistical strength of this association is significantly limited by the many differences between past studies in terms of the specific diet regimens followed, patient demographics, study duration, and other factors. Moreover, some plant-based diets may introduce vitamin and mineral deficiencies for some people. Thus, the researchers caution against large-scale recommendation of plant-based diets until more research is completed.

The authors add: "Our study evaluates the different impacts of animal-free diets for cardiovascular health and cancer risk showing how a vegetarian diet can be beneficial to human health and be one of the effective preventive strategies for the two most impactful chronic diseases on human health in the 21st century."

• Diet and Weight Loss
• Diseases and Conditions
• Colon Cancer
• Endangered Plants
• Veterinary Medicine
• Colorectal cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Polyphenol antioxidant
• Stomach cancer
• Cervical cancer
• HPV vaccine
• Breast cancer

Story Source:

Materials provided by PLOS . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Angelo Capodici, Gabriele Mocciaro, Davide Gori, Matthew J. Landry, Alice Masini, Francesco Sanmarchi, Matteo Fiore, Angela Andrea Coa, Gisele Castagna, Christopher D. Gardner, Federica Guaraldi. Cardiovascular health and cancer risk associated with plant based diets: An umbrella review . PLOS ONE , 2024; 19 (5): e0300711 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300711

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• Category: Xbox Game Pass

Coming to Game Pass: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Immortals of Aveum, Lords of the Fallen, and More

Grab your controllers and keyboards, because we have another round of games coming soon! Most importantly though, grab your headphones – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II launches next week. While sharing is caring, this is one you’re going to want to listen to yourself for the full experience. Now let’s get to all the games!

Available Today

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Cloud, Console, and PC) The critically acclaimed and award-winning classic is returning to the Game Pass library! Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale journey from visionary Swedish film director Josef Fares and developer Starbreeze Studios. Solve puzzles, explore the varied locations, and fight boss battles while controlling one brother with each thumb stick.

Coming Soon

Chants of Sennaar (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 15 In this award-winning puzzle adventure game, play as the Traveler whose quest is to reunite the Peoples of the Tower. Observe, listen, and decipher ancient languages in a fascinating universe inspired by the Myth of Babel.

EA Sports NHL 24 (Cloud) EA Play – May 16 EA Sports NHL 24 will be available with Xbox Cloud Gaming soon via EA Play! Feel the intensity of hockey with all new gameplay features that dial up the pressure, physicality, and control of authentic on-ice action.

Immortals of Aveum (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) EA Play – May 16 Immortals of Aveum is coming to The Play List! Summon your power with PC Game Pass and Ultimate via EA Play in this single-player, first-person magic shooter. Unleash an arsenal of spells as Jak, who joins an elite order of battlemages to save a world on the edge of abyss.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – May 21 Available on day one with Game Pass! The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice , Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without. Pre-install now to get ready to play on day one.

Galacticare (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – May 23 Available on day one with Game Pass! You are the Director of Galacticare, an interstellar healthcare company and quasi-voluntary savior of the Galaxy (for cash). Build hospitals and recruit staff to satisfy the whims of various alien species and cure their bizarre illnesses. Save the (literal) Galaxy in story mode, or head into sandbox to design the hospital of your dreams.

Hauntii (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 23 Available on day one with Game Pass! Play as a brave yet naive little ghost, Hauntii, and set off on a quest guided by enigmatic Eternians. Possess, solve puzzles, and shape your fate in this captivating adventure. The game’s hand-crafted art style blends line art and animation with a striking palette, creating a visually captivating experience. Coupled with the dynamic soundtrack, it enhances the immersive exploration of mysterious landscapes.

Moving Out 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 28 Are you ready to become an all-star F.A.R.T? That’s a Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician in the world of Moving Out 2 . Working solo, or with up to three friends, slip into your uniform and help the residents of Packmore, and beyond, to pack up and ship out!

Humanity (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 30 Become a Shiba Inu and help reconstruct humankind in the acclaimed action-puzzle game Humanity . Drop commands to guide a mindless human horde to the goal through 90 increasingly challenging handcrafted story mode stages. Then, choose from thousands of user-made puzzles expanding on the breadth of mechanics, or design your own and share it with the community.

Lords of the Fallen (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – May 30 A vast world awaits in the all-new, dark fantasy action-RPG, Lords of the Fallen . As one of the fabled Dark Crusaders, embark on an epic quest to overthrow Adyr, the demon God. Learn more about how Lords of the Fallen goes rogue(like) with its recent ‘Master of Fate’ update on Xbox Wire .

Firework (PC) – June 4 An accidental fire at a funeral forces the police to re-investigate the closed case of a massacre. You will play as a rookie police officer who participates in the re-investigation by chance. As the investigation goes deeper, the past of the victims gradually emerges and the case becomes more bewildering.

Rolling Hills (Cloud, Console, and PC) – June 4 Available on day one with Game Pass! Serve up sushi as a robot chef in Rolling Hills , a life sim about running your own restaurant in a cozy village. Make new friends, purchase ingredients, enhance your shop, and improve the lives of your neighbors as you perfect your craft!

DLC / Game Updates

Vampire Survivors : Operation Guns – Available now Game Pass members save 10% off their purchase! Vampire Survivors : Operation Guns sees the smash hit roguelike join forces with Konami’s iconic Contra series, adding tons of guns and other weapons (we’re talking 22, including evolutions!), 11 new characters, a huge map, and a soundtrack that combines classic Contra tracks with Vampire Survivors covers.

Minecraft 15 Year Anniversary – Starting May 15 Minecraft is celebrating 15 years of gripping adventures and mind-blowing creations! Whether you’ve been crafting since alpha or joined somewhere along the way, you’ve left your mark on every block. Watch out for upcoming announcements from Minecraft!

Starfield Update – May 15 Starfield’s largest update since launch is coming on May 15! The May Update includes more detailed surface maps; new gameplay difficulty options and display settings; new features for ship customization and more! Learn more on Bethesda.net .

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Minecraft : 500 Minecoins – Starting  May 15 Claim 500 Minecoins! Spend them on epic adventure maps, skins, add-ons, and more imaginative content, all crafted by creators and available on Minecraft Marketplace. What will your next adventure be?

Naraka: Bladepoint – Available Now Claim exclusive Xbox headgear, new season treasures, legendary skin trial bundle and more in the new Perks Bundle! Get a kick start in the new season with the help of experience boost cards! This Perk content requires Naraka: Bladepoint to use.

Leaving May 31

The following games are leaving soon, so be sure to jump back in and tie up and loose ends or grab some extra achievements before they leave! You can also save up to 20% off your purchase to keep them in your library and keep the fun going.

• Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Farworld Pioneers (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Pac-man Museum Plus (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Little Witch in the Woods (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Railway Empire II (Cloud, Console, and PC)

That’s the list for now, but you can always keep an eye on Xbox , Game Pass , and PC Game Pas s for reminders on when all of these are available to play. Also, don’t forget to block your calendar for the Xbox Games Showcase followed by [REDACTED] Direct June 9 – we’ll have even more news for you then. Talk soon!