28 January

Library tour. Myths and misperceptions

by Jon Katz
General Burnside: Downtown Providence

Heading into the final two days of this round of the library tour. Discovering a lot of things about libraries, incuding the mythology that becomes clear when you see things for yourself rather than depending on the hysteria system that is modern media.

– Libaries are outdated by modern technology, no longer relevant.

This is false. Libraries are jammed. Circulation and membership is up everywhere,  as are computer and reference facilities, and libraries are busier and more crowed than ever, despite unrelenting budget  and staffing cuts. They are technology, culture and idea centers, refuges for people looking for work and sending resumes, and magnets for people of all ages who want to read books in various forms, share community news (which media doesn’t bother with much anymore) explore history, research medical and other issues in their lives, be part of their communities.

– Libraries are too expensive. Not true. Libraries are finding all sorts of ways to raise money. Many, like the Rochambeau Branch in Providence, are going local, separating themselves from larger bureaucracies and raising money by cutting costs and attracting membership and donations from their community. They are important to people, a source of connection, real news,  community and civic pride in a time if disconnection, political alienation and epidemic corporatism. Few institutions I am aware of pay back more than libraries, or are a better investment. Libaries are more necessary vital then evern a source of coherence amidst information chaos and overlead.

– Librarians are dull and stuffy. I have to say, the librarians I am meeting are warm, funny, committed and intensely interested in exploring new reading technologies like e-books, audio books, video games and art forms. The old notion of the stuffy and grim woman hissing “ssssssh” is not relevant.

– We live in a time of anxiety and disconnection. Libraries are safe, helpful, binding. They tie our culture and history together, and they keep reading and story-telling alive at a time when our national soul seems to be more about the stock market and corporate tax lines. Libraries are bastions of sanity in a society being driven mad by fear, insecurity and greed.

Libraries are so important to so many people. It is disturbing to see them cut back, uplifting to see how important they really are.

On to Osterville Library, Osterville, Mass., 2 p.m.,and then at 7 p.m., the Scituate Library in Scituate,Mass.and tomorrow 2 p.m., Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard. The weather is clear, I am loving the tour, my voice is going fast (tea! tea!).

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