Libraries and Communities

As Boston considers the closing of libraries in the midst of a recession, it may be useful to remind ourselves of the broader contributions of libraries to our neighborhoods:

Former American Librarian Association president Sarah Long

When I was president of the American Library Association in 1999-2000, I chose, "Libraries Build Community" as my theme because I felt strongly that the library always serves a special place in the community. It's not only a place to find information and knowledgeable librarians, it's also a place to be with other community members. Think of the library as a community's living room. . . . I chose, "Libraries Build Community" as my presidential theme because the library is the community's information hub and a place to gather, but also because of what happens inside libraries. Children come to story hour and adults come to programs. Library meeting rooms are places to vote or are used for local legislators' town hall meetings. In the information age, the library is so much more than a collection of books.

http://www.librarybeat.org/read/show/401

Librarian Marylaine Block

HOW LIBRARIES HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES ACHIEVE THEIR ASPIRATIONS
"By giving everybody a stake in the community"
"By connecting people with community organizations and assistance"
"By helping the community articulate its values"
"By telling the community's story -- and listening to it"
"By promoting citizenship"
"By placemaking that encourages human connection"
"By helping the community cope with crisis"

http://marylaine.com/doright.html

Researcher and Editor Moya K. Mason

One fundamental aim of libraries has been to formulate a philosophy of intellectual freedom, and to provide free access to all sources of information. Libraries attempt to meet the needs of a diverse and complex group of users who have a variety of special interests and demands that must be met. Deeply woven into the profession is a commitment to the 'ideal' of individual choice, an underlying belief that no group should attempt to limit the flow of any type of information, and that libraries are supposed to be service organizations, with a legacy of social consciousness and community involvement. The branch libraries should be as diverse as the people in the neighborhoods for which they serve, and continually reach into the surrounding community.

http://www.moyak.com/papers/libraries-community-in...