Libraries frequently are underappreciated services. They shouldn’t be.
The coronavirus pandemic was not the first time that public or community libraries have seen their doors close in the face of a crisis. It probably will not be the last — although you would think that, at some point, the powers that be would start learning a lesson or two about how vital these repositories of knowledge are. Maybe there is a book someone could check out on the subject.
Say the word “library” and too often what comes to mind is rows of shelves packed with books, surrounded by shushing librarians. That’s a huge disservice to the 470 public libraries in Pennsylvania.
Libraries are more often than not a hub that provides a lot more than a way to read the latest James Patterson novel for free. They serve vital roles in education — for kids and adults alike. They may be a child’s first foray into a classroom setting.
They are a way for people without computers or broadband internet access to utilize the internet for school or work or to connect with public services. They are a place to write a resume and apply for a job. They are a location for a public meeting to engage with your community. They can be the place where people find help when they need it and don’t know where to turn.
And that is why it is good to see libraries flourishing as coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
“Last year was so depressing,” said Amy Riegner, director of Murrysville Community Library. “We were a library … without our physical building.”
Now, the library — like so many others — is welcoming kids back for summer reading programs after being unable to offer in-person programs because of the pandemic.
Libraries found ways to provide what services they could while doors were closed or activities were limited, but the excitement of staff and clientele to engage again shows the most important aspect of those buildings full of books. They are an irreplaceable marketplace for the exchange of stories, ideas, conversation and community.
That is something state leaders need to remember the next time money is tight or budget meetings become war zones.
When the legislators and the governor come to blows, holding the state’s spending hostage in a battle of wills, it is always social services that suffer. Libraries are a frequent casualty, with hours cut back or eliminated entirely until the impasse is resolved. It usually is a matter of weeks or months, which are easily brushed off by those in the halls of power.
But people need their libraries to learn and meet and grow and live — and yes, even just to read a good book to escape for a little while. As long as libraries are fulfilling the tasks that government falls down providing elsewhere, government needs to recognize that vital role and make sure they are adequately prepared to do the work.
