Libraries are one of the most radical social institutions we have, because they’re based on the idea that *everyone* has the right to information, for free. It’s also what makes them crucial to democracy. I will never stop yelling about this!
I used to work in a reference library. Every day, people would come in and spend the day quietly reading. Mostly, they just needed a place get out of cold. We got to recognize our regulars.
I just ended a two year stint working for a library software company, and can genuinely say without hesitation that librarians fucking rock. They are pillars of the community who should be protected at all cost. Need books on divorce? Resources on coming out? Narcan training? They do it all.
As a public librarian, we're not perfect, but one of the things we also try to provide is dignity. Need help filing unemployment? Can't read very well? Housing application? You're welcome here.
You haven’t known professionalism until you’ve had a grown man walk up and ask for books on “nippleation”. “I’m sorry, on what?” “Nippleation”. “I’m really not sure what you mean, can you spell it?” “…” “How about use it in a sentence?” “Like, if you nippleate a whole village”. 1/
Reader, he mean manipulation. Would have been far healthier to have taken him to the sex books, like the guy who came up and said he wanted a book but wasn’t sure how to pronounce the title so could he spell it, “sure!” “C-L-I-T-O-L-O-G-Y?” “All of our copies are missing, we could ILL it for you?”
What’s amazing is that I actually got it from “nippleate a village”. That’s years of experience right there, they don’t teach you that in liberry school. Every time I see a copy of the 48 Laws of Power or whatnot I think about nippleating villages, just assembling everybody in a line, let’s goooo!
Literally one of the plotlines of my upcoming novel.
Too few people know how much public libraries and librarians contribute to the decency of society.
100% every time o visit one (often) I am impressed and amazed they exist. And often think it’s unlikely they would be started in current times. Amazing public good. (I think the same about rest stops and parks, just generous thinking )
I was thinking the same about water fountains the other day! (When I wanted but couldn’t find one, and I was remembering how plentiful they were in Switzerland!)
The idea that it is better for us as a society to provide these basic resources (water, sanitation, information) seems so basic and yet also so radical!
Yes. I feel like the issue is this odd obsession people have with who “deserves” things or if someone might “take advantage” rather than just seeing none of that matters and everyone benefits overall. Sad that is radical, but here we are I guess
South Carolina is, for the most part, terrible politically, but for some blessed reason the libraries here are excellent—and have a lovely card selection.
Libraries might be my very favorite thing.
My partner actually calls me Captain Library.
I'm so grateful they already exist because there is zero chance they'd get invented today.
One of my professors said: If libraries hadn't been around for centuries already, it would be impossible to open one now. Publishers would never allow it.
I've lived in places with exceptional libraries, and others that were not so much. A library tells you a lot about the community, and makes for a good measure when choosing places to live. It doesn't have to be the Taj Mahal, but it should be engaged and engaging.
One of my professors said: If libraries hadn't been around for centuries already, it would be impossible to open one now. Publishers would never allow it.
Mychal the Librarian was talking about everything he does, and why librarians need masters degrees. They're catalougers, teachers, community builders, and so much more!
We were looking at other libraries’ strategic plans for inspiration in crafting our own, and the one that stuck with me the most was Cleveland’s, where they refer to their library as “The People’s University.”
