For me, two other words which come to mind are blessing and bravery. Probably not what you expected, right? Libraries are blessings. Spending between $4.00 and $32.00 per capita across the United States, libraries provide materials, computers, programs, a community center, and helpful staff to anyone who walks through our doors. In Berkeley County the total tax dollar support, from all local sources, averages less than $18.00 per year per person. Some people spend more than that in a day on computer games such as Candy Crush; more than that in a week for fast food meals; or more than that in a month for coffee.
It is a blessing that we live in a country that encourages the keeping and dissemination of knowledge to all citizens, not just those in power, or the rich, or the highly educated. Unfortunately, tax support for libraries has been waning. The poor economic climate is often blamed. Libraries are seen as non-essential services and as such, no longer necessary.
Access to and use of information is important to ensuring that the economic climate will change. People have to know where and how to find a job, how to start their own businesses, how to make wise decisions about their health, their money, and their futures. The one central, free location for this information is a quality library. That takes dedicated, stable, and sometimes expensive funding.
The Internet is a money-based source of information. If you don't have money for the monthly fees, for the computer or other devices, for the subscription fees to various sites, your access is severely limited or nonexistent. But you can access the Internet free at the library. Without local, state, and federal funding, free libraries may become a thing of the past.
Generous and thoughtful people have blessed this library with bequests and annual gifts. Their contributions have enabled the library to expand our buildings, our collection, and our staff. However, it is impossible to budget for those donations which are not always consistent or dependable.
B is also for the blessing that the library is to the community; for the blessing of politicians who understand the importance of libraries and vote for adequate funding; and for those members of the community who give freely of their time and money.
The third word that comes to mind is bravery. You might think this is an odd word in relation to libraries. But it isn't. If a librarian handles book selection the right way, there will always be someone complaining. All views should be represented, not just one side to the exclusion of other ideas. Some librarians have been fired for putting books or other materials on the shelf despite the objections of some members of the community.
Tolerance is built when patrons have access to read and determine for themselves solutions to problems or concerns. To refuse to read, listen, or give credence to any other point of view is to become intolerant.
The other side of bravery in libraries comes from the non-English speaking parent who brings her child to story time so that the child can understand the English language and interact with others. A child who is having difficulty reading bravely takes her/his place by the reading dog and reads out loud. The teenager who is having problems at home or school comes to the library to find material for school assignments, information on bullying, to find books that will take him/her to other worlds so s/he can escape their situation if just for a few hours.
Every day people walk through our doors looking for ways to manage their debt, to find out more about health issues, to look for work, to access email which keeps them in touch with family and friends across the country and the world. It takes bravery on their part to come here and ask for help in finding these things.
People who have managed all their life to get by without being able to read come to the library to be tutored. What courage it must take to admit that you can barely sign your name then being the struggle to change the situation, whether you are 18 or 80.
Bravery is many things to many people but to me it is being able to face yourself and your situation and do something about that. Firemen rush into burning buildings, police face armed criminals, soldiers defend their country in many ways. For other people, their bravery is admitting that they need help, then trying to find that help.
Books + blessings + bravery = LIBRARY
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