The Last Library Just Closed in Douglas County, Oregon
A county in Oregon voted on a property tax increase, and it was voted down. One of the results is that the county closed every one of it's 12 public libraries.
Here is a video from Vice News on the story.
On the comment page people discuss whether the Oregon story is totally accurate, but also discuss the worth of libraries in 2017. Some people say they are not necessary. Again the question is, necessary for who?
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As a resident of Chicago I can get a library card and use it to take out books, audio books, music cd's , and entertainment ,documentary, and educational DVD's that they have on hand, as well as order all of those items and tens of thousands of more from the CPL system if they are not there at the local branch. I can also get free family passes for a number of Chicago's world renowned museums. When my sister visited me from out of town with her kids I was able to get her free passes from the library for the Shedd Aquarium , which saved her over 100 dollars that day.
I also have access to the CPL online resources , which gives access to hundreds of publications full text, including those otherwise hidden behind a paywall , like the Wall St. Journal. Also the full World Book Encyclopedia , the Gale Research Library online, the Facts On File library on line, and hundreds of other full text resources. And all of it is free.
I know that rural or even suburban libraries cannot necessarily provide all this, but I think libraries are far from dead, they are just evolving.
Very sad that they closed all the libraries.
Living in a rural area, our local library provides numerous sevices. Not what the urban libraries do, but they are very good for a small population.
I use the local library quite often and would hate to see it close.
Not everyone can afford to buy whatever they want or need from Amazon. It is true that a lot is available for free online as internet pages, but it is also true that there is a lot that is not. Plus, not everyone can access high speed internet.
I use my library on a regular basis. We have not only books of every kind, but computers, information centers for dealing with the state, a copy center, free Notary Publics, and a huge audio visual center, where you can take out anything from audio books to current movies.
I can't believe that Oragon can't see the need for them. Now knowledge will only be for those who can afford it. How sad.
I have long been upset that so many KY counties don't have public libraries... In fact, it is in my will that all of my books be donated to a county without a public library to start one. I keep thinking of Vanceburg, KY, where you could get nothing to read that didn't have the word "True" in its title. No magazines, even... Those people need a library!
While I am an advocate for literacy of any kind, one cannot deny that there is a very special, sorta organic dynamics of reading from a book.