Libraries are Part of the Safety Net — No Wonder Governments Hate Them

I just discovered this article "Libraries are Part of the Safety Net — 
No Wonder Governments Hate Them" 
http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/06/whats_really_killing_libraries_i_ask_my_mom.html 


It includes an interview with a librarian, who talks about what it was 
like running small libraries before the internet, and the problems she 
encountered. I really like one part:
"Libraries don’t need to be daycare centers to have community value, to 
be part of the safety net. Libraries are already, naturally, a part of 
the safety net, because they empower their community with equitable 
access to knowledge. And libraries can’t do that without librarians — 
someone who knows their collection, who knows their patrons, who has the 
right training and the right salary. Someone who has compassion, and the 
financial and social resources to act on that compassion without losing 
their mind."

-- 
James Weinheimer  weinheimer.jim.l_at_gmail.com
First Thus: http://catalogingmatters.blogspot.com/
Cooperative Cataloging Rules: http://sites.google.com/site/opencatalogingrules/